LEXINGTON, Ky. – The upcoming 2024 Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference is celebrating 100 years of 4-H at the University of Kentucky campus. This event, June 11-14, boasts the theme “Illuminate 4-H”, which symbolizes enlightenment, growth and the promise of tomorrow.

Hosted by the Kentucky 4-H Youth Development and UK Cooperative Extension Service at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, the four-day conference will help teens develop valuable life skills including leadership, teamwork, communication, networking and service. Youth will also participate in activities like service projects and academic workshops that will help them better serve others.

Participants, incoming ninth to twelth-graders, will also experience UK’s campus through the eyes of a student. This will include living in dorms and visiting academic and student life buildings.

Previous Kentucky 4-H Teen Conferences have drawn more than 800 youth. The experience allows them to engage in the collegiate experience, bond with other youth from across the state and, for many, decide to attend UK in the future. Many previous attendees share the value of bonding and serving with others at the conference.

 “Teen Conference has impacted me because I have gotten to give back to our state that has done so much for me,” said Kennedy Walden, current Kentucky 4-H participant and acting State Teen Council Member. “I have made friendships that I will always cherish.”

 “Teen Conference opens your eyes to all things 4-H, great experiences, making friends and branching out of your comfort zone,” said Hopkins County native Hailey Oldham, current 4-H State Teen Council member and previous conference attendee. “This conference opened my eyes to a week of meeting new people, having fun and seeing what’s outside of our small towns and high schools. This single week is by far one of my favorite life experiences to this day.”

This year’s conference is divided into seven major categories: Agriculture /Animal Sciences   ; Communication/Citizenship; Expressive Arts; Family Consumer Sciences; Health; Natural Resources; and Science, Engineering & Technology.

In the Agriculture/Animal Sciences area, participants will look into a broad range of areas, including equine pre-veterinary studies, the specifics of agritourism, veterinary anatomy and canine studies.

The Communication/Citizenship area leads attendees to understanding how to support families and youth of the military in the community, how to get involved in helping to make public policy decisions, and explore a multimedia major by learning from hands-on experiences that include flying drones, filming and editing video, creating animation, producing a podcast and much more.

For the artistic student there are the Expressive Arts area, which includes the fundamentals of music, art, dance, drama and even clay sculpture. 

“The music, art, dance and drama experience will provide opportunities for delegates to explore various genres in the performing arts, learn tricks of the trade, develop confidence on stage and share the passion of these experiences at Teen Conference,” said Avery Johnson, a previous conference attendee.

Family Consumer Sciences is an area that will introduce attendees to activities that will familiarize them with both the fashion and hospitality industries. Topics such as color, visual merchandising, etiquette, event planning and sustainability will be covered. In addition, this category will help youth learn the skills they will need when entering the workforce.

 The Health area is all about “getting in shape to serve”.  Experts will be on hand to discuss healthy minds, bodies and habits, and provide one with a plan to develop healthy habits upon entering college. Attendees get the opportunity to participate in fitness classes, climb on a rock wall and improve one’s well-being.

 Quite popular is the Natural Resources area, where attendees can learn about the great outdoors, with a birding program, canoeing while learning about water safety and water quality. Explore the University of Kentucky’s Arboretum, meet with professionals working in natural resource and environmental fields. Learn about the properties of soils, conservation, pollinators and much more.

 The final area is Science, Engineering and Technology. In one workshop, attendees will use dynamometers to evaluate the power performance of tractors and small engines. They will also discover how using alternative fuels in those engines will impact power input, fuel consumption and emissions. Attendees will be shown the same molecular techniques used by forensic scientists to identify even the tiniest insects. In this area, attendees will have the opportunity to explore many science, math and physics principles using remote controlled pulling tractors.

 This conference was originally launched in 1924 as a platform for the state’s youth to gather, learn and engage in meaningful activities together. During its early years, the conference focused mainly on agricultural education, rural life and leadership development. Over time, it expanded its scope to encompass a broad range of interests including art, science and civic engagement. However, its emphasis on developing confident and capable leadership skills for young people from all parts of Kentucky has remained consistent.