The New York State Association of Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educators met to discover new research into informal education, learn about leadership, volunteer roles, new marketing techniques and more.

Educators came from as close as Chautauqua County 4-H and as far away as the areas around New York City. They toured the Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Grape Discovery Center, and Audubon Community Nature Center, as well as sampling other local restaurants and tourist attractions, including the National Comedy Center, Panama Rocks and more.

Authentic leadership was the topic of the keynote address, with Ash Watson, founder of #REALTALKBRIDGES, talking about how honesty, empathy and love help to create a culture of change and growth in an organization. Watson quoted Suzy Kaseem to say, “Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will.”

The conference ended with a Cap Note address on Servant Leadership by Dr. Jim Lemoine, an associate professor of organization and human resources at the University at Buffalo. Lemoine stated, “No one works hard because they are forced to,” he gave three examples from history about leaders and how they inspired, and were inspired by, those that were under them.

4-H educators from around the state came to a conference in Jamestown to visit RTPI and other local educational institutions as part of their conference at the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel.

For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua.