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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TALLAHASSEE—Two 4-H teens will get a taste of what politics
is all about on Tuesday when they shadow Speaker of the House
Johnnie Byrd and Senate President Jim King. Hunter Williams, 18,
of Coral Springs and Shane Prentice, 18, of Miami will be studying
up for their roles at Florida 4-H Legislature this summer.
Hunter Williams, who will serve as Senate President when
Florida 4-H Legislature opens its 31st session this
summer, will shadow Senate President Jim King from 12 p.m. to 5
p.m. on Tuesday March 18th. As Speaker of the House during last
year’s annual mock legislature attended by more than 200 teens,
Williams presided over a House membership savvy in parliamentary
procedure and legislative gamesmanship.
It was also a house chamber filled to bursting. To
accommodate more teens and make the 4-H legislative process
resemble reality, a senate is being added to the popular teen
program this year, said Dr. Marilyn Norman, assistant dean for 4-H
at the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension Service.
Shane Prentice will shadow Speaker of the House Johnnie Byrd
from 9:30 am to 5 p.m. Tuesday. Prentice will serve as Speaker of
the House at Florida 4-H Legislature this summer. “One of my
goals is to see that order is kept in the House and that the
voices of the minority and majority are heard,” said Prentice.
“Youth adult partnership is a critical part of why Florida
4-H Legislature is successful, so a shadowing experience was a
natural fit for our preparation,” said Norman. She said that a youth organizing committee, including
both Williams and Prentice, has worked steadily with UF advisors
since September to write bills and organize logistics for the
event.
Norman said “4-H legislators” take their responsibilities
as citizens to vote seriously and some go on to careers in
government. U.S. Congressman Adam Putnam, 28, 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.
Chair of the youth committee, Sarah Mullins, of Milton, will
also be in Tallahassee Tuesday taking notes for this summer, as
will State 4-H Council president Natalie Cheng of Palm Beach and
vice president Chad Morrow of Naples. Mullins,
Cheng and Morrow will visit their legislators and observe the
Senate from the gallery.
All
five youth and Norman will be available for media interviews
during the day on Tuesday and for morning shows on Monday and
Tuesday. To set up interviews, call 863-206-1654.
Founded
in 1902 as an outreach to rural youth, 4-H has 60 million alumni
and involves 28 percent of youth in America, according to the U.S.
Department of Agriculture. 4-H worked with more than 271,000 youth
ages 5-18 last year in Florida and is active in all 67 counties.
For more information about Florida 4-H, visit www.florida4h.org.
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