Emma Wickham, 16, and Summer Wayne, 15, are two Florida 4-H youth who have built an impressive portfolio of leadership skills and experiences.
Wickham, past president of the UF/IFAS Extension 4-H St. Lucie County Council continues to serve as the current secretary while also serving as a state delegate on the Florida 4-H Executive Board. Wayne is the current president of the 4-H St. Lucie County Council, a State Council Reporter and the chair of iLEAD committee.
Each has developed a network of friends and community leaders and created lasting memories, thanks to scholarships they received from the inaugural UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie 4-H fundraiser gala in 2024.
Emma walked away with real-life experiences from the 4-H State Legislature program as she debated bills in Tallahassee. Summer is looking forward to presenting an impactful community project selected for the annual national Ignite by 4-H conference in 2025.
The next opportunity to support Florida 4-H youth will be at the Annual St. Lucie County 4-H Opportunity for All Benefit Gala set for Jan. 11. This event from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. will offer adults an evening of Ranch Life & Moonlight at Adams Ranch, 26003 Orange Ave. in Fort Pierce. The evening will feature music, dancing, a full cash bar, a silent auction and a dinner including legendary Adams Ranch steaks, green beans, swamp cabbage, baked potatoes, salad and homemade desserts provided by our 4-H Club families.
“Join us in celebrating and supporting the future leaders of our community at this festive and impactful event,” said John Ferguson, UF/IFAS 4-H youth development agent. “With a generous matching grant from the Doris M. Carter Foundation and proceeds from our first Benefit Gala, St. Lucie County 4-H provided more than 36 full and partial scholarships for various local, state and regional events just like the ones that Summer and Emma attended.”
The UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County 4-H Youth Development Program prepares 4-Hers to be responsible and productive citizens through an inclusive learning environment and diverse program delivery methods.
Scholarships from the 2024 gala provided opportunities for 4-H youth in St. Lucie to attend 4-H Discovery Camp, 4-H Executive Board, 4-H Legislature, 4-H University, iLead, Florida 4-H Summer Camps, 4-H Southern Regional Teen Leadership Conference, 4-H State Horse Camp and more.
This year, with continued support, the goal is to increase proceeds from the gala to fund additional youth scholarships and create new scholarships for adult volunteer training.
The St. Lucie County 4-H Association announces a new opportunity to set up a 4-H Endowment. Benevolent sponsors who are interested in partnering with other 4-H sponsors, please contact Ferguson at 772-462-1228 or john.ferguso@ufl.edu.
Tickets for the gala are $60 per person and are available through Eventbrite. For sponsorship information or other gala details, contact Terri Zuidema at the St. Lucie County Extension Office at (772) 462-1285 or email tzuidema1@ufl.edu .
###
ABOUT FLORIDA 4-H
4-H is the youth development program of the land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System. The program provides hands-on educational programs and experiences for youth ages 5 to 18 with the objective of developing youth as individuals, and as responsible and productive citizens. In Florida, 4-H is administered by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
0
