Each year, the National 4-H Council recognizes four diverse young leaders who make a positive impact in their communities through the Youth in Action Awards.
Today, the National 4-H Council has announced the 2024 winners. The winners will each receive a $5,000 higher education scholarship and spend 2024 inspiring other youth by telling their 4-H story. In addition, they will have opportunities to showcase their work nationally, network with prominent 4‑H alumni, and serve as official 4-H spokespeople for Youth in Action.
The announcement was made as part of National 4–H Week, held October 1 to 7, 2023 to celebrate and showcase the opportunities and impact that 4‑H offers young people nationwide. The 4-H Youth in Action Awards are sponsored by Bayer.
The winners of the 2024 4–H Youth in Action Awards are:
Katie Collins, 19, Charlotte, Tennessee: Growing up as a mixed-race girl on a dairy farm, Collins often felt like she didn’t quite fit in. In 4–H, she found a sense of belonging and an outlet to be her true self. Collins has since completed hundreds of hours of leadership training and dairy-related volunteer work. Through her leadership as 4–H Honor President, Collins created See Yourself in Ag, a program designed to expose diverse and rural youth to the many aspects of agriculture and ag-related careers.
Her program has reached more than 672 4–H members, successfully introducing a diverse audience of young people to the agricultural industry: 53 percent of participants were female, and 68 percent were young people of color.
Amiyah Elam, 17, Waycross, Georgia: Self-described as a little girl with a big voice, Amiyah found a way to amplify her voice through Georgia 4–H and its prestigious show choir, Clovers & Company. With a desire to positively impact young girls in her hometown, she developed “I AM,” a nonprofit focused on mentoring at-risk girls by equipping them with opportunities, skills development, and confidence. Elam’s program empowers students through emotional wellness, self-care, personal finance, and career readiness lessons.
Amiyah’s partnership with local nonprofits and professionals in their monthly meetings has instilled confidence and self-worth in the participating girls.
Harold “Reed” Marcum, 18, McAlester, Oklahoma: After facing struggles around social anxiety and speaking because of his ADHD, Marcum gained confidence and found his voice in 4–H. He used his newfound courage to organize programs to address the needs of his community, organizing multiple annual events, including a Book Bag giveaway and Toy Drive that benefit underserved populations in McAlester. After a young neighbor lost his life to pediatric cancer, he started a foundation. He organized an annual silent auction to raise funds for pediatric cancer research and support affected families.
Marcum’s community has rallied around his leadership, allowing him to grow his projects exponentially yearly, estimating a total donation and fundraising efforts close to $3.5 million overall.
Avani Rai, 17, Bloomington, Illinois: After witnessing the shortcomings of addressing food insecurity in her community at a young age, Rai became an integral part of 4–H’s Food Advocacy Team, a youth-led initiative to improve equitable access to healthy foods and champion food security. Avani and the team organized healthy food drives meal packaging events, and educated others through community seminars.
Avani later expanded her service to overall healthy living through yoga, including mental and physical health. Reaching all elementary schools in her district, Avani’s ‘Super Yoga’ curriculum has been shared with more than 1,300 children. She has also served on the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s USDA-Sponsored Local Food Purchase committee. She spoke on a roundtable alongside Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and White House Domestic Policy Advisor Susan Rice at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.
“The 2024 Youth in Action Awards honor four incredible young people, each of whom are model examples of their generation — embodying a commitment to service, a love of their communities and a passion for leadership that represent the best of 4–H,” said Jill Bramble, President & CEO, National 4–H Council. “We are proud that Cooperative Extension’s 4–H programs have offered Katie, Amiyah, Reed, and Avani these opportunities to lead and tools to succeed, which they have used to make a positive impact on their communities and inspire other 4–H’ers to do the same.”
The 4–H Youth in Action Awards, sponsored in part by Bayer, began in 2010 to recognize young people who overcome challenges and use the knowledge they gain through participation in 4–H to create a lasting impact in their community.
»Related: Is 4-H STEM-ming itself away from the farm? I don’t think so!
