Each summer, more than 100 North Dakota youth gather in Fargo for the Extension Youth Conference (EYC).  

The EYC brings together youth from across the state on the NDSU campus to build leadership skills, participate in service learning and attend hands-on educational workshops. This event aims to put the 4-H motto of learning by doing into practice as a team of 4-H Ambassadors, who are ages 16 to 22, plan and facilitate the conference.  

“Planning and running EYC alongside my co-chair, Haley Cowan, was an unforgettable experience,” 4-H Ambassador Skyler Manney says. “As youth leaders, we were given so much room to be creative and make the conference perfectly fit our vision.”  

The EYC helps youth see opportunities for continued 4-H involvement beyond their club.  

“I now have a better understanding of food insecurity, and this community issue is frequently on my mind,” says Andrew Myrdal, a newly elected Ambassador from Walsh County. “Attending EYC inspired me to become a 4-H ambassador.”  

Grace Goettle of Morton County built relationships with North Dakota youth during the EYC.  

“Because of how welcoming everyone was, I wasn’t afraid to talk to people, which has continued to help me make and build friendships outside of the conference,” she says.  

EYC leadership learning included Real Colors, a personality instrument that taught youth to understand themselves and how to interact better with others.  

“I learned more about myself with the color activity we did,” Alyssa Thomsen of Barnes County says.  

“I plan on continuing to use the knowledge that I took away from the workshops in my everyday life,” says Michaela Mitchell of Stark-Billings County.  

“Whether learning about artificial insemination or how to line dance, or preforming for the variety show, EYC is great experience for older youth whether in 4-H or not,” says Sue Quamme, NDSU Extension’s 4-H youth leadership and civic engagement specialist.  

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  

N.D. 4-H Youth Development website

Sue Quamme, 701-231-5923, susan.quamme@ndsu.edu