BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. — Animal Ambassadors of Saratoga County 4-H served as community leaders at The Saratoga County Fair and The Clifton Park Library. Saratoga County 4-H Animal Ambassadors is a competitive program that serves as an exceptional way for youth to further their understanding of and involvement in the animal industry.
The purpose of the Animal Ambassadors program is to provide youth with skills in sciences, language arts, leadership, and creative thinking; all aligning with different aspects of animal industries and science. This month the Animal Ambassadors served as assistants at The Saratoga County Fair 4-H Animal Shows and also presented in the Horse Tails program at a local library.
At the 2021 Saratoga County Fair, the Animal Ambassadors made their first public appearances since the initiation of the program this past spring. Throughout the course of the week, these rising teens were present at each of the six animal shows. The youth participating in this program were expected to learn animal handling skills, public speaking skills, and were required to organize and run each of the six animal shows. We hope to see this group of youth grow as a team and take on more leadership roles at the County Fair next year.
On July 27th, the Animal Ambassadors participated in the Horse Tails program at the Clifton Park Library. After a reading of the book Horse Girl by author Carrie Seim, the Animal Ambassadors presented on horse care and riding topics. Throughout the year Animal Ambassadors are expected to participate in at least one community enjoyment experience while meeting other yearly learning objectives. Team meetings are held once a month with opportunities to learn from professionals in the field and work on projects.
In addition to this program, Saratoga County 4-H offers a variety of opportunities for youth including other animal science programs and general interest programs. Such project areas include: Shooting Sports, natural resources, and public speaking. For more information on Saratoga County 4-H programing, call our office today at (518) 885-8995.
–Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County
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