Local youth learn about civic engagement in Washington D.C.

Two youth developed critical leadership skills during week-long experience.

43 Minnesota youth, including Sidney Olson and Tanisha Srnsky from Red Lake County, attended the 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) experience in Washington, DC June 22-29, 2019.

“CWF is a national 4-H experience designed to challenge youth to think about how they can use their voice to create positive, sustainable change in their communities,” said Jacquie Lonning, Civic Engagement & Leadership Director at the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development.

4-H Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) is held every summer at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center in Washington, D.C. Through a series of speakers, committee work, field trips and social events, youth explore, develop, and refine skills needed to be an outstanding leader on both a local and national level. CWF participants get a behind-the-scenes look at our nation’s capital, meet members of Congress, hear from motivational speakers, and participate in educational workshops and assemblies that increase their individual commitment to civic involvement -building skills for a lifetime of success. Through CWF, youth strengthen their communication, leadership, and citizenship skills, and learn about the democratic process and the importance of becoming active and engaged community members.

Tanisha Srnsky said, “While at CWF I learned many things, some about the history of our country, the differences between states such as pronunciation of words, and the qualities of a good citizen. We did multiple group sessions where we met with kids from many other states, and we learned how to make bills, and then had a mock congressional session to see whose bills would pass or fail in “our government”. We also discussed many issues we see around our communities and addressed reasonable ways we could try to resolve them. We did a lot of site seeing, the monuments had so much meaning behind them, and the most interesting museum to me was the holocaust museum. We got to meet Collin Peterson, see all the memorials you could think off, and of course we walked over a mile one way for Georgetown cupcakes!”

Sidney Olson said, “Citizen Washington Focus trip was a trip that I will remember.   At the National 4-H Federation building we met up with 4-H’ers from around the United States.  We had several different sessions or workshops throughout the week.  I participated in a Mock Congressional Session as a speaker of the House.  This was very interesting to see how Congress conducts their business.  The Civility workshop we took part in I feel will help me in understanding how to work with and value other people’s political views. CWF is an amazing opportunity to learn about our country’s history other than from a book.  From visiting Gettysburg, the Holocaust Museum, and Mount Vernon to spending a day with our representatives and senators.  We also had the chance to visit many different memorials like Arlington National Cemetery, US Marine Corps, Pentagon Memorial, and Abraham Lincoln Memorial.  CWF gave me an experience I will never forget because of the impact it had on me.   

4-H offers leadership and civic engagement experiences throughout the year. To learn more, visit z.umn.edu/4HLeadership.

About Extension 4-H: 4-H is a youth development program of the University of Minnesota Extension. Available for youth in Kindergarten through one year after high school, 4-H’ers participate in hands-on learning experiences in STEM, leadership & civic engagement, animal science, creative arts and much more. Through the 4-H learn-by-doing process, youth grow essential life skills such as problem solving, decision making, coping and communicating that help them succeed in school, college, community and career. Research shows that youth who participate in 4-H have better grades and are more emotionally engaged with school, are more than twice as likely to be civically active and contribute to their communities, and are 47% less likely to have risky or problem behaviors.