Success StoryTeens Learn to Lead in Ag



Teens Learn to Lead in Ag

Author: Melissa Schenck

Planning Unit: Washington County CES

Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources

Plan of Work: Increasing life skills education and leadership excellence for youth and families

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Teen Leadership Washington County is an annual program for high school juniors and seniors focusing on leadership development, career opportunities, and learning about the community.  The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, 4-H Youth Development Agent, and School Gifted and Talented Coordinator partner to plan and implement monthly meetings. The month of September was Agriculture Day. Agriculture Day is planned and hosted by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent and the Horticulture Agent. 

25 teen leaders were able to tour Lost Oak Farm (a local sheep and cut-flower farm) and Silverton Hills ( a thoroughbred breeding and training facility). They then participated in the Agriculture Olympics. Agriculture Olympics is a series of games based on farm chores. These games allow participants to work together as a team and to utilize the leadership skills they have learned so far. 


Reviews for this day showed that participants learned a lot about teamwork and hard work. Comments include "Communication and working together is the only way teamwork can work", "It takes many roles to make a good team", "Not everything will work on the first try", "Trust my peers and my teammates", "Teamwork is a crucial skill to learn", "Communication is key", and "Hay bales are harder to stack than I thought". 


Overall, participants were able to learn about agriculture in the county, and career opportunities in agriculture, and were able to put their leadership skills to the test through Agriculture Olympics. 






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