A 4-H’er from Polk County attended the ninth annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners Youth Summit, which was held in Hickory, North Carolina, Aug. 24-25.

North Carolina 4-H and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service partnered for the ninth year with the NCACC on a multi-year initiative to increase youth involvement in county government. This initiative helps youth learn more about county government as well as how to become more involved in local decision making.

The 4-H’er who attended from Polk County was Ariel Ballard. Over 70 youth and adults from 63 counties were represented during this event.

The event is sponsored and supported by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

For more information on the 4-H program, people may contact Helen Blackwell at 828-894-8218.

4-H is North Carolina’s largest youth development organization, equipping more than 263,000 young people each year with the skills to succeed and improve the world around them, representatives said. 4-H programs and camps encourage young people to “learn by doing,” helping them to develop into active, contributing citizens.

North Carolina State Extension and the Cooperative Extension Program at N.C. A&T State University coordinate 4-H programs statewide.

– Submitted by Helen Clark Blackwell