MU hosts 4-H teens’ conference

Workshops expand on clubs’ tradition.

By YADAMSUREN BORCHULUUN of the Tribune’s staff
Story ran on Thursday, June 15 2000

Yesterday afternoon, 46 guys and girls from all corners of Missouri learned the East Coast swing dance from Sean Nicholson and Dayna Hudson in MU’s McKee Gymnasium.

Nicholson is secretary of the Missouri State 4-H Council. It was his idea to run the swing-dancing lessons, one of 26 "learnshops" featured at the 55th Annual State 4-H Congress, which began yesterday at MU.

About 330 teenagers representing 22,000 members of the state 4-H program are attending.

The learnshops go beyond the traditional agricultural aspects of 4-H. They cover a variety of topics, ranging from pottery to computer simulation and leadership skills. State 4-H Council president Karl Gibbs said half the workshops are new; six were dedicated to technology.

"We try to find the workshops where young people can actually develop skills that can be turned into something to share with friends, make money or to help to their future career," said Mary Jo Williams, state 4-H youth specialist.

Nicholson said he enjoys dancing and wanted to teach it to other people. "The dancing is a wonderful exercise for health," he said. "It is good for the heart to relieve stress."

"The swing dancing is coming back among youth," Gibbs said.

Nicholson has been with the 4-H program for 11 years. "I had a wonderful time meeting people and growing as a person with 4-H," he said.

4-H is a national youth program. It derives its name from the pledge: "MY HEAD to clear thinking, MY HEART to greater loyalty, MY HANDS to larger service and MY HEALTH to better living."

Members contribute to their local communities in many ways, including after-school reading classes, tutoring, helping at nursing homes and hospitals and doing numerous community-service projects. Josh Bondy’s club from Brunswick, for example, collected 600 teddy bears and 800 children’s books and distributed them all over the state.

Elizabeth White, president of the 4-H’s Southwest Regional Teen Council, is running that region’s "Feed the Hungry" program for the second year. It received a $2,214 grant from Kraft Foods and used the money to buy two pigs and two cows and convert them to burgers. They also bought 12 tables for a community service building.

The teenagers said they, too, benefit from 4-H.

"I am learning to be responsible and more respectful towards my peers," said Justin Schaffler of Jefferson City.

Laura Bondy, also of Brunswick, will share her profitable business experience on the "Basics of Gardening" today. She started "Bloomers by Laura" six years ago. She grows more than 3,000 gladiolas in her family’s one-acre garden and sells them at the Kansas City market. She grows a variety of flowers, including heliopsis, black-eyed Susans, purple coneflower, Russian sage and yarrow.

"I enjoy knowing that my flowers will bring a smile to somebody’s face," Bondy said.

Cara Copenhaver of Lexington, who has been a 4-H member for 10 years, said the club has taught her the crucial skills for human responsibility, public speaking and communication.
Annie Vaughn of Marceline said her club taught her self-confidence.

"It was rewarding for me," Vaughn said. "I met a lot of people. I can go anywhere, and there I meet some of my friends."

"The 4-H helps me to have fun, meet new friends," Stephen Davis of Monett said. He added that club activities also encourage him to travel.

The Missouri conference also attracted two 4-H members from Kansas and two from Nebraska.
Kristin Kay of Ottawa, Kan., said Missouri’s 4-H program is "more energetic" than the one in Kansas. "Everyone is up here," she said.

Jodi Harper of Grand Island, Neb., agrees. She said she hopes to bring part of that Missouri energy and enthusiasm back to the 4-H program in Nebraska.