COLUMBIA, Mo. – Almost 160 teens and adults attended the 2018 Missouri Youth Civic Leaders Summit near Camdenton in March. Youth and adult teams gathered from more than 20 county 4-H programs and community betterment groups across Missouri.

Organizers say the goal of this year’s event, themed “The Courage to Lead,” was to inspire leaders of all ages to lead with courage built on a foundation of character and commitment to service.

Carey Portell, motivational speaker from St. James, Mo., shared how personal courage, family commitment and support from the Missouri AgrAbility Project empowered her to triumph over major injuries sustained in a car collision.

Dylan Johnson, lead advance staffer for the Missouri governor’s office, spoke on how youth involvement makes the world better, and how his own involvement in government at a young age led him to a role as the state’s youngest executive staff member.

University of Wisconsin Extension 4-H specialist Neil Klemme and his team showed how communities in the Midwest are using “Youth First Impressions” to gain fresh perspectives and ideas on making towns more inviting to visitors.

Youth leaders Mitchell Moon (Missouri 4-H) and Katelyn Watts (Missouri Community Betterment) encouraged participants to make the most out of leadership opportunities available through their organizations.

Lafayette County 4-H and Missouri Community Betterment youth advisers served as hosts for the weekend, contributing hours of planning and on-site leadership through youth-adult partnerships.

Summiteers explored leadership styles, built teamwork and learned how to plan service-learning projects with guidance from Mizzou Alternative Break leaders from the University of Missouri.

They also attended a youth-led civic forum with elected officials, learned how to support rural broadband access in Missouri and weighed in on why Missouri high school graduates choose to move away from or back to their communities.

Youth and adult teams proposed community action projects for 2018 and took first steps to applying for mini-seed-grant funding to implement their ideas. Participants also teamed up with Windermere Conference Center staff and volunteers to complete on-site service projects, contributing time valued at more than $3,000.

The annual event receives generous sponsorship support from Monsanto Co., Cenex Harvest States Foundation, Missouri Community Betterment and the Missouri 4-H Foundation.

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More than 55,000 members strong, Missouri 4-H is an active, dynamic organization of young people who are learning, growing and preparing to be the leaders of today and tomorrow – making a real difference in their community, country and world. 4-H is the youth development program of the University of Missouri and the nation’s Cooperative Extension System. For more information, visit 4h.missouri.edu.

Established in 1963, Missouri Community Betterment (MCB) is designed to help Missouri communities enhance their quality of life through community development, planning and implementation. MCB lends technical assistance recognizing and awarding communities that excel in the program. For more information, visit the Missouri Community Betterment website.

Participants

Elaine Davis
Kyler Cox
Theodore Crabtree
Matthew Morgan
Brandon Overman
Clayton Winslow

Barton/Lamar MCB

Kelsie Morgan

Barton/Lamar MCB/YAB

Tish Johnson
Will Adkins
Jonathan Ebbesmeyer
Heather Snow
Jacob Vaughn
Matthew Vaughn
Hanna Wilson

Boone/Howard

Wanda Aufdenberg
Bridget Schumer
Caleb Aufdenberg
Hannah Aufdenberg
Lauren Crutsinger
Samuel Koenig
Dalton Seabaugh

Cape Girardeau

Angela Crutsinger
Renee Peters
Zach Aufdenberg
Morgan Crutsinger
Ashley Fritsche
Rachel Grubbs
Adam Koenig

Cape Girardeau/Scott

Shellie Craven
Kathy Miller
Carisa O'Dell
Andrew Craven
Katy Grant
Kaylee Hall
Luke Harman
Wesley Miller
Keelynne Stanley
Cierra Sweeney

Carroll

Nancy Miller
Emmy Endecott
Tyler Endicott
Alisha Ledford
James Ledford
Evan Miller
Annie Nourse
Woody Springer

Cass

Sarah Morefield
Gabriel Farr
Courtney Leape
Katelyn Leape
Alli Loar

Clay/Platte

Angie Poock
Adrianna Day
Sage Eichenburch
Caroline Herigon
Justin Luster
Maria Poock

Cooper

Bridget Hussey
VC Alexander
Cameron Bias
Murphy Quint

Fayette MCB

Janna Wareham
Drew Bailey
Alyssa Engeman
Brendon Engeman
Lane Wareham

Henry

Tommy Thomas
Marisa Brown
Kate Davis
Erin Roberts
Liz Stoppelman

Jackson

Jessie Furgins

Jackson/Planning

Sofia Metcalf
Shea Fitzgerald
Karah Heater
Rebekah Papasifakis

Johnson

Tiffany Bergman
Eric Jackson
Tonia Zeiler
Caleb Bergman
Connor Bergman
Rebecca Butters
Michael Dieckmann
Jacob Hall
Audrey Phillips
Haley Schnetzler
Taylor Scott
Hunter Todd
Elliot Zeiler

Lafayette/Ray/Saline

Karla Deaver
Hannah Adams
Abigail McCann
Emily McCann

Lawrence

Sharon Van Dusen
Braden Constant
Seth Hansen
Wade Horton
Jesse Huber-Bethards
Dolan Huber-Bethards
Joe Johnson
Meredith Oesch

Livingston

Viki Cadwallader
Spencer Butler
Brooklyn Cadwallader
Maria Gutierrez
Haylee Miller
Abby Moore

Louisiana MCB

Diana Huckstep
Katelyn Watts
Tyler Hopkins
Michelle Watts

Louisiana MCB/YAB

Maria Calvert
Allison Frappier
Russ Mitchell
Emily Schuckenbrock
Kyle Hansen
Mitchell Moon

Mizzou 4-H

Mike Coffey
Ethan Anderson
Joshua Raben
Kaleb Vangunda

Newton

Laveda Hrezik
Nan Hutcheson
Jonathan Curtis
Kialee Garrett
Chance Jennings
Kailee Lewman
Zeke Mathis
Scarlet Pauley
Victoria Price
Ada Tucker
Alexis Van Brocklin

Pettis

Blake Gazaway

Pettis/Planning

Amy Fifer
Kennedy Burton
Dawson Sivils

Pleasant Hill MCB

Kim Randolph
Kalia Keith
Bella Randolph

St. Francois

Angie Green

Steelville MCB

Jewel Conaway
Lauren Freeman
Maggie Green
Abigale Ireland
Emily Smith
Izzy Stulce

Steelville MCB/YAB