For the first time in many years a Magoffin County youth is serving on the Kentucky 4-H Performing Arts Troupe. At Teen Conference this past summer the very talented youth decided to step outside her comfort zone and accomplish her goals. The previous year while attending Teen Conference she immediately knew that she wanted to be on the stage next year performing for the entire delegation. It was her first year attending Conference and her first 4-H event outside summer camp. This summer she returned to Teen Conference, audition music in hand, and made that goal a reality. During the closing ceremony her name was called as a new troupe member. 

Being a member of the troupe has already made a difference in her leadership skills. She had been asked to preform at community events and was the entertainment at the county homemaker holiday social. She was already growing into a great leader and has performed many times in front of large crowds, but the 4-H leadership boards are more than polos and time on stage. Just as State Teen Council has developed leadership skills in Magoffin County youth so has the Performing Arts Troupe.  In addition to leadership skills troupe members are also able to experience things they probably wouldn’t have otherwise. Time spent in a recording studio in Nashville, traveling with their friends to perform at conferences and in front of Extension stakeholders, and countless others.  

Finding a group of people who share your interests and have similar goals to yours can be hard for youth to do. 4-H offers youth countless opportunities to do this. The Performing Arts Troupe is just one of them but it has proven to be invaluable to one youth in Magoffin County.