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Talking to the 4-H President
John and Cobie speak with Jaylen Smith 4-H Statewide President on her 4-H Career and what it has meant to her.
Jaylen also shares some memories and the importance of being a positive role model to youth.
Transcript:
Announcer: This is 4-H-4-U-2, a podcast from the Mississippi State University Extension Service promoting 4-H programs and positive youth development. Here now your host, Dr. John Long and Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And welcome to another edition of 4-H-4-U-2. I'm your host, John Long.
Cobie Rutherford: And I'm Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And we have a very, very special guest with us today. Cobie, I'm going to let you introduce her.
Cobie Rutherford: So today we are very happy to have Miss Jaylen R. Smith from Leflore County with us, and she happens to be our State Council 4-H President.
John Long: Wonderful, and I'm sure it is bone dry in Leflore County right now, isn't it?
Jaylen Smith: It is. It is.
Cobie Rutherford: Right, whatever.
John Long: Water, water everywhere, so... Well that's great and we're so glad to have you with us this morning, and I appreciate you carving out a little time for us because I know we're all running in different directions since Congress 2019... Congress is well underway.
Cobie Rutherford: Yes. Here, here. Inspire kids to do.
John Long: That's right. That's right. So let me ask you this, Jaylen. What number congress is this for you?
Jaylen Smith: This is my third Congress.
John Long: Third Congress, okay. And when did you get involved in 4-H?
Jaylen Smith: I got involved my junior year of high school. So I didn't know about 4-H before I actually got into it. I thought it was an organization that you had to pay a lot of money to join. And so I talked to Ms. Christina, my agent, she was like, "No, baby, just come on, just come." We have so many different organizations and clubs that you can be and within the organization itself, and so I've loved it ever since.
John Long: Do you remember your first club meeting?
Jaylen Smith: I do. It was like an interview, kind of, to see if we could get into the meeting. It was like an open interview, and she would just ask questions about what we thought diversity meant and the importance of diversity. I love speaking, so I kind of... I felt bad because I think I dominated most of the conversation, but I just... I love diversity. That's one of the things I want to do with math communications, and so I was like, "Yeah, I'm definitely coming back."
Cobie Rutherford: I think that's what's so neat about 4-H because it appeals to... Every kid can find their niche within this organization.
John Long: Sure.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: And gosh, Jaylen, I think my favorite memory of your 4-H career so far has been when you gave a speech at the state Senate this year for Legislative Day.
Jaylen Smith: Oh, yeah.
Cobie Rutherford: I had chills listening to it. And John, she got a standing ovation from those Senators from Mississippi.
John Long: I am so jealous because I have never been able to be over there and hear that, so I'm glad to hear that. That's awesome. Maybe one day?
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah.
John Long: Maybe one day.
Cobie Rutherford: I don't know that I'll want to hear another one because it was... I don't know how anybody will ever live up to what she did do it. It was so good.
John Long: She's a good communicator, that's for sure.
Cobie Rutherford: Very much so.
John Long: Very well spoken, for sure.
Cobie Rutherford: So what was your project area, Jaylen, in 4-H?
Jaylen Smith: I mostly did public speaking. Another thing that I did was our club itself was PRIDE, which is Potential Realize In Diverse Environments, so a lot of the things that we did were to bring different communities and just people from different backgrounds together. I really just enjoyed that, being able to learn different people's cultures, teaching people my culture, and just learning from each other.
John Long: I think that's really cool because a lot of people just get to a point in life and they just feel like, "Well, this is it. I'm just not..." They just get in this rat race, and the same old, same old, and they forget that there's so much yet to learn.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely, definitely.
John Long: And I think that's always important to remember is that you can always learn from different people. I'm always anxious to want to hear more or to learn more about this.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: That's great. That's great. So what do you feel like one of the main things at 4-H has taught you in your career?
Jaylen Smith: Even though I've had a lot of leadership roles in 4-H, it's definitely taught me how to follow others, just to kind of let go sometimes and not always be on the front stage.
John Long: Right.
Jaylen Smith: But to learn from others by following them.
John Long: Right.
Jaylen Smith: And so also by serving others, I learned leadership skills, things like teamwork and just depending on others to be there for me, and learning how to delegate and be delegated to. So definitely followership has taught me how to be a better leader.
John Long: That's awesome. I've always heard a good leader is a good follower.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: I don't know if that's true, but I believe it. I believe it.
