Kentucky 4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on leadership experiences where they can build leadership competencies at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels of 4-H involvement. It has been a trend that Kentucky 4-H State Officers serve on one of these state-level boards before applying and running for office. It is a goal of Kentucky 4-H that youth who are interested in applying to run as a Kentucky 4-H State Officer have state-level opportunities to fully develop as a leader, therefore the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp was created in 2016. Senior 4-H’ers are invited to the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp, 2018 was the third year of this intensive program focused on leadership development. The youth had the opportunity to participate in exercises that would empower them to master concepts to lead in their communities.      

Adair County Cooperative Extension Service had three youth who participated in the Leadership Boot Camp.   All three plan on applying for State-level councils and Leadership Boards.  All three youth are involved in the 4-H Leadership program, 4-H Teen Council and one is a member of the 4-H Shooting Sports club.  Two of the three hope to serve on the State Teen Council and one hopes to become a part of the 4-H Shooting Sports Leadership Board.  All three youth are at the intermediate stages of the teen program and hoping to move on to more state activities and boards.

In 2018, fifty-one individuals attended the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp. Thirty-five senior 4-H’ers across the Commonwealth of Kentucky actively engaged in the experience.

This is the first year that Adair County has had youth participate in the Leadership Boot Camp.   Two of these same youth participated in the Issues Conference this past fall.  All three youth have attended the Teen Conference and Teen Summit in the past.  

As a result of participating last year, the teen reported being more confident in an interview setting, creating a professional resume, understanding the purpose of an elevator speech, appreciate others and the value of a team.  All three youth say they feel more prepared to apply for the State Teen Council and Leadership Boards.  Two have set a goal of serving on the State Teen Council and one of the teen's goals is to serve on the 4-H Shooting Sports Leadership Board.  They will be applying for these boards in the Spring of 2019. Two of the youth who participated were selected for Statewide groups.  One was selected for the State 4-H Teen Council and one was selected as a member of the State 4-H Shooting Sports Ambassador Board.

Reilly Wells, Noah Newell & Chloe Grider participated in Leadership Boot Camp.