Our First Day is Like a New Revolution

Our first day at State 4-H Congress started with lights, music and incredible accolades. We left Robeson County early in the morning to head to Raleigh. After going through a rather painless check in process for our delegation of 10 we headed to cook out for lunch. Then the fun began as we came back to Bragaw Residence Hall on the North Carolina State University (NCSU) Campus to find our rooms and unload the van and trailer. After getting it all unloaded (trust me that took us awhile) we headed to park the trailer for the week and then back to McKimmon for the start of Congress.

In the meantime Penny McCartney left Robeson County with Frankie Farbotko, the coach of our first ever 4-H Poultry Judging Team, and the members of the team. The team is made up of the winners from the 4-H Poultry Judging Competition at the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair in 2010. Team members included Katy Patterson, Dustin Nance, Rosie Diaz, and Jackie Cuneo. Two are from Lumberton High School and two from St. Paul's High School. The team traveled up for the 1:30 pm competition. Around 4:45 pm we found out that our first ever senior team placed third in the state!

While they were finishing up competition at NCSU's Poultry Unit the delegation made up of Nakeriah Baxley, Christopher Bullard, Alexus Jones, Shawndora McNair, Aljaqan Nixon, Korina Pittman, Keirra Richardson, Ashley and Kristen Sealey, and Shabreya Vample were at the McKimmon Center learning all about the New Revolution of Responsibility and learning the ground rules for the week. In the meantime adult volunteer Marilyn Merriett finished up judging Application, Resume, Interview (ARIE) and joined 4-H Agent Shea Ann DeJarnette in the adult meeting. There they received a message from Marshall Stewart, rules about the week and learned that Congress would have a different look to it this year. After the big meetings we broke out into district meetings and then disbanded to head to the dorms. While everyone worked at unpacking, County Council President Aljaquan Nixon changed and went back to the McKimmon Center to be our county flag bearer for the evening events.

After dinner in the NCSU dinning hall, with fresh milk and ice cream from the NCSU dairy unit we all headed back to the McKimmon Center for official opening assembly. LeAnthony Boone, the State 4-H Council President presided over the evening's events which began with the parade of Counties. That is where Aljaqan came in with our official Robeson County 4-H Flag. After the pledges and singing the National Anthem Dr. Joe Zublena, Assistant Vie Chancellor for Extension, Engagement, and Economic Development and Associate Dean & Director, North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, NCSU, brought greetings and gave us a brief message suggesting that we do not let our challenges define us, but let our challenges be defined by us. Then 4-H Alumi Carol Ann Tucker brought us a message of how 4-H is helping mold us and how it changed her life for the better. LeAnthony Boone then brought forward his challenge of leadership success and challenged all of our 4-H members to strive to be the best.

Then it was time for the biggest part of the night, the North Carolina 4-H Honor Club Tapping Ceremony. Members of the honor club circulate through the audience and find those who are being inducted into the club that night. It is a candlelight ceremony steeped in tradition. The inductees do not know they are being inducted and it is a tremendous honor to be a part of this group. Inductees are chosen based on an application that includes grades, 4-H work, outside activities, and character references. This year our very own Yazmine Washington was tapped to be inducted into the 4-H Honor Club. Her sister Kewanda Merriett who is a Robeson County 4-H Alumni and Honor Club member drove to Raleigh for the ceremony and to specifically tap her. Yazmine was not only surprised, but honored by the festivities of the night. Yazmine was whisked away, along with family members to a reception for the inductees.

After all of the fun of the opening ceremony our group loaded back up on the van and headed back to the dorm. It is an early curfew of 11:00 tonight since we have to leave just before 8 am to get to Athens Drive High School for presentations in the morning. What a day we have had and we still have some in front of us. Follow us on Twitter to get all the breaking news as it happens.