Cobie Rutherford: Well it kind of goes back to what we were telling him about a couple of weeks ago on the leadership podcast, and how the top tier of leadership is going back to a servant leadership position.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: So it seems like Jaylen's had a chance to go full circle in this organization-
John Long: Absolutely.
Cobie Rutherford: And developed that servant attitude. That's cool.
John Long: I think it's an awesome opportunity, and I said that during our leadership podcast, was the fact that we we are given a very unique opportunity to serve others that a lot of people don't get that opportunity to do, or they don't take advantage of it, for sure.
Jaylen Smith: I completely agree.
John Long: So I think that's one of the products, for sure, of the program and teaching those life skills. So as far as, and I really think you are, and I'm not just saying that because you're sitting here, but I really think that you are a very positive role model for a lot of our younger 4-Hers, and I've seen them looking up to you when we've been to various events. How important is that, and what do you... Obviously it's important to you, but how do you feel like, or what do you feel like is most important as far as allowing youth, or what you can give to youth in order to encourage them and instill those things that 4-H has given you?
Jaylen Smith: One of the major things that 4-H has given me is learning to be tenacious and just learning to persevere through all obstacles, and so that's what I really want to give off to younger 4-Her's is that whatever you want in life, it's yours. But if you work for it and if you work through whatever obstacles that are stopping you from doing that, you can get to it. People tell me that they look up to me and it's crazy because I look up to so many 4-Her's, and it's crazy to me how so many people look up to me and I just... I'm like, "Y'all are my heroes."
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, that's funny.
Jaylen Smith: Can I get your autograph?
John Long: Nobody wants my autograph.
Jaylen Smith: I want your autograph.
John Long: Okay, I'll give it to you after this.
Cobie Rutherford: That's funny.
John Long: Well that's great. Yeah. That's awesome.
Cobie Rutherford: So what do you think... Who is someone that's inspired you to take these steps and become a leader in your community and in 4-H, or just someone who inspires you in general?
Jaylen Smith: I definitely have to say my mom and my grandma inspire me. They raised me, and so just seeing two strong black women raise me to be a strong black woman has just made me want to make change for my community. I've definitely had to go through struggles in life, but seeing the way that they go through those struggles graciously has encouraged me and instilled in me those same values. And so another thing, is just a love for Mississippi. I've also learned that through 4-H because it teaches so many different aspects of Mississippi, which other states don't have, and just the richness of our culture. And yes, we have been disenfranchised in the past and we're still working on that, but it's not like I can't love my state and work on its problems.
John Long: Right.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
John Long: Absolutely.
Cobie Rutherford: I think that's very cool that you had that perspective, and I also think that it's cool that you have a love for Mississippi, because I see a lot of kids that are talented like you that say, "Okay, I've been successful in high school. I'm having a successful career in college. I'm moving out of Mississippi," or "I'm moving out of the South." And I think that your ideal of Mississippi, that you want to make a change in your community and in our state, is just so refreshing to hear.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: Absolutely.
Jaylen Smith: I was always taught to clean my own house before I try to tackle anybody else's.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: So I've never been taught to let anybody clean up my own mess when I have a broom in my hand.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: So yeah, I definitely want to fix Mississippi for the better.
John Long: You need to write a book. You've got some great quotes. I wish I could think of stuff like that.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, and one of her quotes that she gave at the Statehouse this year was that kind of impactful, and I think that's why she's so talented. Jaylen, do you remember any parts of that speech that kind of stood out? I remember a lot of Senators followed her out of the hall, out of the chamber, and were talking to her and basically probably offered her a job and everything else. Yeah, I hope you run for Senate one day.
John Long: Don't forget us when you hit the big time.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, exactly.
Jaylen Smith: I could never figure you all.
Cobie Rutherford: Do you remember anything that was said to you that day or something you may have said that impacted those Senators?
Jaylen Smith: I think that it was towards the end and what I basically wanted to tell them was that it's not only Mississippi 4-H's job, but it's also your job as the people that we elect, to... I said, "to speak for those who do not have voices, to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, and..." It was something else that I said. I just remember that little part. I think that that's so important because we have to be leaders for those who cannot do for themselves. I've always believed in helping people and serving others so that they can serve themselves. Some people need a boost in life.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
Jaylen Smith: And it's our job, our responsibility as fellow Mississippians, as humans, regardless of your color, your creed, your size, your gender, whatever, it's our job to help each other and to move towards the top to be the best that we can be. We can't be the best at we're crumb snatchers.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: Trying to get all the opportunities for ourselves when there's enough to go around.
