LEBANON, Ohio – Ohio 4-H continues to pioneer youth development by providing transformative opportunities for its members. The latest opportunity occured on April 13 when Ohio 4-Hers made a trip to the American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece. 

 Spearheading the Ohio 4-H Greece Immersion Trip was Steve Brady, OSU Extension Educator in Warren County, and Margo Overholt-Seckel, program manager with the Ohio 4-H Workforce Development and Pathways.

 “This immersion program is designed to get kids out of their comfort zone and immerse them in a culture that’s different,” Brady said. “It’s similar to a foreign exchange student program. Students from Greece will come here to Ohio next summer and have their own immersion experience.”

 The Ohio 4-H students gained valuable insights into agricultural practices and career pathways during this 10-day trip.  

“This Ohio-Greece experience represents a unique opportunity for our youth to broaden their perspectives and develop essential skills for the future,” Brady said. “By exploring Greek culture and engaging in career exploration at the American Farm School, our 4-H teens are not only expanding their horizons but also paving the way for future success.”

 The center point of the group’s trip was the American Farm School. The school was founded in 1904 on the outskirts of Thessaloniki. The first students were boys orphaned in one of many uprisings marking the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe.

 In its infancy, the American Farm School taught practical training in field and garden crops, vineyards, orchards, livestock and silkworm production, as well as such industrial skills as carpentry, masonry and blacksmithing. The purpose of the farm was to equip American Farm School graduates to succeed in farm and in time to aid in the economic development of rural Greece.

 Modest donations of funds and equipment from a small circle of supporters in the United States helped the institution survive through its early years, as it bore witness to two Balkan Wars, World War I and the massive resettlement in Greece of refugees from Asia Minor. The school survived World War II and from that time improved the quality of agricultural education the school offered to the rural population.

 By 1996, the school aimed a higher education with careers in the life sciences, food technology, agriculture and management of natural resources. This led to the establishment of the Perrotis College of Agriculture, Environment and Life Sciences.

 By 2011 the school founded a pre-school on its campus, focusing on environmental education. An elementary school was built in 2013 and a middle school was erected in 2019.

“These participants returned home with an appreciation for global diversity and a renewed sense of purpose,” Brady said. “Through this journey of exploration and discovery, they have gained valuable insights into their own potential and the endless possibilities that await them in the world.”

 The trip also provided a platform for cultural exchange, as Ohio 4-H teens had the opportunity to connect with local peers and forge lasting friendships. These connections not only enriched the participants’ cultural experiences but also laid the groundwork for future collaboration and understanding between Ohio and Greece.

 “The Ohio 4-H Global Immersion trip is a testament to Ohio 4-H’s dedication to shaping well-rounded leaders who are prepared to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world,” said Kirk Bloir, Ohio State 4-H Leader and assistant director of 4-H Youth Development.

 Seven Ohio counties were represented in the trip to Greece in April: Cooper Schmidt, Sam Couch and Camryn Riddell of Warren County, Amelia Bender and Emma Smith of Morrow County, Greyson Hudak (Ashtabula), C.J. Jones (Ross), Campbell Reese (Geauga), Briar Watts-Rettig (Marion), Kaelynn Mishne (Franklin), Becky Comstock (Union), Sophia Preston (Fairfield) and AvaLee Cobbs (Sandusky).