FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
By: Ami Neiberger(352) 846-0996 ext. 237, cellular (352)213-5654
Source: Marilyn Norman (863)206-1654

July 6, 2002

TALLAHASSEE-Look out Tallahassee, here they come! A record number of 228 teen 4-H members from 40 Florida counties will invade the capitol this week to hold 4-H Legislature in the House of Representatives chambers.

It’s the 30th year 4-H’ers from throughout the Sunshine State have converged on the capitol to serve as legislators and lobbyists. Lieutenant Governor Frank Brogan is scheduled to gavel in their opening session on Tuesday, while Wednesday and Thursday will be spent on the House floor in debate. A mini-press corps will crank out a daily newspaper every afternoon.

The co-ed hands-on experience in how government works is organized by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. A youth organizing committee has worked steadily on bills and logistics with UF advisors since September of last year and one of their own, Hunter Williams of Broward County, will be speaker of the house. Youth play key roles throughout the event, helping with registration, running meetings, leading charges to kill or support bills and setting up an experimental party system.

“Partnering with young people to plan programs is very important to 4-H,” said Marilyn Norman, state 4-H leader at the University of Florida. “We are celebrating this year during 4-H’s centennial the power of youth, which is the power of young people to make a difference in the world.”

And some might be surprised to find out that not all of the bills are related to farming. While the agriculture committee’s roster of bills includes impressive topics like growth hormones, cloning and animal testing, there will be plenty of other topics on the floor. There are bills about the death penalty, the FCAT, school dress codes, stem cell research, skateboarding, school bus seatbelts and the age for carrying a concealed weapon.

The debate on the floor is not just a lot of hot air. Amid the hubbub, organizers say teens are learning to be engaged citizens. Norman said many “4-H legislators” take their responsibilities as citizens to vote seriously and some go on to careers in government. U.S. Congressman Adam Putnam, 27, who was involved in the 4-H Legislature program in his teens only a decade ago, is now the youngest member of the 108th U.S. Congress.

Youth attendees are from: Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Desoto, Duval, Escambia, Gulf, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Martin, Miami-Dade, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Lucie, Taylor, Volusia and Washington counties.