John Long: Right, right. We are richly blessed, but when we lose empathy for someone, we lose a part of humanity.
Jaylen Smith: Exactly.
John Long: Hey, that sounding pretty good. Don't steal that.
Jaylen Smith: I won't, I won't.
John Long: But it is true because, yeah... I mean, it's scary, I guess you could say, when you look at the world and people are becoming more and more... I guess, anyway. It's the way it seems to me is that people are just getting more and more self-centered and we're losing that empathy for one another. And when you do that, how in the world are you going to make change because you're always focusing in on yourself and what you want, not what other people want. That's a perfect, perfect.
Jaylen Smith: I definitely agree.
John Long: Yeah. Perfect. Yeah.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, that's pretty deep, John.
John Long: See, it's just being in her presence.
Jaylen Smith: Ah, no, no. Don't give me all the credit. Don't give me all the credit.
Cobie Rutherford: Yep.
John Long: So we're... Congress kicked off this morning.
Jaylen Smith: Yes.
John Long: And so we... I know you've got a lot of stuff that you've got going on. I've got to ask this, since this. What is your favorite Congress memory?
Jaylen Smith: Oh-
John Long: Or, do you have one? And don't cop out and say, "Well, they're all my favorite."
Jaylen Smith: There are so many. Definitely, the dance is one of my favorite ones. I learned how to do the dance off of Grease, or something.
John Long: Yes. Yeah,sure.
Jaylen Smith: I learned how to do that a little bit. And the Sanderson Center, playing basketball, I'm not good at it, but you know, I was doing my best.
John Long: Hey, that's all you can ask for.
Jaylen Smith: And just the conversations that I have with 4-Her's, and just the connections that we made. I have friends who I talk to outside of Congress. We're friends on social media. We text each other, and so that just... Knowing that I have a lifelong friend and knowing how we became friends through such a great organization, it just... It makes me not want to age out, and I'll be back next year. I'm just going to be in the back.
John Long: There you go, there you go, and then you get to volunteer.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: And you know, I tell a lot of 4-Her's this, is that we think that, and I thought this is a 4-Her, is that the best time of my life was happening right now. But when you get the opportunity to leave your legacy in the organization and come back as a volunteer, maybe hopefully come back as an extension agent or a state administrator in Jaylen's case, or even even in our cases, John, that legacy that we're able to leave is so much more, I'm not going to say better, but it's kind of like a building block. It's really cool to have that experience.
John Long: Absolutely. Absolutely. My favorite part... May I share what my favorite part?
Jaylen Smith: Most definitely.
John Long: I love the games, because see that's where I am. I'm in the dog house during the dance, but I can never get anybody to play UNO with me.
Cobie Rutherford: Really?
John Long: So if there's anybody listening, next year, please reach out to me. I'll be the little sad person in the corner an UNO deck.
Cobie Rutherford: My favorite part of Congress was the same as Jaylen's. I loved going to the dance because I was from a really small rural school. So I would go to state 4-H Congress over the summer, learn all these dance moves, take them back to my high school, and then be like, "Hey, look what I learned in 4-H."
Jaylen Smith: That's right.
Cobie Rutherford: Most people might [inaudible 00:13:26] sinful, but it was good.
John Long: That's awesome.
Jaylen Smith: And also, you have to have a 4-H playlist for the 4-H van. That's vital to Congress.
John Long: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And I do, I loved going into the dance. It is some energy going on.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah, definitely.
John Long: That's all I'm saying. I'm envious, because I never had those dance moves, but anyway, maybe one day. It's not over with.
Cobie Rutherford: That's funny. You mentioned the van, too. That's been kind of a long standing tradition in my home county. We would play these games, and that was before cell phones and before MP3s, so maybe you had a mixed CD.
John Long: Jaylen does not remember that, do you?
Jaylen Smith: I remember CDs.
John Long: Oh, okay. Okay.
Jaylen Smith: I remember CDs.
John Long: Just not without cell phones?
Jaylen Smith: True.
Cobie Rutherford: We would make mixed tapes, and we'd sit by the radio station and listen for our favorite songs to come on, and to hit record and as soon as it hit off, it'd stop. So we might do that for four or five hours to make it that perfect mixed tape.
John Long: We did that. We did that here.
