Montpelier--For five Vermont youths, April 26 was an action-packed morning learning about the inner workings of the Vermont legal system at the State House in Montpelier. They also had an opportunity to speak with the governor and legislators to share their 4-H story and advocate for 4-H and youth development.

Participating in the 2024 4-H Day at the Capitol were Gwendolyn Bradley, Shane Bradley and Luke Morrison, all from Danville; Eli Bursey, St. George; and Judah Noel, St. Johnsbury. They were accompanied by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension 4-H staff Molly McFaun, Amy Miller and Amber Thibodeau. For Eli it was an especially exciting day as the event happened on his twelfth birthday.

The visit got underway with a tour of the State House capitol building. The 4-H’ers were introduced on the floor of the House by McFaun's father, Rep. Francis McFaun (R-Washington-Orange District).

One of the highlights was meeting Gov. Phil Scott who graciously answered questions from the youths about politics and other issues pertinent to Vermont government. The 4-H’ers also heard from Kendal Smith, a 4-H alumna and current Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, who described her 4-H experiences and the 4-H leadership opportunities and conferences she attended.

To learn about the Vermont legal system, the group toured the Supreme Court Courtroom where they engaged in a mock trial. They were divided into roles of either Supreme Court justice or lawyer to try a hypothetical case to determine the rightful owner in a lost-and-found dog situation. The participants sat in Supreme Court justices’ seats as they took part in a lively, interactive Q & A of potential court-case questions from legislators.

The morning ended with a presentation, “How to Become a Legislative Page.” The program is for a select few Vermont students, who assist legislators in the capitol for six-week stints during spring of their eighth grade year.

To learn more about the Vermont 4-H program, contact the State 4-H Office at (802) 656-7630 or (800) 571-0668 (toll-free in Vermont).