4-H International Opportunities
Virginia 4-H has international programs that give young people hands-on international learning experiences by hosting, or being hosted by, someone from another country. Shenandoah County also has an international program of travel to the Dominican Republic for teens to develop language skills, conduct a 4-H Day Camp for Dominican children, and conduct service projects in the local community.
Young people who participate in international programs:
- learn more about other countries and cultures
- develop more understanding of their own culture
- develop an appreciation for social, economic, political, and cultural contributions of all people
- understand how culture affects values, beliefs, and attitudes
- develop independent study interests
- improve language and leadership skills.
This program gives 4-H high school students an opportunity to travel to a Spanish speaking, developing country for one week, and to conduct an environmental 4-H day camp and at least one service project while there. Group fundraising efforts build teamwork skills and help participants defray expenses. Local chaperons accompany the group. Participants are expected to present programs to local groups during the year after they travel.
The Virginia 4-H Program in the Dominican Republic is now accepting applications from Virginia 4-H teens and 4-H volunteers! This program started in Shenandoah County as a grassroots, county based program, which is now in its 17th year. It has been open to 4-H’ers statewide for a few years now. During 2025, Christine Hodges and Carol Nansel will be taking two different 4-H teen groups to the Dominican Republic for one week each. Applications are open to all 9th-12th grade 4-H teens in Virginia. Since one main focus of our program in the Dominican Republic is conducting a 4-H Day Camp for Dominican children, this program may especially appeal to our 4-H Camp Counselors.
Carol Nansel can answer your questions about this program. There will also be an Informational meeting about this program on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 7:00 p.m., in the Extension Meeting Room at the Shenandoah County Government Center, 600 North Main Street, Woodstock. Once we have a group of interested Shenandoah County 4-H'ers, we will begin fundraising to help with expenses for this program. In recent years, Shenandoah County 4-H'ers have been able to raise all, or almost all, of the funds needed to pay for this trip. We will also all travel the same week, so we'll need to see which week works best for our County 4-H'ers to travel together.
The youth application is here: https://forms.gle/rrsWNABV7jVeUMpa8
The deadline to apply is February 25, 2025, but we would appreciate receiving applications sooner if possible. Applications will be reviewed and the participants will be notified in early March if they are selected or are on a waiting list. The program cost is $2,600, with $1,000 of that due as a deposit on March 17. If you don’t have a passport, you should gather the needed documents now and be prepared to apply for a passport as soon as you receive notice of acceptance in the program. Receiving a passport is a slow, but important process. No one can board the plane without a passport.
We will also be able to accept a couple of Adult 4-H Volunteers for this program. An adult application can be found here: https://forms.gle/X1Fy86dwQjeSG7mn7. A current 4-H volunteer enrollment and three reference letters are required for adult applicants.
Every year we have 4-H’ers write a blog and share photos. That is probably the best way to learn more about the program, so take a look at the 2024 blogs:
Group 1: https://2024virginia4hdominicanrepublic.blogspot.com/
Group 2: https://2024virginia4hdr.blogspot.com/ (our own Maggie Copp and Jacob Roberts were part of this group.)
Suggested School Items to Collect for Dominican Republic Trip
Previous Year's Blogs
The IFYE (International Four-H Youth Exchange) program is an in-depth learning experience in which 4-H alumni live with host families in other countries to increase global awareness, develop independent study interests, and improve language skills. Both travel and hosting experiences are available.