Foundation to 4-H staff with Dr. Kevin Carey (Part 2)

Amy Henschen: This is Behind the Clover: Real 4-H Talk with Real 4-H Pros, a look at 4-H from the perspectives of 4-H professionals from Illinois and beyond, with your hosts Henry Craft, Amy Henschen, and Ryan Littlejohn.
Ryan Littlejohn: Welcome back to Behind the Clover. Today we're continuing our conversation with Dr. Kevin Carey, Acting Assistant Dean, and Director of 4-H Youth Development and Senior Program Lead, Positive Youth Development, about his experience as a member of the Illinois 4-H Youth Leadership Team and his passion for uplifting 4-H members as well as 4-H staff.
Henry Craft: So, Kevin, prior to joining our 4-H team, you served on the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board. Can you tell us a little bit more about Foundation? Because we all know about it, but like what actually is it? And then what does a board member do? And then how did serving on the Foundation help you prepare to work with Illinois 4- H.
Kevin Carey: That's a great question, Henry. I think this was a catalyst for me and still serves in so many ways in this role because I learned so much while being on that board. So, I'm in my 12th year serving on the Illinois 4-H Foundation Board.
So, I'm still currently on the board and I'm currently serving as the Chairman of the Board. So, I was elected to that role before I took this role, and I'm still serving in that capacity. So, Lisa still works directly with the Foundation and the supervision of the Foundation in her role and her time with us that she has when she's not doing amazing national work for Beyond Ready.
And so, I can still live in that space and do the quality work that we continually progress. So the Foundation actually is celebrating - and I'm going to have to make sure I'm right on this - I can be fact-checked - but I'm fairly certain this is our 70th year as an Illinois 4-H Foundation Board. It is an old Foundation rooted in ensuring that we're building relationships to create financial opportunities to serve youth across the state.
And that means for us in a lot of ways that we are cultivating, connecting, and uplifting what's happening across the state in counties and units statewide to donors who have a vested interest based upon their industry, based upon their background, based upon the simple fact that they want kids to be able to have a 4-H experience.
And so the Foundation really sees themselves being relationship-driven and matching that with interest of those that are considering donating or do donate and then ensuring that they feel like they're hearing the impact of their support.
The board's comprised of 10-plus people at any point in time representing different parts of our state. These are individuals who have served potentially as a club leader, have kids in 4-H, have kids who were in 4-H, have been successful in their careers. Some of them aren't 4-Hers or were a 4-Her because we see the value in youth development transcending past, just having had a 4-H experience. It enriches the environment by which the board decides its strategic goals. And so in my time on the board, I started on the board because I was the Youth Leadership Team representative to the Foundation. And then I was the first collegiate 4-H representative on the Foundation.
And then I said to Angie, our Foundation Executive Director, how do I stay? And so I was appointed to a full board member position. My term actually was supposed to end last June, before this job was even a possibility. The board voted to just extend me for another three years, just to be of service because I really value what it has given me and what I know I can give the organization back. Now, I will graciously depart from the board in June, and it's time given the nature of this work. I will miss it terribly, and I hope if anyone's listening and they know people that would be exceptional board members that they would recommend those folks to Angie so that we can keep cultivating a population of people who live to serve, because that is exactly what's happening with that group.
So we meet three times a year in person. We have a leadership team that operates. This is our second year of our strategic priorities focused on individual donor cultivation, our give the gift of giving, which is coming up December 9th through the 13th, which was our first year was last year, which is a crowdfunding experience. We raised $25,000 plus from across people in the state to give to our 4-H program fee to make 4-H a possibility and a pathway for involvement.
We focus on board development, i.e. board cultivation. And then we're doing some work within identifying individuals who are previous donors or other populations of individuals and reaching out to them based upon previous history or specific characteristics that support the Foundation and the College of ACES advancement in the major gift offices. And so we do continue with our four strategic priorities. The board is extremely aligned right now, and I'm really excited to see what is to come with them.
Amy Henschen: Kevin, for people who are maybe aren't as familiar, what types of things does money donated to the Foundation, like, what does it pay for? Like, what might, how might they see those funding dollars at work?
