Two SUNY Orange Liberty Partnership students win 4-H Ignite scholarships

Two SUNY Orange Liberty Partnership Program students, Nola H. and Javion H., have been awarded scholarships to attend the four-day Ignite by 4-H leadership summit in Washington, D.C., this March. The scholarships cover food, lodging, and transportation, removing cost barriers and allowing Orange County youth to take part in national workshops on STEM, agriscience, animal science, healthy living, and community leadership.

CCE Orange County and 4-H instructor Adhara Jimenez-Banse selected Nola H. and Javion H. to represent Orange County. Nola H. was recognized for creativity in writing and visual art, and Javion H. brings more than four years of participation in the Liberty Partnership Program, including two appearances at the annual Liberty Partnerships Empire Summit. The selection reflects sustained engagement and leadership potential, and gives both students a platform to develop public speaking, career readiness, and professional presentation skills.

Ignite by 4-H is a national youth leadership summit that brings together teens from 4-H programs across the United States for workshops and hands-on experiences. Program tracks at Ignite include STEM, Agriscience, Animal Science, Healthy Living with soccer activities, Community Accelerators, CWF @ Ignite, and immersive sessions intended to equip participants to be "Beyond Ready" for post-secondary education and the workforce. For students from Newburgh and other parts of Orange County, the summit offers exposure to networks and skills that can translate into college and career pathways.

The scholarships also highlight the partnership between Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County and SUNY Orange’s Liberty Partnership Program. The Liberty Partnerships Program is a New York State Education Department grant-funded initiative launched in 1988 to reduce high school dropout rates and support academic success. SUNY Orange LPP is one of 47 partnerships statewide, serving roughly 15,000 students, and reports that over 90 percent of its participants complete high school. LPP’s local work includes summer STEAM programming in schools across the Newburgh Enlarged City School District and partnerships with community organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of Newburgh.

For Orange County residents, the selection of Nola H. and Javion H. underscores the value of sustained youth programming and intentional supports that expand access to opportunities beyond the region. Providing travel, lodging, and meals through scholarship funding removes financial hurdles that often keep first-generation and low-income students from national leadership events.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange County can be reached at 845-344-1234 for more information about youth programming and 4-H offerings. The CCE describes its work as providing programs in youth and family development; nutrition, health, and food safety; community and economic vitality; and agricultural sustainability, and notes that it provides equal employment and program opportunities.

The trip to Washington will give Nola H. and Javion H. new skills and contacts that the Liberty Partnership Program and CCE Orange County can build on during the school year. For local educators and families, their participation is a practical reminder that targeted supports and partnerships can open doors to leadership pathways for Orange County teens.