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- National Ag Day brings students to nation's capital
Jennifer Sirangelo, president of National 4-H Council, meets with students Xavier Bell (center) and Micah Denesse. The Louisiana college students represented Louisiana on National Ag Day. They participated in a leadership and advocacy training at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center and attended National Ag Day activities on Capitol Hill. (Photo provided by Xavier Bell)
Louisiana college students Xavier Bell (left) and Micah Denesse met with Dianne Abraham, wife of Rep. Ralph Abraham of Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District, in Washington, D.C., as part of a National Ag Day program on March 15. Bell and Denesse represented Louisiana in the program. (Photo provided by Xavier Bell)
(03/18/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – Two college students represented Louisiana in Washington, D.C., for National Ag Day on March 15.
Xavier Bell and Micah Denesse participated in a leadership and advocacy training at the National 4-H Youth Conference Center and attended National Ag Day activities on Capitol Hill.
Bell is a sophomore from Concordia Parish studying agricultural education in the LSU College of Agriculture, and Denesse is a sophomore from Plaquemines Parish at Baton Rouge Community College planning to major in natural resource ecology and management.
The students were also able to meet with representatives of three of the members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation. Bell said they spoke with congressional aides from Sen. Bill Cassidy’s and Rep. Garrett Graves’ offices, and they visited with Dianne Abraham, the wife of Rep. Ralph Abraham.
“For me, being a minority, 4-H has helped me better understand Louisiana agriculture, and I wanted to get that message to our representatives in Congress,” Bell said.
Bell and Denesse were chosen as part of a program through National 4-H Council. The National Ag Day program included students from across the country involved in 4-H, FFA and other agriculture groups.
“The students put a face on the future of agriculture and personally emphasize the importance of agriculture in our everyday lives,” said Janet Fox, head of the LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development Department.
Bell said he was honored to represent 4-H, the LSU College of Agriculture and the LSU AgCenter in Washington.
“This was a great experience,” Bell said. “We learned about the legislative process and agriculture policy.”
Bell plans to work as a 4-H agent after graduation, saying 4-H has had a profound influence on his life. Denesse wants to work in coastal restoration, which is something he said he became passionate about while in 4-H.