This is the event of the 4-H year. State 4-H Congress is going on this week and already in day two we have had some major accomplishments, incredible opportunities, and an insight into the next 100 years of 4-H.
Congress is an annual event for teens. The first day and night are also open to youth who are participating in presentations on the state level. It is an incredible experience for our youth to mingle with youth from across the state and sharpen their life skills during the week. Our delegation this year is made up of Aljaquan Nixon, Camry Ocean, Cierra Buckman, Yazmin Washington, LaQuanwanda Banks, and Jessica McLean. Marilyn Merritt of the Young Leaders 4-H club volunteered to go with the delegation this year.
Monday started with the preliminary items. We drove to Raleigh to the N. C. State Campus, where we stay for the week. After taking care of the paperwork and other registration items we moved into our dorm rooms in the high rise towers. After meetings for youth and adults, then district meetings it was back to the dorms and to the dinning hall for dinner. It really makes you feel like you are in college being part of 4-H Congress.
Dinner led way to the opening ceremony at the Exposition Hall on the State Fairgrounds. We began with the traditional county flag ceremony. Cierra Buckman, our Robeson County County Council President has the honor of carrying our flag in this year. The flag ceremony was followed by the 4-H Honor Society tapping and state 4-H fashion competition before heading back to the dorms.
Tuesday was tapped as the Centennial Celebration day and boy did Robeson County celebrate. We started the day with our 4H State Activity Day at Athens Drive High School. Youth from across the state competed in Presentations and Public Speaking. To get to the state level a youth must win on the county and place first or second on the district levels, before heading to the state competition. Elizabeth Keenum, Camry Ocean and Machiko Hill all competed in public speaking. In the 11-13 age division the competition was extremely difficult and Keenum and Ocean both gave excellent speeches however neither placed in this division. Machicko Hill however received a bronze medal for her efforts in the 9-10 year old age division. Also presenting on Tuesday were Dillon McCartney in soils and Cierra and Bridget Buckman who gave a presentation in dairy foods. Dillon place bronze in his division and the Buckman sisters placed gold in their division.
After presentations we had a few hours to rest up for the big event of the evening the centennial celebration. After touring the 4-H exhibits in the Kerr Scott building and having the opportunity to mingle with famous 4-H alums we headed down to the expo center for the main event of the night. After a buffet dinner the youth had the opportunity to see the North Carolina 4-H Hall of Fame inductees as part of a slide show. We were also treated to a presentation on 4-H's past, present and future. This presentation included a video address from Dan Blue, a Robeson County 4-H member who is now serving as speaker in our North Carolina General Assembly. The evening included excerpts from our 4-H performing arts troupe and a special performance by the Peay Brothers. You may remember the Peay brothers sang as part of the CBS morning Shows Family talent competition and made it all the way to the finals. They performed for us again, reminding our youth that with hard work and by setting goals you can accomplish anything you want. After the centennial song performance the youth headed back to the Kerr Scott Building and settled in for state 4-H officer campaign speeches and a dance. Then it was back to the dorms to rest up for Wednesday and all the fun in store.
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