The Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference is a multi-state leadership conference that was created to bring together youth from across the southern region. (https://4-h.ca.uky.edu/SRTLC)   In February of 2022, we held the first ever Winter SRTLC.  Bringing on a myriad of challenges due to the weather, youth sprang into action developing plans for a somewhat normal conference.  

 Of survey respondents, 72% of youth indicated this was their first time attending the Southern Regional Teen Leadership Conference.  78% of teens indicated they felt supported by other teens and 75% indicated they felt like they mattered.   When asked, “The most useful thing I learned at 4-H SRTLC was…,” one youth exclaimed, “I learned that someone, somewhere is looking up to me so it’s important that I not only show up for myself but for all those people that aspire to do the things I do!”  Respondents were asked, “why programs like SRTLC should be supported,” and one youth said, “You should support 4-H programs like SRTLC because it allows youth to meet, discuss, and work through issues facing the world today

Ultimately, the Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference was designed to give youth a voice, a seat at the table, to help build a meaningful conference.  This conference allows youth and adults from across the southern region to interact and build those strong youth-adult partnerships to promote positive change in the everyday lives of youth.  Winter SRTLC 2022 not only accomplished that, but so much more.

There were five youth from Caldwell County that attended the Winter SRTLC.  Four of the five were first time attendees and they had the time of their life. Each delegate had a chance to meet 4-H’ers from across the south and learn about their 4-H programs.  They began to realize that 4-H was very similar, but at the same time very different depending on the needs of each state.  

This leadership conference was life changing for some of our delegates.  It came at a time when our youth needed it most.  Many had been secluded in their own homes due to Covid and this was the first event they had attended since the pandemic began.  SRTLC provided an opportunity for youth to interact and develop friendships one another.  This was a major achievement for one attendee from Caldwell Co.  They were typically very shy and reserved but were able to open up and came out of their shell at SRTLC.  When asked “what they like most about SRTLC” they stated, “Meeting people from different places”.  This was a profound statement coming from a once shy and reserved teen.