“You never know where 4-H might take you,” says Stephenson County 4-H and Youth Development Program Coordinator Brenda Heimann. “Our very own Michelle Marck,of Freeport, had a once in a lifetime experience this past November when she was selected to be a representative at the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia.”
Michelle was one of ten 4-H youth from Illinois that attended the 100th National Conference from November 26 – 30. During her time at the national conference for youth leadership, she was able to participate in a variety of educational, service, and recreational opportunities. Michelle attended several hands-on, youth development workshops and presentations by world renown speakers including Dan Clark, one of the primary contributing authors of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”
“I met so many other 4-H’ers from across the country,” says Michelle. “I had a really great time and developed several new friendships. I’m so glad I had this experience; it was very exciting.”
Some of Michelle’s favorite parts of the conference included the International Dinner, in which attendees were able to try different cuisines from all over the World; and the service project portion of the conference, where Michelle, along with others, helped clean up a nature preserve area by working in a garden and pulling weeds. The pin exchange was another favorite activity of Michelle’s. This time-honored tradition at the National Conference involves attendees swapping pins as a form of meeting other attendees at the conference.
In 2020, Michelle was recognized as a State 4-H Award Application winner in Project Mastery for her Foods and Nutrition projects. The process for the selection was rigorous as she first had to apply and then submit an essay along with a video recording. Due to the pandemic, Michelle had to wait until this past fall to attend the conference.
We’re so proud of Michelle and all of her accomplishments,” continues Brenda. “Michelle’s involvement in 4-H started as a 4-H member at age 8. She’s been an active member throughout the years including being a representative with the 4-H Ambassadors.
“4-H is a great learning experience,” says Michelle. “I’ve learned so many life-long skills, including cooking, sewing, shopping on a budget, and communicating with others. I encourage everyone to join 4-H.”
Michelle is a high school senior at Freeport High School. She plans to attend Western Illinois University majoring in music therapy. Michelle’s parents are Barbara Marck, Freeport and Michael Marck, Denver, Colorado.
Pictured: Illinois 4-H delegates Michelle Marck (Freeport, IL ), Naomi Dolan, Ross Vancil, International Night – Egypt Lady, Anthony Joiner, Dylan Zwilling and Carl Rozanas.