CHEVY CHASE, Maryland — National 4-H Council recently announced that Norah Carter, 18, of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, was named winner of the 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award for Healthy Living.
Carter will be recognized nationally for developing and leading a hands-on educational program about mindfulness and stress management for teens and tweens.
Launched in 2010, the 4-H Youth in Action Awards recognize 4-H’ers who have applied the knowledge gained in 4-H to create a lasting impact in their communities while overcoming personal obstacles.
As a national winner, Carter will receive a $5,000 higher education scholarship and spend 2023 inspiring other youth by telling her 4-H story and celebrating her leadership. In addition, she will have opportunities to showcase her story nationally, network with prominent 4-H alumni, and serve as the official 4-H youth spokesperson for Healthy Living.
Connections
“After seeing the emotional impact that the pandemic had on my peers, I knew that I had to get involved to lift them up during this tough time — and 4-H helped me do just that,” said Carter. “Using my experience living with a disability, paired with 4-H curricula, I was able to connect with at-risk populations through workshops to help them navigate the difficulties they were facing in a healthy and productive way.”
Carter was introduced to Pennsylvania 4-H through competitive therapeutic riding classes when she was 8 years old. She used the resiliency and coping skills she developed while navigating life with a disability and adapted 4-H health curriculums to help other youth cope with the unique challenges they were facing throughout the pandemic.
By teaching the curriculum online, Norah was able to reach diverse audiences including inner-city middle school students, suburban tweens and previously-incarcerated youth.
She has also co-facilitated a four-session workshop on anti-vaping, the importance of strong social circles and stress coping mechanisms. Carter is one of four 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award Pillar Winners who were announced during National 4-H Week, held Oct. 2-8.
Other winners
The other winners announced include Matias Habib of Illinois (Agriculture), Nicole Cash of Minnesota (STEM) and Sruthi Sudarson of California (Civic Engagement).
“We are proud to honor our 2023 Youth in Action winners, a group of exceptional young people who have overcome obstacles and made an incredible impact on their communities through Cooperative Extension’s 4-H programs,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council.
“By empowering these stand-out youth and fostering their skills to make change, they in turn can inspire thousands of other young people wanting to make a difference. When given the tools they need to lead, 4-H’ers like Matias, Sruti, Norah and Nicole are becoming the next generation of changemakers in their communities and for our country.”
Carter leveraged her role as vice president of operations of the Pennsylvania’s State 4-H Council to advocate for a statewide theme of diversity and inclusion called “Be Different, Together,” which was recognized and accepted by her state 4-H program.
A freshman at Denison University, Carter is studying global health and politics, philosophy and economics and hopes to work in public policy or law as an advocate for those with physical and mental disabilities.
To learn more about the 4-H Youth in Action Awards and to view the other pillar winners from around the country, visit 4-h.org/youthinaction.
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