Virginia 4-H names Henrico teen 'Youth in Action' winner

Virginia 4-H recently honored four of its members through its 4‑H Youth in Action Program at the virtual Evening With 4-H conference. The youth program recognizes four teens with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in 4-H core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living, and STEM, according to the organization.

“Each of the Youth in Action award winners represent what 4-H brings out in Virginia’s youth, helping them become the best versions of themselves as they become leaders and role models in their communities,” said Jeremy Johnson, Virginia state 4-H leader.

Each of the four winners received a $500 mini-grant to develop a significant community project, recognition at a formal award ceremony, a full scholarship to attend the Virginia State 4-H Congress in Blacksburg; an opportunity to be featured as the Virginia 4-H youth spokesperson for their pillar; and support and mentorship to apply for the 2022 National 4-H Youth Leadership Awards.

Henrico resident Perisa Ashar was named the overall Youth in Action award-winner (in addition to receiving the award for STEM) and will receive additional opportunities to be a spokesperson for Virginia 4-H.

Ashar has shown leadership in the STEM pillar, according to organization officials. Since joining the Henrico 4-H chapter as a youth leader in fall 2019, she began volunteering with the monthly STEM club. After assisting the 4-H agents, she led several workshops of her own. One of her classes included teaching students programming a Sprite — a simple character that is coded to go through a maze on the Scratch Platform. In another class, she helped students create a diagram of the circulatory system and various organs, such as using pink balloons to symbolize lungs.

During COVID-19, Ashar wanted to continue volunteering with 4-H while pursuing her passion for STEM education. Through her international nonprofit organization, STEMinate, where she is the executive director, she collaborated with 4-H to offer a 10-week virtual program called “Train Your Brain” in hopes of reaching a new audience she had not yet reached.

With an audience of elementary and middle school students, Ashar and three other STEMinate advisory board members successfully taught engaging lessons each week.