Cobie Rutherford: Really?
John Long: Yes. Lord, have mercy. Yeah. I was saying that... Well, I was saying that this weekend. Y'all just don't know how good technology is because we just struggled to get that kind of stuff. But anyway, it is a changing world, and it is so refreshing to have Jaylen with us today. And you know, it's just one of those things that as I've said before, Congress, 4-H, whatever... And Jaylen touched on this too, is that it's like a coming together. It's kind of like a family reunion and it's really kind of, I don't know, I don't want to say sad, but a lot of times when you watch a 4-Her grow up and you realize, "Man, this is their last year." They won't be coming back as a 4-Her. I may see them later or something, as a volunteer, whatever, but it is something. Then of course we have that Congress video at the end, and that always kind of makes me a little sad because it's over with. But, I know there's-
Jaylen Smith: One thing I can say is that I have been the end of the Congress video for the past two years and so hopefully, Ellen, if you're listening, you can put me at the end again because I've-
John Long: We'll put it in a good word for you.
Jaylen Smith: Thank you.
John Long: We do have connections.
Jaylen Smith: Okay.
Cobie Rutherford: I can't wait to see this Congress video.
John Long: I know. It's good.
Cobie Rutherford: Good.
John Long: Yeah, I think it's just getting better and better through the year. And personally, I think I've enjoyed them, but yeah, that's awesome. Well we won't take up any more of your time. Thank you so much for coming in and being with us today. And, who knows, we may get another opportunity to join us on 4-H-4-U-2.
Jaylen Smith: I would love to. Thank you for having me.
John Long: Yes, and I don't... I asked... Oh, I kind of want to tell you this. I asked somebody last night when we had the ambassador little meeting you were presiding over, and I went down to the front and I said, "So how many of y'all listen to podcasts?" And, one guy raised his hand. So we're hoping we'll spread the word. So subscribe and tell everybody about us, and we'll get the word spread. So...
Jaylen Smith: I will.
John Long: All right, well we're going to keep on keeping on, on 4-H-4-U-2. If you want to know more about 4-H, you can go to the extension.msstate.edu website, and as I said, go and subscribe to 4-H-4-U-2, and we're going to keep bringing you up-to-date information on what 4-H is doing for youth and what it is doing for your state as a whole. So with that, I'm John Long-
Cobie Rutherford: And I'm Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And we will see you next time.
Announcer: Thanks for joining us for 4-H-4-U-2. For more information, please visit extension.msstate.edu, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast. 4-H-4-U-2 is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Agricultural Communications.
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By Mississippi State Extension 4-HJohn and Cobie speak with Jaylen Smith 4-H Statewide President on her 4-H Career and what it has meant to her.
Jaylen also shares some memories and the importance of being a positive role model to youth.
Transcript:
Announcer: This is 4-H-4-U-2, a podcast from the Mississippi State University Extension Service promoting 4-H programs and positive youth development. Here now your host, Dr. John Long and Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And welcome to another edition of 4-H-4-U-2. I'm your host, John Long.
Cobie Rutherford: And I'm Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And we have a very, very special guest with us today. Cobie, I'm going to let you introduce her.
Cobie Rutherford: So today we are very happy to have Miss Jaylen R. Smith from Leflore County with us, and she happens to be our State Council 4-H President.
John Long: Wonderful, and I'm sure it is bone dry in Leflore County right now, isn't it?
Jaylen Smith: It is. It is.
Cobie Rutherford: Right, whatever.
John Long: Water, water everywhere, so... Well that's great and we're so glad to have you with us this morning, and I appreciate you carving out a little time for us because I know we're all running in different directions since Congress 2019... Congress is well underway.
Cobie Rutherford: Yes. Here, here. Inspire kids to do.
John Long: That's right. That's right. So let me ask you this, Jaylen. What number congress is this for you?
Jaylen Smith: This is my third Congress.
John Long: Third Congress, okay. And when did you get involved in 4-H?
Jaylen Smith: I got involved my junior year of high school. So I didn't know about 4-H before I actually got into it. I thought it was an organization that you had to pay a lot of money to join. And so I talked to Ms. Christina, my agent, she was like, "No, baby, just come on, just come." We have so many different organizations and clubs that you can be and within the organization itself, and so I've loved it ever since.
John Long: Do you remember your first club meeting?
