Wednesday, April 2,2008

Hey everyone!
Wow, today was absolutely fantastic! Definitely one of my favorite days of the conference so far. We started out the morning bright and early as we headed over to the USDA with the rest of the conference delegates and chaperones.
As you all know, part of the purpose of the National 4-H Conference is to discuss different issues that we want to see addressed within the 4-H Program, as well as what direction we want to see 4-H headed. After compiling these ideas during our roundtable discussion groups, they were given to Cathan Kress, Director of Youth Development for the National 4-H Headquarters, who then presented them at the USDA assembly. After Cathan Kress presented our recommendations at the assembly, we got to hear from the Secretary of Agriculture himself. Following the assembly, our delegation, being the talented group that we are, was able to shake hands and take pictures with the Secretary of Agriculture!

Following the assembly, our delegation split up as we set off to meet with our Congressional Representatives. Ashlyn and I were able to meet with Congressmen Tauscher's Legislative Aid, Matsui's Legislative Director, and Congresswoman Matsui herself.

During our meetings, we spoke to the representatives about the 4-H Program, the purpose of the National 4-H Conference, our current role and responsibilities as State Ambassadors, and the issues we wanted to see addressed within the 4-H Program. Personally, I found that meeting with Congress was absolutely awesome because we were able to ask for their continuing support for the 4-H Program and I felt like the representatives really listened to what we had to say and they took an interest in the purpose of the program. We also found that it was really easy to meet and talk with the representatives, and it was really exciting to actually have a say in what goes on within our program, especially on a national level.

Following Capitol Hill Day, we made our way over to the Odyssey where we prepared to cruise down the Potomac River for a night of fun! We ate a delicious dinner followed by a crazy night of dancing. With two seperate dance floors, there was plenty of music to go around.
Everyone had an awesome time and, although we were all exhausted at the end of the night, it was by far one of the best evenings of the conference! After the cruise was over, we loaded up the buses and headed back to the conference center where we all collapsed from exhaustion and tried to catch a few hours of sleep. Although we were tired, we couldn't have had a better time!

Hey Everyone!
Today was insane! With the sun barely peeking through our windows, the group dragged their tired, sore bodies from their comfortable beds. This was the first day that our delegation could go and site-see on our own. After a quick breakfast, the delegation set out on their long and busy day.
Our first stop for the day was at the United States Holocaust Museum. This was the first time anyone had visited this museum so it was an amazing experience for everyone. Basically, the museum was divided into 4 different levels. It was very interesting to visit the museum and develop a totally different perspective about the holocaust. Reading about the tragedy of this event in a textbook does not cut it. There were some moments in the museum when I just wanted to cry. It's amazing to comprehend the effect the Nazis has on the lives of millions of innocent people. The most powerful room to me was near the end. In this room they had piled all these shoes that the Nazis had taken from the Jews after killing them in the gas chambers. I can't explain why, but seeing and smelling the shoes totally killed me. If it had been a picture, I don't think it would have bothered me as much. But the foulness in the air from the shoes made me sick to my stomach. The Holocaust museum was definitely the most life changing event during the whole conference. And to think that Genocide is still occurring right now. What's sad is that I know nothing about it and thousands of people are suffering and dying at this very moment. I guess Americans have still not learned their lesson.
Though we had to start off our day at a more depressing place, we continued our journey and headed over the Bureau of Engraving were they print money. This place was really cool. We got a V.I.P. floor tour because our advisor had a good friend that worked for the government. We got to see the complicated steps that went into printing the dollar bill. There are 4 steps and each step required high-tech and specialized machinery. These machines are able to produce hundreds of thousands of dollars in one day. I even got to touch 64 million dollars! That’s the most money I will ever touch in my entire lifetime.
















It didn't surprise me that after the Holocaust and Bureau of Engraving our delegation was extremely hungry. With a few of our advisor's friends, we went to the Old Ebbitt Grill. This place was pretty sweet because it was a super old saloon that many politicians dined at in the past and today. The food was awesome and I almost had to have Carolyn grab a wheel barrel to wheel my tubby body out the door.








