The statewide 4-H Fall Forum was held on Oct. 31-Nov 2, 2025 in Green Lake, WI. Fall Forum is an opportunity for youth and adult leaders to attend the statewide training weekend with county and state staff. It was planned by a team of youth and adult volunteers from the Wisconsin 4-H Leaders Council with the support of county and state staff. 4-H youth and adult leaders came together to connect, collaborate, celebrate, and continue building excitement and energy for a new year of 4-H learning. There were about 300 youth, volunteers and Extension Positive Youth Development Educators in attendance. The overarching goals of the conference were to:
- Provide an educational opportunity for youth and adult volunteers
- Develop youth and adult partnerships
- Create an engaging and welcoming environment to facilitate discussion between counties and regions
- Encourage diversity of thought, perspective, interests, and people
- Promote strategies for youth and adults to reach underserved and underrepresented groups
- Target Audience: Youth 7th – 13th grade, adult volunteer leaders, and staff (staff were invited and encouraged to attend as their schedule permitted)
This was a great opportunity for a team of county/state staff, volunteers, and youth to work together and prepare for the upcoming 4-H year back in our community. Washington County volunteers, youth and educators presented 5 workshops and one ‘Spark Station’ during the conference. A big thanks to all those Washington County 4-H’ers that contributed to the success of this conference. Those workshops specifically were:
- Spark Station: Wildlife & Forestry Connection to Shooting Sports
- Recruiting, Growing, and Empowering Youth Leaders
- Growing your Wildlife & Forestry Knowledge for Fun, Competition or Maybe Your Career
- Teen Leadership: Obstacles to Opportunities
- Shooting Sports 101: A Program Built on Relationships
- Cloverbud Basics and Beyond
For more information about the annual Fall Forum, and other county-based and state-based youth leadership opportunities, contact Ron Jakubisin, Wash. Co. 4-H Educator at Ron.Jakubisin@wisc.edu.