Kevin Carey: Perfect question, Amy. Any of the programs that you see delivered across the state to a county or a unit, i.e., you know, anything related to cooking or our mental health programming, any of our statewide events that we support, so Illini Summer Academies or the Junior Leadership Conference, oftentimes has a donor or donors that have given for scholarships, for functionality of the event, for the curriculum and the materials to make sure we're reaching youth at every level of the state in all corners of the state and all 102 counties of the state. And so those programmatic dollars really are donor driven, and they're uplifting the reach that someone like Henry or Ryan are delivering in their respective places. And that's something that we see as the most important part of our giving or why we want people to give. We're not giving to people to have their salaries paid for. We're not giving to having people professionally, quote, develop. It is all youth programmatic dollars that enhance our reach, enhance belonging and retention of youth at the local level and the state level. I hope that answered your question, Amy, and I hope that it helps people across the state listen and understand kind of what that looks like.
Ryan Littlejohn: So would I be right to say that the workshop that I do in my county, that money is going to that county? So like to put it in perspective, if parents ever ask what the Illinois 4-H Foundation, where does that money go? I could say, well, that money comes back to us to spend on, you know, the workshop that we're doing for your kid that's building a soda can lamp or something like that.
Kevin Carey: That is exactly a beautiful way to articulate it. We always tell people that when they, some donors are really interested in giving and they want the money to go right back to their county. One of the things I tell people is that you're giving money for a 4-Her anywhere and everywhere to receive that. And so yes, your gift dollars are going to come back to Ryan to facilitate insert program here. And it might not be direct, but you're giving to the larger hole in helping make a 4-H experience for people in your localized area, but also across the state.
And I'll tell you how it prepared me to work in this job. I've been able to see the past 12 years of Illinois 4-H because there's always been a program leader, who serves on that as ex officio, the Associate Dean and Director of Extension serves as ex officio, Tina Veal, our Alumni and Engagement Constituent Manager person, serves as ex officio. I was hearing what was happening at the college, Extension and 4-H level for 12 years. So I have history in a different way that has prepared me to be able to step in and look at current 4-H in its capacity while also recognizing, you know, the 5,000 foot view that I was privy to hearing as a board member with the only 4-H Foundation. And so it really has situated me in both relationships and knowledge to come in and feel like, as you said, it feels like I've been here for a minute or a million because of some of the knowledge I come in with and the time I've spent volunteering on the 4-H Foundation Board.
Amy Henschen: That's awesome. So, Kevin, you've mentioned a few times your participation in our 4-H Youth Leadership Team, which the acronym soup of Extension, you might hear YLT, Youth Leadership Team is what that stands for. Can you tell us a little bit more about like what is Youth Leadership Team to you since you were someone who got to participate in it firsthand, which I haven't, I don't think any of us on this have had the opportunity to do. And like, again, how, what impacted that experience of being on that have for you?
Kevin Carey: I will tell you that I never saw myself doing 4-H stuff outside of my county. So it was my club. It was my federation. I was pretty insular when it came to 4-H. And I didn't really see myself doing anything outside of that because I wasn't the kid at the state level that was getting awards or applying for awards because you have to apply to get awards. And I just didn't even know that was a thing, right? Like no clue. I'll never forget when John Davis emailed me and was like, you should apply for this.
And I will tell you, I felt like such an imposter because I knew some of the people on that team because I had been to events and they were like doing all these exceptional things. They had gone to Congress. They had gone to Conference. They like knew people. And I was like cows and Grundy County Federation. And I had no clue that there was anything to do outside of my county until I got tapped and said you should apply.
And I remember interviewing in the old junior building that is no longer operational on the state fairgrounds, where many a memory of the dorms exist for me and many others. And the building itself is just a, it's a mood. Amy you can take the mood comment and you can use that with the youth when you're at Congress with them, like, this is a mood. I would also offer up the word Gucci, if you're like, sounds good, Gucci.
And so I was brought on and I immediately felt this like, whole world open for me. I transparently didn't do any general projects except public speaking. And I was rapidly introduced to people who only ever did general projects and were very passionate about them. And I had to really check myself when I first started on that team because their 4-H experience was very different. So people who look different than me, people who are homeschooled, people who had been on that for four years, and it was like the penultimate thing that they wanted in their 4-H career, and like they were working towards that. I kind of felt like I came in and had to sit and situate myself in that space.
But I will tell you, like, I still run into people and connect with people on that team. And we're celebrating our 25th year! This year, is 25 years of the Illinois 4-H Youth Leadership Team. And so, funny enough, one of our 4-H board members, who's our board development chair, on our leadership team currently, was one of the founders of the youth leadership team.