Jaylen Smith: I do. It was like an interview, kind of, to see if we could get into the meeting. It was like an open interview, and she would just ask questions about what we thought diversity meant and the importance of diversity. I love speaking, so I kind of... I felt bad because I think I dominated most of the conversation, but I just... I love diversity. That's one of the things I want to do with math communications, and so I was like, "Yeah, I'm definitely coming back."
Cobie Rutherford: I think that's what's so neat about 4-H because it appeals to... Every kid can find their niche within this organization.
John Long: Sure.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: And gosh, Jaylen, I think my favorite memory of your 4-H career so far has been when you gave a speech at the state Senate this year for Legislative Day.
Jaylen Smith: Oh, yeah.
Cobie Rutherford: I had chills listening to it. And John, she got a standing ovation from those Senators from Mississippi.
John Long: I am so jealous because I have never been able to be over there and hear that, so I'm glad to hear that. That's awesome. Maybe one day?
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah.
John Long: Maybe one day.
Cobie Rutherford: I don't know that I'll want to hear another one because it was... I don't know how anybody will ever live up to what she did do it. It was so good.
John Long: She's a good communicator, that's for sure.
Cobie Rutherford: Very much so.
John Long: Very well spoken, for sure.
Cobie Rutherford: So what was your project area, Jaylen, in 4-H?
Jaylen Smith: I mostly did public speaking. Another thing that I did was our club itself was PRIDE, which is Potential Realize In Diverse Environments, so a lot of the things that we did were to bring different communities and just people from different backgrounds together. I really just enjoyed that, being able to learn different people's cultures, teaching people my culture, and just learning from each other.
John Long: I think that's really cool because a lot of people just get to a point in life and they just feel like, "Well, this is it. I'm just not..." They just get in this rat race, and the same old, same old, and they forget that there's so much yet to learn.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely, definitely.
John Long: And I think that's always important to remember is that you can always learn from different people. I'm always anxious to want to hear more or to learn more about this.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: That's great. That's great. So what do you feel like one of the main things at 4-H has taught you in your career?
Jaylen Smith: Even though I've had a lot of leadership roles in 4-H, it's definitely taught me how to follow others, just to kind of let go sometimes and not always be on the front stage.
John Long: Right.
Jaylen Smith: But to learn from others by following them.
John Long: Right.
Jaylen Smith: And so also by serving others, I learned leadership skills, things like teamwork and just depending on others to be there for me, and learning how to delegate and be delegated to. So definitely followership has taught me how to be a better leader.
John Long: That's awesome. I've always heard a good leader is a good follower.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: I don't know if that's true, but I believe it. I believe it.
Cobie Rutherford: Well it kind of goes back to what we were telling him about a couple of weeks ago on the leadership podcast, and how the top tier of leadership is going back to a servant leadership position.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: So it seems like Jaylen's had a chance to go full circle in this organization-
John Long: Absolutely.
Cobie Rutherford: And developed that servant attitude. That's cool.
John Long: I think it's an awesome opportunity, and I said that during our leadership podcast, was the fact that we we are given a very unique opportunity to serve others that a lot of people don't get that opportunity to do, or they don't take advantage of it, for sure.
Jaylen Smith: I completely agree.
John Long: So I think that's one of the products, for sure, of the program and teaching those life skills. So as far as, and I really think you are, and I'm not just saying that because you're sitting here, but I really think that you are a very positive role model for a lot of our younger 4-Hers, and I've seen them looking up to you when we've been to various events. How important is that, and what do you... Obviously it's important to you, but how do you feel like, or what do you feel like is most important as far as allowing youth, or what you can give to youth in order to encourage them and instill those things that 4-H has given you?
Jaylen Smith: One of the major things that 4-H has given me is learning to be tenacious and just learning to persevere through all obstacles, and so that's what I really want to give off to younger 4-Her's is that whatever you want in life, it's yours. But if you work for it and if you work through whatever obstacles that are stopping you from doing that, you can get to it. People tell me that they look up to me and it's crazy because I look up to so many 4-Her's, and it's crazy to me how so many people look up to me and I just... I'm like, "Y'all are my heroes."
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, that's funny.
Jaylen Smith: Can I get your autograph?
John Long: Nobody wants my autograph.
Jaylen Smith: I want your autograph.
John Long: Okay, I'll give it to you after this.
Cobie Rutherford: That's funny.
John Long: Well that's great. Yeah. That's awesome.
