2018 State 4-H Health & Wellness Ambassadors, Kayla Fischer, Day County and Lani Klein, Custer County recently attended the 4-H Healthy Habits training in Washington, D.C. where they gained valuable skills they will use as they promote healthy living in South Dakota communities.
"We are eager to bring different healthy and affordable ideas to our communities that will provide ways for community members to be healthy," explains Fischer, a junior at Webster Area High School. "During the training I gained so many ideas shared by 4-H members from other states about what they do to promote healthy living."
The training and travel expenses were funded by the Healthy Habits grant through the Walmart Foundation and National 4-H Council awarded to SDSU Extension Food and Families and 4-H capstones.
Developed by the South Carolina Eat Smart Move More Coalition, the Healthy Young People Empowerment Project (HYPE) was a main component of the training. The HYPE Project motivates teens to address the problem of obesity and to build advocacy skills to become a strong voice in their communities by teaching youth leadership skills and information about the policy, systems and environmental change process.
"Teens were encouraged to use the skills they learn to be lifelong champions of positive change in their communities," says Nikki Prosch, SDSU Extension Health & Physical Activity Field Specialist.
Fischer and Klein are among a group of 19 South Dakota teens selected through an application and interview process to serve 4-H members and their communities as State 4-H Ambassadors. Once selected, teens have the opportunity to choose which project area they want to focus on. Along with Health & Wellness, the other project areas include: Agvocacy, Leadership and Science.
A middle school wellness class first introduced Fischer to healthy living concepts, which she researched and developed further as part of 4-H projects.
"In 4-H there are so many project areas within healthy living. And, it's better than textbook learning because it's all hands-on. I got to do the research and experiments myself and then use the knowledge I gained from school and this research, to put together public presentations for 4-H," Fischer explains.
As her interest in healthy living grew, Fischer began looking beyond high school and decided to pursue a career as a radiology technician.
"I feel that being a Health & Wellness Ambassador will be a positive influence on my future," Fischer says.
As a Health & Wellness Ambassador, she plans to become involved in her community's farmers market and hopes to become in other projects or activities that promote healthy living.
"When teens are promoting an idea, like wellness or eating healthy, it sends a big message to their peers and youth younger than them who see them as role models," Prosch says.