So, and then you take Deb Stoker's impact on me, a former 4-H state 4 -H office staff member did leadership and recognition programs, was the advisor for a significant period of time. We named a scholarship after her when she retired. Thankfully, Katie Duitsman does an exceptional job working with them now in her role. She really created that team, in the meaning as I think it has today, along the journey with several, several youth who now are in a variety of different industries and careers and are leading by example and are demonstrating how 4-H skills translate to their work.
I know that the longevity of that organization will continue to happen because it's been nurtured and it's willing to change and grow. And if you ever get to spend time with those youth who serve on that team when you're at an event or you see them, go talk to them. Listen to their story. They're just as diverse with different stories and experiences as it was probably the day that that team started. It has not lost that element that is core to why it exists as a pinnacle experience at the state level.
Henry Craft: I, yes, I completely agree with that. I'm excited that we even have the program pathways that we do. And I think to your point about being insular, I think that's, I mean, really a heart of what we're even trying to do here, right, with staff. I think for so long there's been, you know, we kind of, we just do our thing because we're doing 4-H in our counties. And so just to, I'm, all that to say, I'm grateful that the state 4-H office provides pathways to some of those pinnacle experiences for all youth, not just the ones that are plugged in that maybe their county is really proactive on sharing them, but you can plug in and apply, and you don't have to have a whole lot of red tape to be a part of that. So yeah, I just love that. And again, that's the heart of what we're doing here, so.
Kevin Carey: It is. And I will tell you, you're asking about the Youth Leadership Team, certainly my own experience, but we have several state leadership opportunities. So I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the health Healthy Living Ambassadors, or our Livestock Ambassador Team, or our STEM Design Team folks that are working with robotics and e-sports, are individuals who are going to be cultivated in potentially two new areas around DEIA and having ambassadors and youth being able to serve at the state level as Arts ambassadors, as we've welcomed a new staff member to our team, who's really thinking about having a youth team that can uplift the arts in so many areas. Like we really value at the state 4-H level finding that youth leadership opportunity where they feel like they're the teen teacher, the mentors, the people who have knowledge and experience that can translate peer to peer. And I don't think that we'll stop in our effort or our commitment to making that happen. It's an investment that I truly believe in and one that I would continue to support. You have to tap on someone's shoulder. Because what you're doing also when you're you do that is you might be, they might then have another opportunity to have a mentor. They might have another opportunity to make a friend. They might find a new career pathway. They're going to learn new skills. And when we don't do that, we're doing a disservice to being a youth development professional to create a thriving and successful person when they graduate out of the 4-H program. And our Influencers, right? So thinking about like social media and marketing - critical area of career growth and opportunity. Carissa Nelson is doing some exceptional work with that team, getting them on a national stage, helping them see the value of that. It's translating for people in their degrees already.
And so it's so impressive to see how some of these really are making a difference at that state level, albeit we're doing it at the local level with federations and ambassadors too. And so I want people, I want our staff to know that even what you're doing with your, you know, your localized team across different counties or in one county, still is making a huge difference in reaching new youth, making youth feel retained and making them feel like they belong. It is, I will say it with passion. It is the bread and butter of what we do. That makes a huge difference. Projects are amazing and they're very important. Programs that you attend are also really cool and neat. The mentorship, the belonging, and the leadership and skills growth, non-positional leadership sometimes too, is what we do best in Illinois 4-H.
Amy Henschen: And like preach, I worked in another state, and I just want, again, people to know, like the breadth of opportunities, particularly in teen leadership that exists at the state level here, are beyond any state that I have encountered, just like that we are allowing youth to channel their own spark into a leadership opportunity that fits for them. I just think speaks volumes to our commitment to building tomorrow's leaders.
Ryan Littlejohn: I totally agree with Amy on that. I've come from a different state. I know how it is in some other states talking to my colleagues. And they're like, how do you, how do you get a kid to go to those things? And I always relate it back to I had an extension agent that pushed me, right? They told me, “Ryan, this would be a great opportunity for you.” It wasn't just an extension agent. It was our club leaders that said, “Ryan, why don't you join the junior leadership team? Why don't you join the ambassador team and promote 4-H throughout your county,” right?
