Grand County 4-H Youth Earn Recognition Through Leadership, Higher Education Opportunities

MOAB — Youths from Grand County recently participated in leadership and educational experiences through Utah State University Extension Home and Community, including the Saturday Academy at the University of Utah, the national IGNITE by 4-H Conference in Washington, D.C., and the annual Pathways to Higher Education program.

Ten youths attended the Saturday Academy through a partnership between the BEACON Program and USU Extension. Students explored careers in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and health sciences through hands-on activities, campus tours and mentoring opportunities. Before the academy, participants also visited Clark Planetarium to explore interactive science and technology exhibits.

Grand County youth from the Uniting Cultures Club also traveled to Washington, D.C., for the third consecutive year to attend IGNITE by 4-H, where they presented the CUBE Challenge workshop to more than 60 youths from across the country. Their workshop focused on collaboration, listening to diverse perspectives and teamwork. Following the conference, participants were invited by the University of Utah School of Nutrition and Dietetics to tour campus and learn about careers in nutrition and wellness.

The first week of June, 17 youths from Grand and San Juan counties participated in the third annual Pathways to Higher Education event. Students visited Utah State University campuses in Moab, Price and Logan while attending workshops on career preparation, scholarships, concurrent enrollment opportunities and college planning. The event is made possible through partnerships across the state and continues to expand opportunities for rural youth to explore higher education.

In recognition of these efforts, the program received the Utah 4-H Expanding the 4-H Audience: Creating Opportunities 4 All Award for increasing access to educational opportunities, strengthening community engagement and expanding participation among youth and families from underserved and rural communities. Building on this achievement, the program was also selected as the 2026 Western Regional winner of the same award by the NAE4-HYDP Member Recognition Committee and will be recognized at the 2026 NAE4-HYDP Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.