In 2016, Maimuna Mannan discovered the life-changing 4-H Youth Community Action Network, which empowers students, especially from marginalized backgrounds, to initiate community projects. The program, administered by Cornell Cooperative Extension Erie County, nurtures skills and experiences through afterschool programs and paid internships. Students tackle pressing issues like food insecurity and racism while gaining valuable public speaking and leadership skills. Celebrating a decade of impact, Youth CAN demonstrates how young people can be powerful agents of change in their communities.
"It was so inspiring and intriguing to watch students take charge within that program," said Mannan, who joined the club the following year and has been involved with CCE Erie County ever since. "I'm eternally grateful for the program, because it opened so many doors."
"We believe that young people are assets, that they already have a lot of the skills they need to achieve what they want in their lives, and we're here to support that growth," said Sara Jablonski, a 4-H youth development educator.
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