Unfortunately, when we exited the grill, the rain was pouring down. Our journey had to be cut short and we headed back to the metro. There was still so much to do and our delegation was really depressed.
After the metro, however, our delegation decided to go shopping a bit before getting on the bus to head back to the conference center. At the Chevy Chase Pavilion the group shopped a bit and had some coffee at Starbucks. I think that it was nice that our group got to take a break from all the hardcore walking we had been doing for the past few days.
When we finally got back to the conference center, we realized that many of our friends from other states had gone home. However, being the coolest delegation ever, we managed to find crazy ways to entertain ourselves all night long. With only one more full day in Washington DC, our super massively awesome group went to bed, stoked for Fridays unending possibilities.

April 1st, 2008

Hello from Chevy Chase everyone!!
We are having a wonderful time at the conference. There’ve been so many activities and meetings for all of us we’re always going from when we wake until when we go to sleep. And it’s not uncommon to find a few delegates finding time for Zzz’s, during a speech workshop or activity when you have time to sit. But of course those people are never from California. Today we went out in our roundtable groups which were conjoined with another group while we toured the Capital. Although shortly after departure the bus that Kelsie and Ashlyn were on took a wrong turn onto a narrow street. While trying to get back onto the original path they attempted a U-turn on the narrow street and somehow the side of the bus hit a tree which shattered two panes of glass on the outside of the buses dual paned windows. Everyone was perfectly fine, in fact the only person who was flustered in any way by the accident was the bus driver.
Depending on the group we were in today we toured different areas with many of us attending Arlington National Cemetery, and the Lincoln Memorial. We also went to a Science Museum that was holding an exibit on Global Warming and Infectious Diseases which pertained to our Green AID theme. Once we arrived home after working abut 9 miles (three times as much as our 5k), we went to our night time activity. The activities for that night included inflatable games such as jousting and snowboarding. This was a great activity because it allowed us to meet new people in a comfortable environment which is a perpose of the conference. After our night we went to our state meeting and worked out our schedule for the rest of the conference and what we wanted to do on our free days and for Capitol Hill Day. And finally after a long day we were finally able to go to bed.

Thanks for reading

Workshops and Town Hall Meeting

Round Table Discussions and Citizenship Excursions

Sunday March 30,2008

Hey Brittany here!! We have survived our 1st day our the 2008 national conference, we are all little battered and bruised, but now full of knowledge and with the lack of sleep we are running on fumes.... Ha ha... The weather is nothing like where i come from.. it is freezing and the wind may turn your nose into a popscicle....

Today was awesome!! At 7:45 am this morning, D.C. time, we boarded our tour bus and took a trip to Fort Hart Park and did the 5k... which is 3 miles.... Ha ha!! Yet... only 3 of us ran.. the champion runners were Carolyn, Ryan, and Kelsie.... The week ones who were freezing our butts off were Brittany, Jenny, and Ashlyn..... It was a great nature walk, with the beautiful scenery.... the cherry trees, poison oak, and miniature pine cones....

Then we came back to the beautiful, permanent, national 4-h Conference center for lunch which consisted of: macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, salad, cheesy pasta- shells, and mashed potatoes and gravy.

Our next adventure was meeting our focus groups. Our topics were cericulum in 4-H, national youth opportunites, and adult/youth partnerships... which was great since we need as much information as possible... since we are wonderful, ascending youth... Haha!! It was so min- boggelling...:-)

Our next stop at Midevil Times was unbelievable!!! The wonderful coereographed stunts moves were perfectly excecuted (4.5 seconds late).... and the food is wonderful and the atmosphere was great.... our feet were killing us but it was worth it!!

Hope you are stoked on life!!

Brittany Newton, Californian delegate

California Delegation for the National 4-H Conference 2008

Hello everyone! Welcome to California Delegation of the National 4-H Conference 2008's blogspot! Here the conference delegates from California will be updating all of you on our activities in National Conference, before, during, and after the actual conference on March 29-April 5.

Well let’s start off this blog with a little info on what the National 4-H Conference actually is! The National 4-H Conference is held at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland each year. Delegates are sent to this conference from all the states in the U.S., as well as from Canada and the U.S. territories. Six youth and two adult delegates from 4-H are selected to represent California 4-H and all our fees are paid. The conference focuses on creating recommendations to help improve the 4-H Program and also is designed to help provide meaningful personal and professional development and experiences for the delegates.

