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CORVALLIS - Two dozen Oregon 4-H members participated with hundreds of other 4-H members from throughout the United States in the recent National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Ga.

"National 4-H Congress is a flagship event and one of the highlights of a 4-H member's career," said Jim Rutledge, Oregon State University Extension 4-H Youth Development program leader. "Selection to the state delegation is a high honor."

Oregon's 4-H Congress delegation included high school juniors and seniors, as well as college freshmen, according to Mary Arnold, OSU Extension 4-H Youth Development specialist and coordinator of the Oregon 4-H Congress delegation program.

"All delegates to the National 4-H Congress are carefully selected through a rigorous application process based on each applicant's activities in leadership, communication, citizenship, and 4-H projects," Arnold said.

The 2003 National 4-H Congress featured the theme "Growing Into The Future" and focused on environmental issues and trends including wildlife conservation, preserving the world's rain forests and global warming concerns.

Over the five-day event, delegates enjoyed opportunities to tour several Atlanta attractions including the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change, the Carter Presidential Center and CNN World Headquarters. In addition, delegates attended workshops, participated in group discussions and heard several speakers including Ericka Dunlap, the 2004 Miss America 2004; and Rick Bragg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Delegates also joined in a community service project in which they collected dimes in support of a Habitat for Humanity project in Atlanta called "Clover House." The project goal is to generate the funds needed to build a house in the Atlanta area, said Arnold.

The leaders of the Oregon delegation were Doug Hart, 4-H faculty in the Curry County office of the OSU Extension Service; Rutledge; and Sandra Anderson, 4-H volunteer leader in Wallowa County.

4-H members in the 2003 Oregon delegation to the National 4-H Congress are:

• Albany: Brittany Edwards
• Canby: Melissa Williams
• Canyon City: Emily Keerins
• Central Point: Rachel Moore
• Corvallis: Tessa Maggiulli, Tate Newburgh, Sharon Sternadel
• Cove: Camden McClelland
• Eagle Point: Tera Dunbar, Kelsey Heider
• Enterprise: Matt Williams
• Keizer: Lindsey Boatner
• Medford: Ashley Marcu
• Monmouth: Shaina Kutzer
• Monroe: Shiann Ashenbrenner
• Myrtle Creek: D'Laura Brumfield
• Portland: Katrina Wright
• Prineville: Katie Griffin
• Rainier: Steven Gibson
• Sandy: Bibiana Gomes, Brittany Sintek
• Tillamook: Julie Schneidecker
• Union: Teresa Weeks
• Wallowa: Relissa Wortman