Leadership, citizenship and finding a passion for community service are among the key themes bringing 90 4-H youth together for the first-ever West Virginia University Extension 4-H Civic Engagement Forum, taking place Thursday through Saturday in Charleston.

During the three-day educational event, the young people will hear from state leaders including W.Va. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, WVU President Jim Clements, Governor’s Legislative Director Jason Pizatella and W.Va. Supreme Court Justice Allen Loughry. Workshops, a tour of the Capitol and House chambers, and chances for discussion and debate are all part of the learning opportunities at the Forum.

“It’s important for our 4-H youth to know that, without question, they have an active voice in matters that effect their lives and the lives of their family and friends,” said Debbie McDonald, director of 4-H Youth Development for the WVU Extension Service. “The Forum’s goal is to give them some of the life skills and experiences that will help them serve as an effective leader in their community, state and world.”

Students were selected through a nomination process by their local WVU Extension agent. Programming and curriculum for the event were developed by WVU Extension youth development faculty, who will facilitate the Forum.

More than 80,000 West Virginia young people participate in WVU Extension’s statewide 4-H program, where they learn and have fun through clubs, camps and in-school and after-school programs. In addition to natural and agriculture sciences, entrepreneurship, electricity and mechanics projects, 4-H’ers also learn about rocketry, robotics, bio fuels and engineering through WVU Extension’s 4-H STEM initiative.

Follow the Forum via Instragram and Twitter at #ConnectWVU, #WVUDay, and #4HForum.

-WVU-

ab/3/20/13

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CONTACT: Ann Bailey Berry
ann.berry@mail.wvu.edu; 304-376-7740