Each year the conference has a theme, and this year’s theme in GREEN AID: Acquire, Inform, Deliver and reflects the question "As society becomes more environmentally conscious, how can the 4-H Youth Development Program aid in enhancing socially significant and relevant programming to increase the environmental awareness of our clubs, our communities, our country, and our world." The goal of the conference is to have the delegates acquire knowledge, inform others, and deliver action in their communities and states.
Here is the link to the site about it for all who are interested in it! http://www.ca4h.org/conference/n4hc/index.asp

And this year the delegates from California are!....

Carolyn Abrams from Sacramento County

Ashlyn Aiu from Solano County

Ryan Cleland from Butte County

Jennifer Lyons from Mariposa County (me!)

Brittany Newton from Santa Cruz County

Kelsie Pombo from San Joaquin County

And our adult advisors are!...

Dee Anne Kesse from Los Angeles County

Matthew Portillo from Butte County

Starting from left, Kelsie, Ryan, Brittany, Jennifer, Carolyn, and Ashlyn!

Now as I pointed out, my name is Jennifer and I am starting off this blog, but we will all be taking turns updating it so eventually you will get to meet us all! So I will tell you all a little bit about myself now. I am 17 years old, and have been in 4-H from eleven years. Some of my main projects are quilting, sewing, citizenship, and leadership, and this year I also am lucky enough to be a State Ambassador! I like to read and swim as well as snowboard.

This is us eating lunch at our first meeting at Dos Coyotes in Davis.

Well enough about me, you will get to meet everyone else soon too : ) So back to the conference, so far we have had two pre-conference meetings. At the first we all just got to know each other and learned some of the obligations that we would have to have for the trip. We also got assigned some homework (everyone loves homework right? I thought so : ) ) which included setting up some meetings with Representatives and Senators from our state for when we are at the conference. We will get to go meet with them all during the conference to tell them about 4-H and ask for their continued support in it (should be really cool!). We also had to meet with our county rep's or directors to have an interview with them to learn all about their jobs in the county and see their views on different aspects of 4-H. Then we got to put together a presetnation about differenet topics just so we can make sure we are all prepared for when we go to the conference. The different topics were:

The Structure of 4-H - Carolyn
The 4-H Name and Emblem - Ashlyn
The Essential Elements of 4-H - Brittany
Statewide Events - Kelsie
The History of 4-H - Ryan
4-H Enrollment Trends - Jennifer

So it really was really interesting and useful stuff, and the presentations were given at our second meeting (held yesterday, Feb. 9th!) and they were pretty informal and really fun : )

This is us at our first meeting trying to figure out where our counties are on a giant puzzle of California at the State 4-H Office. The reason was so we could see the layout of California.

At yesterday's meeting we also worked on some details like flight times and packing lists and stuff. We got to go to lunch at this really cool restaurant, Pluto's, and I don't think many of us had ever been there, so it was fun. Then we came back and started working on talking about how our scheduling with our Representatives was going, and so far the only meeting all planned is with Dana Rohrabacher, but we have a whole bunch of others we are working on getting meetings with. Also we talked about what places we wanted to visit while at the conference, because we have some time to go sightseeing! We are thinking about a bunch of different places right now, though the main things are the National Archives, National Zoo, a White House tour, National Mall, Holocaust Museum, and maybe even a Smithsonian or the National Treasury. Sounds so exciting!

Next we worked on figuring out our logo for our shirts (yeah we got to pick our shirt color and design our own logo!) and ended up choosing a Hollywood style star with some other California related designs in it made by Brittany, who is a great artist! We also talked about getting trinkets for the Swap-N-Meet, which is where all the delegates at the conference get together and trade stuff from their states with each other! We decided to buy bottles and fill them with sand from a California beach along with maybe some seashells and possibly a little note. We are even going to plan a field trip to the beach to fill the bottles!

So it was a really great meeting, and it got us all so excited about the trip! As we progress in our planning and even during the trip this blog will be updated by someone different each time. So if you have any questions or comments about the Conference, about us, about 4-H, just leave a post! I look forward to posting again here, and hope you learned a lot from this!

TTFN! ("ta ta for now" for those who didn't watch Winnie the Pooh *smiles*)
~ Jennifer from the National 4-H Conference California Delegation