Celebrating excellence at their 80th annual State Congress, Georgia 4-H’ers gathered in Atlanta July 18-21 to compete in a multitude of categories.
The event included the state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action contests, as well as recognition of youth development professionals, supporters and public officials for their contributions to the success of 4-H in Georgia.
According to a press release from the local university of Georgia County Extension Office, “More than 48,000 youth participated in Project Achievement last year through 4-H programs at the county level. This essential Georgia 4-H program element empowers young people with leadership, creativity, public speaking, and record keeping skills that will last a lifetime.”
At the high school level, students are able to choose a project of interest from a list of areas that include agriculture, human development, performing arts, communication, engineering and workforce preparation.
Then, students research their selected topic, create a detailed presentation, and participate in related community service and civic engagement activities. The State Congress competition also requires contenders to undergo individual interviews with qualified professionals who engage with 4-H’ers about their project work.
For Dylan James, a Richmond County 4-H’er who won second place for a self-written monologue titled “Dear Dad,” competing in this year’s State Congress put his professionalism to the ultimate test.
James, who graduated recently from Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School, told of how competing in this year’s Performing Arts Drama project demonstrated his acting and public speaking skills.
Fueled by his grief for his beloved stepdad, who passed away in February, James said he originally wrote his monologue to process feelings of sadness for his stepdad, and his complex negative sentiments for his biological father.
“I kind of envisioned this character who is talking to a combination of my dads,” he said. “My stepdad was a great man, an amazing dad that I loved very dearly … however, my father has been kind of in and out of the picture.”
Choosing to write from an approach where the speaker was having an unfinished conversation with a deceased parent, James said he hoped his performance honored the respect and love he has for his stepdad by inspiring families to cherish their limited time together and not take it for granted.
“I want to encourage parents and children to have these difficult conversations before it’s too late,” he said. “There’s a lot I want to say to my dad that I didn’t get to … it’s worth laying out your cards on the table and being honest.”
Competing regularly at State Congress since eighth grade, James said he was ecstatic to win second place with an original entry, an unlikely occurrence.
“It felt great; I felt very recognized and second place is a huge deal for a self-written monologue. It was a true confirmation of success for me right before I go to college,” he said. “I didn’t feel nervous because I felt like God was on my side, and I was being guided by Him through it, but there was a little bit of anxiousness in displaying myself in such a vulnerable state in front of so many people.”
Although he started competing in middle school, James said he has been involved in 4-H since elementary school and was grateful for all the wonderful memories and experiences the organization gave him over the years. Through visiting nursing homes, volunteering and competing, James said 4-H caused him to mature and amass valuable knowledge which helped make him the man he is today.
“It has definitely made me a better person throughout the years. It’s helped me gain a lot of perspective, which I think is one of the most important things for an individual to obtain,” he said. “It’s put me in new situations and challenged me in ways that I wasn’t previously.”
As he looks forward to starting his first semester of college at Mercer University, James hopes his developed writing and speaking skills will aid his desire to pursue a career in journalism.
“I’m planning on double majoring in education and journalism with a minor in theater arts,” he said. “I really want to tell stories … one of the biggest things I learned [from competing in 4-H] was knowing one’s audience, and knowing that there is more than one way to perform something, and I’ve learned to apply that to life.”
As James attested, Georgia 4-H empowers students to become true leaders by developing important life skills, positive relationships with mentors and overall community awareness. As the “premier youth leadership organization in the state,” 4-H reaches more than hundred of thousands of people annually through the various UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.
“State Congress is made possible by generous contributions from organizations that support positive youth development in Georgia,” stated a press release from the Richmond County 4-H Office. “Major sponsors include Georgia’s EMCs, Georgia Power, Georgia 4-H Foundation, and the Georgia Master 4-H Club. Pillar Sponsors for the event include Harley Langdale Jr. Foundation, Inc., Premium Peanut and Kelly Loeffler.”
For more information about Georgia 4-H or to get your student involved, contact the local University of Georgia County Extension Office or visit www.georgia4h.org.
