Area 4-Hers Return Home From the State Capital

The western New York 4-H contingent at the 73rd Annual New York State 4-H Capital Days in March. Second from left, next to Assemblyman James Bacalles, is Brett Rosko, and second from right is Emily Lyons. Center is Senator George Winner.

Emily Lyons, from the Dairy Dynamites 4-H Club, Addison/Corning, and Brett Rosko, from the Outsiders 4-H Club, Campbell/Savona, recently returned from the state capital from a trip of their lifetime, the 73rd Annual New York State 4-H Capital Days. The program included two intensive days of tours and lectures. The youth traveled with 4-H members from Yates and Ontario Counties and eventually made friends with 4-H'ers from all over the state while learning about state and local government.

A top state official told local 4-H members at this event that improvements are slated to continue this year at the state fair youth building. Dan O’Hara, the director of the state fair, told the statewide contingent of 4-H members that money is currently in the proposed state budget for improvements to the bathrooms and dorm areas of the Youth Building. O’Hara said plans are for the dorm and bathroom improvements this summer, and by next year the building should have a new roof. The state fair director said all improvements are contingent upon this year’s state budget being approved with the funds for the youth building still intact.

The first day of the Capital Days trip included a budget game led by Celeste Carmichael of the state 4-H office and Assembly Member Peter Lopez. The youth learned that the budget includes areas such as education, transportation, and health care. They traveled to the Empire Plaza where they learned how a bill is made into a law from Assembley Member Marc Molinaro. The afternoon continued with three groups touring the Capital building followed by a trip to the State Museum of History and the Corning Tower. The museum included an emotional exhibit of the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the Corning Tower offered a view of the city of Albany from three different sides. The evening program taught the youth how to write a press release, tips on interview and about the job of a lobbyist.

The second day the youth had breakfast with their legislators at Empire Plaza. Assemblyman James Bacalles and Senator George Winner welcomed 4-H members from their region. They discussed how to help ensure money in the state budget for the area 4-H programs and how to help with capital funds for the 4-H youth building at the state fairgrounds in Syracuse. After pictures were taken with both legislators, the 4-H members broke into program groups and met at the Court of Appeals. They learned about the state court system and who sits on the Appeals Court bench. They met at the state education department for the closing ceremony. Senator Catherine M. Young (R,I,C-Olean) spoke about her job in the senate. Young is the chair of the Senate’s Agricultural Committee. “What we’re working to do this year in the state budget is to get funding to upgrade the dormitories at the State Fair,” she said. Young added, however, that she feels that much work needs to be done on the state budget before it passes. “We do have our work cut out for us. We have got to get taxes down,” Young said.

"The best part about this trip was learning about the state government and how it is run," "Brett Rosko said. "We learned that the government officials will listen to 4-H'ers. We need to tell them what we would like to see in the budget for the 4-H program and to ensure that there is money to help keep the New York State 4-H Program funded. At the conclusion we all said good-bye to the new friends that were made on this trip and hope to see them at the next state 4-H event."