Lancaster County 4-H member Aleyna Cuttlers was part of a 19-member Nebraska delegation attending the 100th National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Ga. on Nov. 26–30. This year’s conference theme — “A Century of Empowering Youth” — focused on leadership, citizenship, global awareness and inclusion.
National 4-H Congress is the premier leadership event for 4-H members between 15 and 19 years of age. Nebraska delegates are selected for the trip to National 4-H Congress by submitting an Achievement Application for state competition. Aleyna submitted hers in the area of Healthy Living. She is a member of the Five Star 4-H’ers 4-H club.
In Atlanta, participants attended numerous educational workshops, cultural events and completed service-learning projects.
Aleyna says, “It was amazing to learn what an impact 4-H can have on the clubs, communities, surrounding countries and the world. Leadership may be declining statistically, but seeing over 800 other leaders in Atlanta really gives me hope that we can change those numbers. At our last 4-H meeting, I was able to talk to my 4-H group about the benefits that our club provides with all the service projects we do and how we are impacting our community for the better. Being able to experience the National 4-H Congress is a moment in my life I will treasure for a very long time, whether it was the friends I made from all over the states or the leadership skills I was able to gain from this truly amazing experience.”