So it's for the staff out there that you're afraid: reach out. We will more than happy help you. How do you connect with those kids and have that conversation, right? It can be scary, especially if you're new staff. I know, I remember what it was like for me. I had no idea who these kids were that are teenagers that have been in 4-H for sometimes one year or even eight, nine years. And you're like, I don't, I don't know. Like,
I get it. I get it. Just have that conversation, right? Sometimes it's not even bad. Say, hey, go to their parents. Go to their parents. Important and valuable that is to the success of our program, right, is walking with these kids through this experience. And because we have to keep them first. And I hope that's something that if you don't remember that, I hope you find your reason why to come back and walk along with those kids in this journey.

Ryan Littlejohn: So, Kevin, on the youth leadership team, you probably had ample experiences that you could go and explore different events nationally, at the state level. We want to know if you had to pick a current state event or a current national event that you think members and staff should check out, what would it be?
Kevin Carey: So when I saw this question, I was like, I can't single out one singular event because I don't want anybody to feel like I think one thing is more important than another. because they all have a purpose and they all have a reason to exist in the ways that they do. I will talk about it from something I'm just simply passionate about, right?
I think public speaking is a skill that every single youth needs to experience. So there are talks and demonstrations in clubs. Go put yourself out there and join your local public speaking contest, hopefully get elevated to the state level. That is a skill that transcends so many. Different industries. And not only does it professionally assist you, but those are life skills. That's the conversation that you have with your parents or your guardian when you're struggling with something and communicating your feeling and your emotion about something. That's the conversation that you have with a friend that you miss or a friend that did something that really hurt you and you want to be able to talk about that. That's a conversation and a skill, excuse me, in a conversation with someone that you're in an argument with and it's not going anywhere. That entire project area for me and how it's elevated to the state level is something I just value that we continually do. Many states do it in variations in different ways. I'm fortunate we celebrate that that is a pathway to a statewide event.
I think if I'm talking about state events and national events and our staff are listening to this, the kids, who is most anxious about taking something to the state fair or taking something because they got elevated to, you know, a state contest or taking their robotics team to our state robotics event or leaving home for the first time and spending a week at the University of Illinois and you're in high school and you've never left home. Like come to a safe place, a courageous space where you will certainly have fun and go to the Illini Summer Academies. These are the those moments, I think, that we have the privilege to see, and we know lots of stories about those kids that have had that moment. And also, and Ryan, you just said it, making sure the families know about those and having conversations with families to see that, like, Amy is about to go and take the group of exceptional humans. And Amy's going to do great with that with Britney from Unit 9, and it's going to be wonderful. But I think that those are opportunities and possibilities that we just have to make sure we're uplifting.
It's not that you can't have an exceptional 4-H experience if you only do things in your county. That is not what I'm saying, because that actually probably is the largest percentage of what a 4-H experience is for people across the state. And so uplifting those like one-off local events, and I've had the privilege to travel to some local county fairs and some local events since I've started. And those have been some of my favorite because kids like really see that as like a culminating event for them. Like, I am bringing my diorama of an animal that I have made out of candy to the fair in visual arts. And I get to talk about that with the judge. I will not forget that conversation in Knox County when I was there for their general project. So the kid was just so freaking excited to talk to me about that. I wasn't even judging. I just went and asked him. Those are local events, but to me, a local, state, and national event live on the same platform. They just do. Because not everyone and not every person wants that. And so we also have to do our part that Henry and Ryan and EPCs and educators who are doing work at the local level are still creating the same outcomes and opportunities that a state event would and that a national event would. Because that's what matters to the youth and the family. That question is hard for me because, I mean, of course, I talked about public speaking, but that's just bias because that's like secondhand nature. Kev Kev loves that. But I don't necessarily think there's one that overrides another. And this is also the chance for me to say what you do at the local level is extremely important. It matters because without your local level, there would be no state and national events. Simple fact. So it's just back to the matter.
Amy Henschen: I'm going to jump in here. I think Ryan, I think he maybe overdid it his first year. But I think I think Ryan got to go to some state national events. And that's another thing. Like if you're a new staff person or a person who's been here a while, if you get the chance to volunteer to help attend or see, go support your local kids at a state or national event, like it can be really beneficial to understanding the event, right, Ryan? And like, knowing what you're promoting locally.
