4-H, Cody Somers says, is about more than cows and cookies.
Somers has returned from a recent 4-H summit in Ottawa. The summit, featuring workshops and keynote speakers, went from July 11-14 and hosted participants from a number of countries.
4-H is a worldwide organization with over seven million participants from over 70 countries. The program allows for youth to engage in activities such as raising livestock, cooking, photography, archery, paintballing and volunteering.
Each day of the summit concentrated on one of 4-H’s four pillars: Community Engagement and Communications, Science and Technology, the Environment and Healthy Living, and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security.
Somers said his favourite part of the summit was meeting people from different countries and seeing how they interpret 4-H differently. South Africa’s 4-H program is more directed toward agriculture, and participants grow crops and sell them.
Somers said he also met people from Jamaica and Kosovo at the summit. The next summit is scheduled for 2020.
This year is Cody’s fourth in 4-H, and he started when he was 12. 4-H has helped his self-confidence and communication skills, Somers says, because every year, public speaking is part of his club. He added 4-H teaches skills that can only be taught outside the classroom.
Somers said he thinks he’ll continue with 4-H until he meets the maximum age requirement, which is 24.
“It’s fun,” Somers says. “We have a good group of kids.”
