NORWICH – Newly-elected officers in the 4-H Leaders’ Association have vowed to carry out the mission of the program, teaching youth knowledge and life skills as they also work to recruit local volunteers and try to break some of the misconceptions associated with the organization.

The Leaders’ Association Officers Alice Andrews (President), Kathy Austin (Vice President), Rhonda Turrell (Secretary), Louise Butcher (Treasurer) and Ippie Spencer (News Reporter), were elected by members of the 4-H leaders’ association in November and have since worked collaboratively to expand on the mission of 4-H by advising youth in different 4-H clubs and seeking new volunteers to help out.

“What we do is really a chance to increase the confidence and the self-esteem in youth,” said Andrews. She explained that this goal is met by hands-on learning and exposure to fields that are related to the interests of 4-H members, where 4-H youth are in charge of their own clubs, raising their own funds and putting together their own projects. Parents and community volunteers are merely advisors to what the kids decide to do, added Austin.

While 4-H does its best to accommodate the interests of all youth members, according to Richard Turrell, 4-H volunteer coordinator, the leaders’ association still struggles in breaking the misconception that 4-H is all about agriculture in a county where agriculture is the primary industry.