Amulung, Cagayan - The 3-day 4-H Club Regional Youth Summit was a victorious event attended by 200 club-members from different provinces in the Cagayan Valley region held at the Provincial Farm School and Agri-Tourism Center, Anquiray, Amulung, Cagayan on April 24-26, 2024.
The theme of the Regional Youth Summit 2024 is "Relive the 4-H in YOUth: Re-energizing and Empowering 4-H Leaders in Valuable Agri-fishery Engagements," aimed to inspire and equip the next generation of agricultural and fishery leaders especially the youths.
The event kicked off with a torch parade of the enthusiastic participants, setting the stage for the activities to come. In the evening, the participants showcased their creativity and cultural pride during the opening ceremonies through a parade of banners and a flag soliloquy.
The event was graced by the presence of dignitaries from the provincial government of Cagayan, the Department of Agriculture, and the top management of the Agricultural Training Institute - Regional Training Center 02 (ATI-RTC 02). These esteemed guests lent their support and expertise to the summit, further enriching the experience for the young participants.
ATI RTC 02 OIC- Center Director Dr. Claris Marayag-Alaska said, "The Regional Youth Summit is trying to engage more youth in the agricultural landscape. It is actually a youth empowerment and a platform for agriculture advocacy. The 4-H Club is a vital platform for nurturing the next generation of agricultural and fishery leaders. This summit has been a resounding success in empowering our youth to take an active role in shaping the future of our communities."
Meanwhile, Regional Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 02, Dr. Rose Mary G. Aquino expressed her support to the 4-H Club organizations and to the programs and projects of the youths in agriculture. She encouraged the youth to make their actions speak louder than their words. In her message, Director Aquino emphasized the role of the youths in the agricultural landscape.
"The youth of our generation play an important role in shaping our society. Oftentimes, they are the ones to provide much needed insights in terms of technology advancements that their influence fits adults and even policy decisions. Their brilliant ideas can help address many situations in sectoral organizations with [a] common vision and purpose to improve accessibility through resources and transform consciousness into belief, values, and defense. Mabuhay ka, makabagong magsasaka!” she said.
Throughout the summit, the young attendees were exposed to a variety of engaging and educational experiences. Seminars on leadership and mental health were conducted, providing the participants with valuable insights and tools to navigate their personal and professional development.
The summit also featured a search for Mr. and Ms. 4-H, team-building activities, a cooking contest, an "Agritale" storytelling competition, a "Songcon: Duet" singing contest, "Agrifitching", "Thrashformation" (a recycling-themed activity), and more. Also, the 4-H Club conducted an outreach and feeding program in the Anquiray Elementary School. Pupils received school supplies, and other tokens from the organization.
One of the highlights of the summit was the series of contested activities, where the different provinces showcased their talents and expertise. In a display of their prowess, the province of Isabela dominated all the contested activities and bagged the Overall Champion Title in the 2024 4-H Regional Youth Summit, while Cagayan Province took home the Overall 1st Runner Up award. Quirino Province and Nueva Vizcaya Province has been also awarded following Isabela and Cagayan.
The 3-day Regional Youth Summit organized by the 4-H Club Federation and ATI-RTC 02 has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on the participants, inspiring them to embrace the values of Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, and to become the driving force behind the sustainable development of the agri-fishery sector in the region.