Cobie Rutherford: So what do you think... Who is someone that's inspired you to take these steps and become a leader in your community and in 4-H, or just someone who inspires you in general?
Jaylen Smith: I definitely have to say my mom and my grandma inspire me. They raised me, and so just seeing two strong black women raise me to be a strong black woman has just made me want to make change for my community. I've definitely had to go through struggles in life, but seeing the way that they go through those struggles graciously has encouraged me and instilled in me those same values. And so another thing, is just a love for Mississippi. I've also learned that through 4-H because it teaches so many different aspects of Mississippi, which other states don't have, and just the richness of our culture. And yes, we have been disenfranchised in the past and we're still working on that, but it's not like I can't love my state and work on its problems.
John Long: Right.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
John Long: Absolutely.
Cobie Rutherford: I think that's very cool that you had that perspective, and I also think that it's cool that you have a love for Mississippi, because I see a lot of kids that are talented like you that say, "Okay, I've been successful in high school. I'm having a successful career in college. I'm moving out of Mississippi," or "I'm moving out of the South." And I think that your ideal of Mississippi, that you want to make a change in your community and in our state, is just so refreshing to hear.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah.
John Long: Absolutely.
Jaylen Smith: I was always taught to clean my own house before I try to tackle anybody else's.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: So I've never been taught to let anybody clean up my own mess when I have a broom in my hand.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: So yeah, I definitely want to fix Mississippi for the better.
John Long: You need to write a book. You've got some great quotes. I wish I could think of stuff like that.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, and one of her quotes that she gave at the Statehouse this year was that kind of impactful, and I think that's why she's so talented. Jaylen, do you remember any parts of that speech that kind of stood out? I remember a lot of Senators followed her out of the hall, out of the chamber, and were talking to her and basically probably offered her a job and everything else. Yeah, I hope you run for Senate one day.
John Long: Don't forget us when you hit the big time.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, exactly.
Jaylen Smith: I could never figure you all.
Cobie Rutherford: Do you remember anything that was said to you that day or something you may have said that impacted those Senators?
Jaylen Smith: I think that it was towards the end and what I basically wanted to tell them was that it's not only Mississippi 4-H's job, but it's also your job as the people that we elect, to... I said, "to speak for those who do not have voices, to stand for those who cannot stand for themselves, and..." It was something else that I said. I just remember that little part. I think that that's so important because we have to be leaders for those who cannot do for themselves. I've always believed in helping people and serving others so that they can serve themselves. Some people need a boost in life.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
Jaylen Smith: And it's our job, our responsibility as fellow Mississippians, as humans, regardless of your color, your creed, your size, your gender, whatever, it's our job to help each other and to move towards the top to be the best that we can be. We can't be the best at we're crumb snatchers.
Cobie Rutherford: Right.
Jaylen Smith: Trying to get all the opportunities for ourselves when there's enough to go around.
John Long: Right, right. We are richly blessed, but when we lose empathy for someone, we lose a part of humanity.
Jaylen Smith: Exactly.
John Long: Hey, that sounding pretty good. Don't steal that.
Jaylen Smith: I won't, I won't.
John Long: But it is true because, yeah... I mean, it's scary, I guess you could say, when you look at the world and people are becoming more and more... I guess, anyway. It's the way it seems to me is that people are just getting more and more self-centered and we're losing that empathy for one another. And when you do that, how in the world are you going to make change because you're always focusing in on yourself and what you want, not what other people want. That's a perfect, perfect.
Jaylen Smith: I definitely agree.
John Long: Yeah. Perfect. Yeah.
Cobie Rutherford: Yeah, that's pretty deep, John.
John Long: See, it's just being in her presence.
Jaylen Smith: Ah, no, no. Don't give me all the credit. Don't give me all the credit.
Cobie Rutherford: Yep.
John Long: So we're... Congress kicked off this morning.
Jaylen Smith: Yes.
John Long: And so we... I know you've got a lot of stuff that you've got going on. I've got to ask this, since this. What is your favorite Congress memory?
Jaylen Smith: Oh-
John Long: Or, do you have one? And don't cop out and say, "Well, they're all my favorite."
Jaylen Smith: There are so many. Definitely, the dance is one of my favorite ones. I learned how to do the dance off of Grease, or something.
John Long: Yes. Yeah,sure.
Jaylen Smith: I learned how to do that a little bit. And the Sanderson Center, playing basketball, I'm not good at it, but you know, I was doing my best.
