as delegates to 4-H Congress

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Nov. 21, 2000 10 PM

Two Pike County youths will update their resumes this weekend to include "delegate to the National 4-H Congress."

Heather Powell and Katie Sanders, have been chosen to represent Alabama at the 79th National 4-H Congress in Atlanta

Nov. 24-28.

The Pike Liberal Arts School students will leave Friday for Birmingham where they will join the other 30 Alabama delegates and travel to Atlanta as the state’s 4-H delegation.

Heather was chosen as a delegate through an application process. Katie was awarded a delegate spot as the state’s 4-H fashion review winner.

"It is a real honor to represent Alabama at the National 4-H Congress and it’s also a great opportunity to meet new people and explore the different ways states conduct their 4-H programs," Heather said. "There will be 1,300 delegates from 48 states and I’m excited to be a part of the Congress. It will be educational and it will be fun."

The congress will be held at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency and Tammy Powell, Pike County Extension System coordinator, said the City of Atlanta and the Hyatt will roll out the red carpet for the 4-H’ers.

Atlanta has a culturally diverse history, Powell said.

"Atlanta has, through the years, been the home to a variety of celebrities and statesmen – Elton John, Martin Luther King, President Jimmy Carter, Margaret Mitchell, Ted Turner and Christ Tucker and Pike County’s own John Lewis, represents Atlanta’ 12th Congressional District in Washington, D. C.

Representing Alabama at the 79th National 4-H Congress is an honor and an opportunity."

Heather said Katie plan to take advantage of every opportunity offered to them.

"There are workshops that are designed to develop leadership abilities and they should be very beneficial, not only in 4-H and high school roles, but later in college and in life," Heather said.

"We will participate in discussion groups on issues facing our country today, and I’m sure we will talk a lot about this year’s presidential election," Katie said. "There will be a town meeting where we share the results of the discussion groups and that should be interesting because there will be delegates from all across the country."

Both delegates said one of the opportunities which should be very enlightening and meaningful is a Service Learning Experience in which they will participate in hands-on service projects with the Children’s Healthcare System.

Speaker for the congress include, Scot Hollonbeck, Paralympic Gold Medalist; Milton Creagh, motivational speaker; Dr. Betty Siegel, president of Kennesaw State University; Dan Clark, motivational speaker; and 2001 Miss America.

The delegates will also be exposed to a variety of Atlanta resources including the Carter Presidential Library, the Martin Luther King Center for Non-violent Change; Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coca-Cola and The Depot, the Atlanta Zoo and CNN Center.

Heather is a junior at PLAS and she is been active in 4-H for eight years but she has been involved in 4-H almost since the day she was born. Her mother, Tammy, is the county 4-H coordinator and she has tagged along with her since she was old enough to tag along. Heather has won numerous county, district and state competitions and served in various leadership roles.

Katie, a PLAS senior, too, has been a member of 4-H for eight years, four of that with the Pike County 4-H Clubs. Katie recently won the state fashion review and she is active in all phases of 4-H and has also served in leadership roles.

Heather is the daughter of Eddie and Tammy Powell and Katie is the daughter of Jim and Kaye Sanders, all of Brundidge.