More than 470 youth and adults took part
in State 4-H Congress on Virginia Tech’s
campus from June 15-18, 2015. “State 4-H
Congress, the premier youth leadership
event, provides teens the opportunity to
build on positive experiences from their
local program,” said Cathy Sutphin, associate
director for Virginia 4-H youth development.
“Through structured interactions, teens
gain new skills, provide service to the
community, and have the opportunity to
expand their vision for their future, whether
they choose to go to college or enter
the workforce.”
This year’s theme, “Living the Legacy – 4-H
Forever,” drew on the history of 4-H and
demonstrated the power of 4-H to assist
teens in developing leadership, citizenship,
and life skills through hands-on educational
programs. The opening assembly’s special
guest was Virginia 4-H alumnus Taylor Ray
Holbrook from Lee County, Virginia, who
has competed on the popular TV shows
“The Voice” and “American Idol.” In his
presentation, Holbrook shared that the
first time he ever performed in front of an
audience was at the Share the Fun contest
at a State 4-H Congress. Additionally, Jerry
Reynolds, a Craig County 4-H alumnus,
performed during Share the Fun on the
same stage and piano he played on in 1968,
when he was in 4-H and competed at a state
4-H congress.