UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — At the recent Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference, 29 4-H’ers received Diamond Clover Awards, the highest achievement possible in the Pennsylvania 4-H program.
The Clover Award Program encourages 4-H members to explore new projects and activities that will help them acquire the seven leadership life skills: communicating; decision making and problem-solving; getting along with others; learning to learn; managing; understanding self; and working in groups.
Engagement with the Clover Award Program is generally a multi-year process and consists of planning and implementing a service-learning project in the community.
4-H’ers from several western Pennsylvania counties received diamond awards. In Alleghany County, Norah Carter developed and led a hands-on educational program for teens and tweens about mindfulness and stress-management coping mechanisms. In Crawford County, Mallory Schroeder taught other 4-H members to safely handle, show and care for horses.
In Fayette County, Cheyenne Bash worked with an elementary school’s 4-H woodworking club to promote hand tool safety, Kenzie Mowry founded a 4-H club to mentor youth, and Isabel Poorbaugh taught elementary school students about food systems.
In Greene County, Hannah Cole assembled a first aid kit for her local 4-H livestock barn and arranged for volunteer leaders and county council members to receive first aid training. In Venango County, Cailyn Shaffer crocheted fleece blankets for residents in cancer centers, a nursing home and a homeless shelter. In Washington County, Abigail and Jacob Mitchell built or purchased bee hotels.
More than 300 4-H youth gathered during the Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference, Jan. 28-30. The outreach committee will consist of Jordan Armagost, of Venango County; Elizabeth Bruner, of Indiana County; and Sarah Grace Ferber, of Montgomery County. The events committee will include Logan Fortin, of Erie County; Alexandria Neff, of Dauphin County; and Cailyn Shaffer, of Venango County.
