When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down programming in March 2020 youth, families, and communities experienced long-term isolation and alteration of their typical lives related to in and out of school activities. Youth out-of-school time programs, such as 4-H, are essential ecological assets and their disruption during the pandemic may have a major impact on youth’s developmental pathways (Ettekal & Aganas, 2020). For many youth COVID-19 will be the defining issue of their lives and affect them in ways that will mark the course of their life-long development (Bartlett & Virette, 2020. Hosting the Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference in June 2021 was an attempt to provide a typical cumulative experience for senior-level 4-H members. 

208 youth representing 68 counties participated in the 2021 Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference. 

Youth reported how they benefited from Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference: 

1. I got to meet people from across the state that love 4-H as much as I do, being with your people is important and that common ground is a great thing. I was excited to meet the people that I had only got to see on a computer screen or see their name in an email. 
2. By attending this conference, I was able to see how my 4-H peers remained resilient through the pandemic and this served as a great inspiration for my future. 
3. This experience allowed my 4-H experience to come full circle in the projects I have competed and learned through over my 4-H career. 
4. I got to exercise my networking skills at Teen Conference by gaining new friendships. 
5. I think that I benefitted from Teen Conference in a lot of ways, I got up on stage and gave a speech, completed service projects to help others, interacted with peers, learned to better manage my time, and experience competitive interviews for the Emerald award.

Five Todd County youth attended 4-H Teen Conference.  Two performed on stage with the State performing arts troupe, while four teens received recognition for bronze, silver and gold honors.  The three day, overnight experience provided an opportunity for these teens to meet new friends, perform on stage, and highlight their 4-H project year.  They learned leadership and communications skills and were exposed to the University of Kentucky college campus. This experience was a cumulative experience for the 4-H year that benefitted these youth after going through a pandemic!