32 Fond du Lac County 4-H youth attended the annual 4-H Club Officer Training! There was a lot of energy in the room and sharing of thoughts on 4-H in Fond du Lac County. Special thanks to, Makayla S, Camron V, Joseph K, Becca V, Amber T, and Brianna T. for designing and leading sessions on officer positions. Thanks to Ron Jakubisin, Positive Youth Development Educator for leading a session and Deb Senn for helping co-lead an officer training.  This was a great way to have some Youth-Adult partnerships and will hopefully get more for next year’s officer training!

In the general sessions, the youth had an opportunity to learn about their leadership style and how to work with other leadership styles. The youth learned ways to make their meetings more successful, participated in games and ice breakers to lead at club meetings or activities, and participated in a wrap-up reflection activity that they can bring back to their clubs. In the officer sessions, youth learned what is expected of their officer roles and received some strategies on how to be successful in these roles.

In the participant evaluation, youth said that they enjoyed meeting new people, learning the new officer responsibilities, and playing the games that they can bring back to their own clubs.  Some words that the youth used to describe how they felt about their new positions before the training were: worried, unsure, and nervous.  After the training youth were asked again how they felt about their new positions and answered with: excited, happy, confident, and supported.  If your club officers were not able to attend materials will be put in mailbox slots in the office.  There will be an officer check-in meeting in the spring to help support the youth in these roles!

Clubs represented at the training were: Armstrong, Brandon Tanagers, Calumet, Campbellsport, Creative Clovers, Forest Hills, Ledgers, South Byron, Taft 23, Weeping Willow and Wonder Workers.