Two Berks County 4-H members have been selected to serve as Pennsylvania State Project Ambassadors, joining a statewide team of young leaders who will help shape future programming and provide input on educational initiatives.
Margaret Haan and Dakota Deeter were among the 25 youth recently inducted into the ambassador program, which is administered by Penn State Extension. The new ambassadors officially began their one-year terms on October 10 during the Pennsylvania 4-H State Leadership Conference, Junior.
Haan was selected as an Expressive Arts Ambassador. She participates in dog and leadership projects through 4-H, plays the harp, and hopes to become a professor in the future.
Deeter was named a Shooting Sports and Camping Ambassador. Her 4-H involvement focuses on air rifle, and she also plays the flute, piccolo, and baritone saxophone. She plans to attend college to study geology and hopes to continue volunteering with the 4-H program.
The State Project Ambassador program is designed to give young people a voice in the development of statewide 4-H activities and educational opportunities. Ambassadors work alongside mentors who oversee specific project areas, offering feedback as staff organize events, develop curricula, and introduce new programming.
Each project area can have up to four ambassadors, allowing participants to contribute ideas and help identify opportunities to engage additional youth. Ambassadors serve one-year terms and may apply to continue for an additional year.
“State Project Ambassadors take part in three pillars: youth voice, leadership growth and enhancing their sparks,” said Jeanette Stackhouse, 4-H education specialist for leadership and civic engagement. “We give them opportunities to be the voice of their peers as we are creating new initiatives within 4-H. A new curriculum is great but doesn’t matter if it’s not something our 4-H audience finds exciting, useful or relevant, and our ambassadors help us understand current youth needs.”
In addition to expressive arts and shooting sports, the statewide ambassador team represents healthy living, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), leadership and civic engagement, environmental science, and animal science.
Pennsylvania 4-H is a youth development program administered by Penn State Extension as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national 4-H initiative. The program provides educational opportunities intended to help young people develop practical skills, leadership abilities, and connections within their communities.
More information about Pennsylvania 4-H and local opportunities is available at https://extension.psu.edu/programs/4-H.
