Hello,
Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador
I'm Veronica, and I am honored to have been selected to serve a second year as a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador on the leadership team. Fall is upon us, and we are excited to begin the new 4-H year.
We had a very successful state showcase season, and now 4-H'ers are preparing all across the nation for National 4-H Week.
Let me tell you about some things I've been up to as a state ambassador.
4-H at the Minnesota State Fair
It was a very hot but successful state fair. There were over 4,100 exhibitors at this year's showcase. In the 4-H Building, there were 1,987 exhibits, and 2,562 animals were shown in the barns.
I stayed at the state fair in a state ambassador role for 14 days. The state ambassadors arrived on the Tuesday before the fair to engage in training and help with setup.
When I was at the state fair last year, I realized that as state ambassadors, we didn't always know how to interact with people with a disability. So, as part of my leadership role, I created a presentation for the team on small steps to be more inclusive.
I shared some basic tips on what to do when someone has a guide dog or if someone who is blind needs help. I also taught the state ambassadors how to say phrases using ASL, such as "Welcome to the 4-H Building," "Have a nice day," and "Nice to meet you." I was excited that several of our state ambassadors were able to use these new skills; one even mentioned that it made their day when they were able to welcome someone in ASL.
State ambassadors also welcomed special guests in the 4-H Building. This included hosting a group of teen leaders from Ukraine participating in YouLead with my fellow state ambassadors Rayea and Vivian. I was so excited when I heard that I would be a host for this group at the state fair.
We started with introductions, then took some photos before giving them a tour of the 4-H Building and telling them about 4-H. After the tour, one person performed a dance, and the youth sang. Two participants also led a workshop on how to make Lialia-Montaka dolls. The dolls are meant to keep away bad spirits.
We also watched State Arts-In perform and then ate lunch in the cafeteria. The YouLead group had been in Minnesota for about two and a half weeks, so we talked about how they were enjoying the state. Before we said goodbye, we walked in the parade with them. They had a lot of fun learning our different chants and we learned theirs. I enjoyed the entire day.
Congratulations to all the youth who earned state fair trips this year, to the County Arts-In and Share the Fun groups, and to State Arts-In, who celebrated 50 years this year!
Though the state ambassadors don't have roles at our other 4-H state showcases, I'd like to extend my congratulations on behalf of the state ambassadors to our youth members who participated in this year's state shoot, state horse show and state dog show. It's incredible to see everything our 4-H youth achieved throughout the year.
National 4-H Week
Each year, the first week of October is National 4-H Week. In my club, we always wear our club shirts on the Monday of National 4-H Week and then spend the rest of the week promoting our club activities. We hand out fliers at the local elementary, intermediate and high schools.
National 4-H Week is a time for youth, educators, volunteers, supporters of 4-H and alumni to celebrate the opportunities that 4-H offers. Follow Minnesota 4-H on their social media channels to join in the state ambassadors' activities.
Use this week to promote 4-H - it can be as simple as telling a friend about 4-H, wearing your 4-H swag or putting a note in your school newsletter.
Have a great National 4-H Week!
Veronica S., Wright County
Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador