Posted: November 3, 2025
Young members of Pennsylvania 4-H honed their leadership skills at the annual State Leadership Conference, Junior event, held recently at Penn State’s University Park campus. The theme was "Connecting Our Communities."
"The State Leadership Conference, Junior, is an introduction to leadership for our up-and-coming leaders," said Jeanette Stackhouse, 4-H education specialist for leadership and civic engagement with Penn State Extension. "At the conference, participants discover their leadership potential, build lasting friendships, and learn how to make a meaningful impact in their communities."
The conference, attended by 100 participants ages 10-13, offered younger members of 4-H the opportunity to enhance core leadership skills. Teen 4-H members serving on the State Council, the top leadership position in Pennsylvania 4-H, led interactive workshops and activities, with titles such as "Louder than Words," "Overcoming Fears and Obstacles," and "Building a Better You."
The event also included a project discovery fair during which 4-H State Project Ambassadors demonstrated 4-H projects for participants to consider. State Project Ambassadors provide a youth perspective on statewide program areas, collaborating with 4-H state specialists to plan events, curricula, and initiatives.
"Young people always come away from this experience learning about a new project that they didn't know existed," Stackhouse said. "After seeing those projects, they tell us they are interested in trying a new 4-H project beyond what they already take."
In addition, the ambassadors and state council members hosted the Project Advocacy Challenge, in which participants were divided into groups based on the project areas they selected and learned how to market those projects to the public. The challenge culminated in creating a small group promotional poster.
During the closing ceremony, Pennsylvania 4-H inducted a new team of State Project Ambassadors to begin their terms. A maximum of four ambassadors can represent each project area for one-year terms, with an option to reapply for a second year.
Administered in Pennsylvania by Penn State Extension, 4-H is a nonformal educational youth-development program of the United States Department of Agriculture that helps young people develop knowledge and skills to become capable, caring, and contributing citizens. To find your local program, visit the Pennsylvania 4-H website.
