In late June 2016, I was privileged to attend the Citizenship Focus program in Washington DC. Just going to DC for the program allowed for the opportunity to tour the city and see things such as the Arlington National Cemetery, Mount Vernon and the National Cathedral. Although the city and night tours to the monuments were fun, it was not the main goal of the program.
The goal was to inform us about how the government works. We had a Bill writing session followed by a Congressional Debate to finalize the process. We had the chance to meet our Representatives and ask questions about their office. Meeting other 4-H members was also a huge part of the program. I made contacts with people from Ohio, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, and Indiana.
The whole week experience helped make the program the best it could possibly be and helped further my interest in our political process. It was a great opportunity and I encourage other older 4-H youth to apply and try to attend.
Carson Markley