Youth Leadership

Youth Leaders/Ambassador Program

Being a 4-H Ambassador is a great honor – selected youth get to represent La Crosse County 4-H at community and county events and activities, provide insight into every county wide program, and advocate for members on the Leader’s Board. Ambassadors participate in a wide variety of duties throughout the year, such as:

• Assisting at festivals by presenting awards, ushering, and emceeing
• Working at the county fair
• Visiting clubs to promote upcoming events
• Participating in parades
• Attending Leaders’ Association Board Meetings to vote on decisions.
• Create resources for members so they can get the best out of their 4-H experience.

The next Ambassador term will begin in October and go through the end of August. Meetings are held once per month, typically the last Sunday of each month plus help is appreciated at county-wide events. If you have additional questions about being an Ambassador, please contact the UW-Extension office. All youth in grades 7 and up are encouraged to become a part of the group!

Interested in becoming an Ambassador for the next 4-H year? All youth going into grades 7 and up are invited to join! Reach out to the office if interested.

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Youth Officers

An easy way to jump into Youth Leadership is to throw your name into the hat for your club – become a Youth Officer! Most clubs in La Crosse County have a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, some also have other positions like: Historian, Cloverbud Leader, Fair Coordinator, etc. Review your club’s by-laws to see what grade you need to be in order to run for office, and jump in!

Here are more resources for Officers, including handbooks per role.

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WI 4-H Opportunities

Travel Opportunities

There are so many wonderful opportunities for youth to explore their horizons, from something local like Arts Camp (at Upham Woods) to historical adventures in American Spirit East (eastern seaboard). We’ve witnessed youth grow tremendously from one short trip, so in La Crosse, we really encourage these opportunities. To peruse them all, visit WI 4-H Statewide Events and Opportunities

The Leaders’ Association developed scholarship for each travel opportunity for youth, ranging from 50%-75% of the total fees. Once a youth has applied for the opportunity in 4-HOnline, communication comes to our local office. We will then reach out to your family and explain more on how the process operates. In order to receive the full scholarship, youth will need to briefly present their experience after their trip at a Leaders’ Association Meeting. Review the Calendar to see when the best opportunity to present is.

Leadership Opportunities

WI 4-H also has State Ambassador Teams that provide project specific leadership opportunities. Should a La Crosse Youth apply and get chosen, the Leaders’ Association will also reimburse fees for this experience as well.

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Other Youth Leader Resources

Listed here are common resources used by our 4-H Youth Leaders:
Senior Scholarship Opportunities
Membership Evaluation Form
4-H Award and Recognition Information