Seven youth and two chaperones from Kent County Delaware traveled to Kentucky to stay with 4-H host families for a week in July 2017.  This was the seventh interstate exchange trip for Simpson County 4-H.  Over the years our 4-H families have also hosted & traveled to Wisconsin, Montana, Minnesota, New York, Kansas, and Wyoming.  Interstate exchange trips are the longest running teen leadership program in Simpson County, spanning over fifteen years.  Feedback from the visiting youth included:  "We participated in the exchange to travel & meet people.  It was awesome and a good bonding experience.  We loved Kentucky and have an exciting trip planned for you when you come to Delaware next summer, " Kent County Delaware 4-H member.  "We got involved in the exchange trip for the first time this year for our boys to meet new people and see new places across our nation.  They are getting opportunities through this 4-H program that they never would have had otherwise.  It's very important for teenagers to get outside of their box & see that there is more to the world than what they are used to," Laura Otto, a first time Simpson County Kentucky host family.  

"It's so interesting how families in other states are involved in 4-H and how it impacts their lives.  My family lived & loves 4-H and my four kids depended on 4-H for their guidance and security, like a safe house."  Dana Johnson, who had children in the first interstate exchange trip in 2002 and is still involved today as a 2017 Simpson County host family.  Charlene Moore both hosted & traveled during the first exchange trip with Montana in 2002 and hosted a Delaware chaperone in 2017.  "This club lets you know how other states live and what exciting 4-H things they experience.  If I'm not traveling, I am hosting and it has been a highlight of 4-H for me for 16 years now."  Their 15 year commitment to the county's 4-H exchange program over the years speaks for itself!

In addition, for the first time I traveled with the Simpson County exchange teens to Delaware the last week of June.  While in Delaware we toured Washington DC via a Potomac River boat cruise, visited Rohoboth Beach, went clamming & crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay, took a historic tour of Dover Delaware, and went through a Treetop Adventure Team Building course.  Three of the five youth had never visited our Nation's Capital.  None of them had ever been crabbing or clamming, which also included learning how to cook what they caught then eat it for supper.  The teens also visited the location where the U.S. Constitution was first signed in 1787 and met the Delaware Commissioner of Agriculture.  The number of "firsts" the exchange provided our 4-H members is something they would not have been able to do if not for 4-H.