Ryan Littlejohn: Yes, I definitely agree. Don't do it all on your first year because you're still trying to learn the job. But I absolutely loved my time doing it. I got to experience Illini Summer Academies, and then I can come back to Wayne County and share with my kids what it's like, but not just to the kids, to the parents. The parents know what that environment is and how kids are going to feel safe, feel a part of something, and thrive being there that whole week. That was very important. And then on top of that, I have had the chance to be a level two shooting sports instructor. So I got sent to Kansas for national shooting sports training and I got to meet with other extension colleagues, which blew my mind. I thought these would be volunteers, all volunteers, which it was a lot were volunteers, but in my discipline, there were a lot of extension staff. And just to sit down with them and talk to them about their program and what they do to get kids involved at different state events, that is remarkable too. Like you make connections and that helps you come back and prepare to talk to kids about where to go next right and I have kids that don't even leave Wayne County and they still, their 4-H experience is the best one they ever have, right? I mean and I think that's what's so valuable to us as a youth organization. Which other youth organization in the United States provides something like that i can't name one.
Henry Craft: As we've been doing this podcast, you know, we, we are doing this as a, it's been said at All Team that it's a love letter. It's a labor of love to our staff in Illinois. And that's why we do this podcast. And so, and it's evident from just your words and your passion that, that you fit right into that vibe. And so we always tend to end with a very pointed question. And so since you're approaching your almost one year anniversary, we've talked about this a little bit already, working for Illinois 4-H, and knowing what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for folks that are just starting their journey in 4-H?
Kevin Carey: Here is the simple and most basic fact that is truth. If you're new or you've been here for in a certain number of years, otherwise known as to your seasoned, the one thing that you should always do when you wake up in the morning is think about why your work matters. And it's not always going to be this really exceptional, big, grandeur thing that you helped move to the finish line. It's actually not those oftentimes. It's the little daily interactions that you create. It's the kid that you talked to after a program who was excited about what they did and that they were pretty much giving you the gratitude for giving them that opportunity without maybe even saying thank you. It's the kid who you see that comes in as an eight-year-old comes an officer in their club or the kid that you meet in an after-school program who just keeps coming back to 4-H programs because they enjoy them. It's the other staff members that you talk to and that you uplift and that you spend time appreciating and those that do that with you, it's all within the day. Because when we take the culmination of those small things and we're willing to recognize the small things we do, they do add up. They do. And if you're willing to start your day, every day, with just the simple art of yesterday I got to do this, that, and the other. and let that fuel you for the rest of your next day, then you're going to keep making a difference in our organization. And that creates not only thriving youth, but for me and something that is critically important to me is uplifting the value and the thriving nature of a 4-H professional. And you have to do that work for yourself, but I can guarantee you that you got a whole group of people standing behind you that would do that for you in moments that you don't always feel like you're making that small difference. I want you just to ground yourself in those small moments, and I want you to think about it doesn't have to be the big and beautiful and wonderful. Sometimes, as Kelly Clarkson says, like I'm broken and I'm beautiful, right? So I can be a little broken in my job sometimes, but dang, do we get to do some really good beautiful work for our youth, our families, our volunteers across the state, and also for one another who commit their life to this profession.
Henry Craft: Well said Kevin. I, I just can't tell you how much we appreciate you it's we've been thinking about when we're going to get Kevin on and it's been worth the wait sir and I think I can speak for us when we say gosh we just love you. We love, we love Kevin. We love the energy that you bring. I wish listeners you could see the chat that we've got going on here and just the and you've been on the, you've been on the receiving end of it, the positive encouragement that he just shoots out all the time and the support that each and every one of us feel. And probably sometime to, to Kevin's exhaustion. He just walks with people and helps and just generally loves on folks. And I think that is such a, a blessing that we get to have. And not just for who you are showing up as a human, just to hear you talk about your experience with 4-H, your qualifications in general just to lead an organization like this. I mean, it's not just that we feel real good around you, but I think that's probably one of the best things that we get to receive, but your capable and just deft hand at leading Illinois 4-H in this way is just awesome and we thank you for it. We thank you so much for being on the show to hear about your uh Celine Dion antics and all of your history with cattle and public speaking and just to hear your passion is a beautiful thing so don't lose it if you ever feel like you're not going to have it tomorrow, you need to call one of us up and we'll give you one of your famous pep talks because we, we need Kevin Carey in our organization. So keep being you and keep doing the wonderful work that you get to do in order to help us do the amazing work that we get to do at the local level.
So I'll say it again. We love you. Thank you so much for being here. And to all of our listeners, thank you so much for joining us for yet another episode of Behind the Clover. Join us next time for more real conversations with real 4-H pros.
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