Students from area schools got a behind-the-scenes look at how their community works last week when the University of Illinois Extension’s 4-H program brought them to Morris for Government Day.
Held at the Morris Hospital YMCA, the event let roughly a dozen youth agencies—from the city government to the county coroner’s office to local nonprofits- talk directly with students about their work and why it matters.
“Government Day is an excellent opportunity to give students a glimpse into their community,” Illinois Extension 4-H program coordinator for Grundy County, Kylee Zoran, said in a news release. “Allowing youth to interact directly with agencies that serve their community gives them a unique way to learn about how the community functions.”
The format was simple: students visited each organization, collected a stamp, and earned a prize once they’d made the rounds. But the payoff was real.
They heard from the City of Morris, Guardian Angel, the Grundy County Coroner’s office, the Grundy Highway Department, HLM Recovery, the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau, Morris Hospital YMCA, Morris Library, State Senator Chris Balkema’s office, WCSJ FM, and Will-Grundy Medical Clinic.
Jenna Siegel, manager of the Kendall-Grundy Farm Bureau, said the event gave her a chance to show students how agriculture shapes the local economy.
“It was great to share the importance of agriculture, an important industry that provides countless jobs and contributes to our local economy,” Siegel said. “This year provided a unique spin on a ‘career fair,’ and it was great to interact directly with youth from the community.”
Zoran said events like Government Day plant seeds. Students leave with a clearer picture of who works to keep their community running—and sometimes, a spark to get involved themselves.
“Helping youth build connections with local leaders and organizations is an important part of preparing them to become engaged community members themselves,” Zoran said.
For more information about 4-H, visit go.illinois.edu/About4hGKW.