I Attended 2012 Capital Days!

By Mandi Gurecki, 4-H Teen Council member, Bucks & Montgomery County, PA

When I was asked to write about Capital Days 2012, I didn’t think it was going to be that hard. I mean, I love writing and I love 4-H, so what’s the problem? Boy, was I wrong! It’s not that there’s a lack of things to say about Capital Days, rather, there’s so much I could tell you about, that the hard part is choosing what I want to talk about! So, I’ve decided to tell you about Capital Days in reference to three different reasons you should consider going: to meet other 4-Hers, to learn about state government, and to see the art and architecture.

The first reason to go to Capital Days is to meet other 4-Hers. What better place to make new friends than being in a hotel with other teens who are enthusiastic about 4-H? At Capital Days, you get to meet teens from all over the state and hang out with them for three days! And don’t forget about the 4-H dance! The dance is always guaranteed to be the best part of any of the state 4-H conferences.

Another reason to go to Capital Days is to learn about the state government and how the legislative process functions. To do this, everyone is divided into two parties, green and white, and given a bill to make changes to. After those changes are made in the committee meetings, both parties get together for a mock legislative session. During this mock session, the changes proposed by each party are debated upon. Also, we were privileged to witness part of an actual session in the House of Representatives, which really neat to see!

The third reason to go to Capital Days is to see the art and architecture. Not only is the conference held in the Harrisburg Hilton (located in downtown Harrisburg, which is rich in beauty), but you also get to tour the state Capital Building! The building is stunning! It is filled with tile and marble, splendid domed ceilings, beautiful woodwork, magnificent paintings, and more. There really are no words that fittingly describe the beauty of the Capital Building!

So, you see, no matter what you find interesting, Capital Days is sure to have something for you. The sad fact though, is that while it’s so much fun, Capital Days is also the least attended of any of the state 4-H events. BUT, you can help change that by going to Capital Days 2013! I know I want to go again!

P.S. I almost forgot to tell you about one of the funniest moments of Capital Days 2012. The dance, which is everyone’s favorite part, was supposed to end at 11PM.

But we were armed with knowledge of Parliamentary Procedures, which we had gone over the night before. After properly being acknowledged, moved, and seconded, we voted to extend the dance for another half hour!

So we danced on, because we are Pennsylvania 4-H and know how to do it right!