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 4-H activities.  It is imperative that programs, communities, and families that are involved in the lives of youth make a diligent effort to restore and rebuild opportunities that provide experiences to develop interpersonal life-skills. Seven youth representing Ohio county participated in the 2021 Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference.  All 7 youth were current or past KY 4-H Achievement Award winners.  In 2021, two youth received the 4-H Gold Level Award and 1 received the Bronze Level award.     

This experience allowed Ohio County youth to recover lost time with peers, reunite with 4-Hers from across the state and opened new opportunities needed to gain a sense of normalcy for those who missed out due to COVID-19.  Youth reported they were excited to attend the conference this year because virtual experiences have been hard for social butterflies like them, and they needed to meet people in person. One 4-H member reported that the 4-H Teen Conference allowed them to build on her active 4-H career, make new friends and build on those genuine connections with 4-Hers from across the state. After hearing the word “cancelled” all too often seeing other 4-Hers and getting to interact with others was much needed, “Teen Conference gives me hope for my future” (Ohio County 4-H Delegate).

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

1. Delegates were able to meet people from across the state that love 4-H as much as they do, and  exercises their networking skills at Teen Conference by gaining new friendships. 
2. Being with 4-H people is important and that common ground is a great thing. Delegates were excited to meet the people that they had only got to see on a computer screen or see their name in an email. 
3. “This 4-H experience allowed me to come full circle in the projects I have competed and learned over my 4-H career by receiving the 4-H Achievement Bronze Award.” (Ohio County Delegate) 
4. One delegate stated that “I benefitted from Teen Conference by completing service projects to help others, interacted with peers, learned to better manage my time, and experience competitive interviews for the Gold award.”

Attending 4-H Teen Conference at the University of Kentucky is a valuable experience for youth from Ohio County: 

1. Delegates liked getting the feel for college life, staying in the dorms and being independent. This experience personally has helped them learn the college lifestyle. 4-H Teen Conference helps aid in student’s college decisions. One delegate said, “4-H Teen Conference helped me feel more connected to UK and the 4-H program.” 
2. Having this event at UK is very eye-opening to those who are still making post-secondary decisions and the delegates felt connected just by staying in the dorms. Ohio County youth toured the campus and explored what the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has to offer. 4-H Delegate said, “By attending 4-H Teen Conference over several years I have gained comfort with being on a college campus.”