The 100th Annual 4-H Teen Conference took place at the University of Kentucky from June 11th to 14th, 2024. This national event aimed to achieve several objectives for its participants, including developing leadership and teamwork skills, improving communication abilities, fostering civic engagement, expanding knowledge in 4-H core content areas, and enhancing social skills through networking. Additionally, the event provided an opportunity for youth to become acquainted with the University of Kentucky, aiding in their college and career readiness.

The 100th-year Teen Conference celebration garnered significant attention, drawing 588 participants to the University of Kentucky campus. Among them were 472 youth and 116 adults from various counties across Kentucky. Notably, Lawrence County 4-H had 4 youth and 1 adult participate in the conference.

During the educational sessions, all youth attended a University of Kentucky recruitment session with the Office of Enrollment Management. They also received academic exploration materials from the Martin Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Center for Student Success. This experience introduced them to the University of Kentucky as a potential option for higher education. According to the post-conference evaluation, 77% of respondents expressed interest in attending the University of Kentucky, and 25% wanted to learn more about agriculture. Overall, 90% of the youth gave positive feedback about the conference.

Participants dedicated six hours to leadership development and service learning. They attended a leadership workshop led by a youth-adult facilitation team and collaborated with over 25 community-serving organizations for three hours of service work. The event highlighted the importance of county-level involvement in fostering community engagement and leadership skills among youth.