June 18, 2019

News Release

For Immediate Release

EDITOR'S NOTE: Members of the media may contact the Rutgers 4‑H Youth Development Program by phone at 848-932-3597 or by email at nj4h@njaes.rutgers.edu.

New Jersey 4-H Members to Attend National 4-H Citizenship Conference

Twenty (20) 4‑H members have been selected to represent New Jersey at the 2019 Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) Conference. This conference, now in its 60th year, will be held July 7–13 at the National 4‑H Youth Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Citizenship Washington Focus is a 4‑H leadership program for high school youth. Delegations from across the country attend this six-day program at the National 4‑H Youth Conference Center, located just outside Washington, D.C. The program is aimed at enriching young people's lives by broadening their appreciation and respect for themselves and others in the world. Participants attend workshops, committee meetings, field trips and social events, giving them hands-on opportunities to learn and grow. They learn and practice skills that will make them better citizens and more successful individuals.

During the week, program participants will also have the opportunity to visit local Washington, D.C. landmarks including the Capitol, Mount Vernon, Arlington National Cemetery, Presidential and war monuments and memorials, as well as Smithsonian museums.

The delegates representing nine counties attending this year's conference are:

  • Atlantic County: Victoria Foster
  • Bergen County: Ashley DeGeorge, Kailey DeGeorge, Kailey Levinson, and Brett Pietrowicz
  • Burlington County: Corina Grzib and Cody McBride
  • Cape May County: Elise Heim
  • Essex County: Shannon Sager
  • Hunterdon County: Lindsey Davis, Rachel Ewing, Taylor Lengen, Cecelia Ossi, Emma Weniger, and Josie Whitmore
  • Morris County: Kristin Osika
  • Salem County: Melissa Straub
  • Somerset County: Lauren Johnson, Krishna Mody, and Natasha Mody

"The conference provides opportunities for young people to identify individual citizenship rights and responsibilities; identify issues facing youth and explore causes and possible solutions; establish communication with law makers; and witness government in action" says Jeannette Rea Keywood, 4‑H Agent, Department of 4‑H Youth Development.

The 4‑H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, 4‑H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K–13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, marital status, domestic partnership status, military service, veteran status, and any other category protected by law. For more information about the New Jersey 4‑H Program visit the 4‑H website at nj4h.rutgers.edu.

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Cooperating Agencies: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Boards of County Commissioners. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, is an qual opportunity program provider and employer.

Rutgers New Jersey 4-H Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station