Several hundred 4-Hers recently gathered on the University of Kentucky campus for a week of Teen Conference leadership-building activities that culminated with the election of Kentucky’s new state 4-H officers.

Warren County 4-Her Jenna Brown is the new state 4-H president.  Ryan Utterback of Bath County is vice-president; Micah Smith of Madison County is secretary; and Mason Forsythe of Lyon County is treasurer.

The officers serve as official ambassadors of Kentucky 4-H, and as such are often called upon to officiate events, present awards at recognition ceremonies and deliver greetings to both 4-H and non-4-H groups around the Commonwealth.

As ambassadors, the officers travel frequently.

“An officer might go a couple of hundred miles in a month when carrying out his or her official duties, and of course this activity is balanced with school and family responsibilities,” said Mark Mains, Extension associate for 4-H youth development in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.

The officers are role models for other 4-H members, and also serve a leaders of the state 4-H Teen Council.  In this capacity they conduct four meetings a year involving the 56 statewide teen council representatives.

Kentucky 4-H is the youth development component of the UK Cooperative Extension Service.  Nationally, 4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship and life skills.