BUCKHANNON –A local group has started a new program called the Upshur County 4-H Teen Ambassadors.

Upshur County 4-H Extension Agent Craig Presar attended the Sept. 29 Upshur County Commission meeting to introduce one of the new ambassadors and proclaim the first week of October as National 4-H Week.

“Oct. 2 through Oct. 8 will be National 4-H Week, and we are doing things a little differently this year,” Presar said. “We’ve started a program in Upshur County called Upshur County 4-H Teen Ambassadors, and we have two young ladies who will be our spokespeople. So as much as she loves public speaking, we’re going to let Lauren do our presentation this morning.”

Lauren Metheney, 4-H Teen Ambassador, read the proclamation and said she is involved in 4-H because of the sense of community.

“I did 4-H because I love the community that’s involved with it and it just made me be more of an outspoken person and feel a little bit more comfortable talking to people,” Metheney said.

Here’s the full text of the proclamation:

Whereas, 4-H is a community of young people learning citizenship, leadership and life skills; and,

Whereas, 4-H is one of the largest youth development organizations in West Virginia, with nearly one in every four West Virginia youth involved in 4-H; and,

Whereas, 4-H in Upshur County claims over 340 members and more than 40 volunteers; and,

WHEREAS, 4-H, as a part of the Extension Service of West Virginia University, is a program where youth learn through opportunities that provide them hands-on experiences in 4-H’s mission mandates of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM); healthy living; and citizenship; and,

Whereas, 4-H has connected youth and their communities with the innovative research and resources from our nation’s 106 land-grant universities and colleges for more than 100 years;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the UPSHUR COUNTY COMMISSION, West Virginia, in a regularly scheduled meeting held on Sept. 29, 2022, hereby proclaims Oct. 2-8, 2022, as National 4-H Week throughout Upshur County. We urge the citizens of our community to take advantage of the opportunity to become more aware of this special program that enhances our young people’s interest in their future as part of Upshur County 4-H Youth Development and to join us in recognizing the unique partnership between our county and our state University System.