John Long: Hey, that's all you can ask for.
Jaylen Smith: And just the conversations that I have with 4-Her's, and just the connections that we made. I have friends who I talk to outside of Congress. We're friends on social media. We text each other, and so that just... Knowing that I have a lifelong friend and knowing how we became friends through such a great organization, it just... It makes me not want to age out, and I'll be back next year. I'm just going to be in the back.
John Long: There you go, there you go, and then you get to volunteer.
Cobie Rutherford: That's right.
Jaylen Smith: Definitely.
Cobie Rutherford: And you know, I tell a lot of 4-Her's this, is that we think that, and I thought this is a 4-Her, is that the best time of my life was happening right now. But when you get the opportunity to leave your legacy in the organization and come back as a volunteer, maybe hopefully come back as an extension agent or a state administrator in Jaylen's case, or even even in our cases, John, that legacy that we're able to leave is so much more, I'm not going to say better, but it's kind of like a building block. It's really cool to have that experience.
John Long: Absolutely. Absolutely. My favorite part... May I share what my favorite part?
Jaylen Smith: Most definitely.
John Long: I love the games, because see that's where I am. I'm in the dog house during the dance, but I can never get anybody to play UNO with me.
Cobie Rutherford: Really?
John Long: So if there's anybody listening, next year, please reach out to me. I'll be the little sad person in the corner an UNO deck.
Cobie Rutherford: My favorite part of Congress was the same as Jaylen's. I loved going to the dance because I was from a really small rural school. So I would go to state 4-H Congress over the summer, learn all these dance moves, take them back to my high school, and then be like, "Hey, look what I learned in 4-H."
Jaylen Smith: That's right.
Cobie Rutherford: Most people might [inaudible 00:13:26] sinful, but it was good.
John Long: That's awesome.
Jaylen Smith: And also, you have to have a 4-H playlist for the 4-H van. That's vital to Congress.
John Long: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. And I do, I loved going into the dance. It is some energy going on.
Jaylen Smith: Yeah, definitely.
John Long: That's all I'm saying. I'm envious, because I never had those dance moves, but anyway, maybe one day. It's not over with.
Cobie Rutherford: That's funny. You mentioned the van, too. That's been kind of a long standing tradition in my home county. We would play these games, and that was before cell phones and before MP3s, so maybe you had a mixed CD.
John Long: Jaylen does not remember that, do you?
Jaylen Smith: I remember CDs.
John Long: Oh, okay. Okay.
Jaylen Smith: I remember CDs.
John Long: Just not without cell phones?
Jaylen Smith: True.
Cobie Rutherford: We would make mixed tapes, and we'd sit by the radio station and listen for our favorite songs to come on, and to hit record and as soon as it hit off, it'd stop. So we might do that for four or five hours to make it that perfect mixed tape.
John Long: We did that. We did that here.
Cobie Rutherford: Really?
John Long: Yes. Lord, have mercy. Yeah. I was saying that... Well, I was saying that this weekend. Y'all just don't know how good technology is because we just struggled to get that kind of stuff. But anyway, it is a changing world, and it is so refreshing to have Jaylen with us today. And you know, it's just one of those things that as I've said before, Congress, 4-H, whatever... And Jaylen touched on this too, is that it's like a coming together. It's kind of like a family reunion and it's really kind of, I don't know, I don't want to say sad, but a lot of times when you watch a 4-Her grow up and you realize, "Man, this is their last year." They won't be coming back as a 4-Her. I may see them later or something, as a volunteer, whatever, but it is something. Then of course we have that Congress video at the end, and that always kind of makes me a little sad because it's over with. But, I know there's-
Jaylen Smith: One thing I can say is that I have been the end of the Congress video for the past two years and so hopefully, Ellen, if you're listening, you can put me at the end again because I've-
John Long: We'll put it in a good word for you.
Jaylen Smith: Thank you.
John Long: We do have connections.
Jaylen Smith: Okay.
Cobie Rutherford: I can't wait to see this Congress video.
John Long: I know. It's good.
Cobie Rutherford: Good.
John Long: Yeah, I think it's just getting better and better through the year. And personally, I think I've enjoyed them, but yeah, that's awesome. Well we won't take up any more of your time. Thank you so much for coming in and being with us today. And, who knows, we may get another opportunity to join us on 4-H-4-U-2.
Jaylen Smith: I would love to. Thank you for having me.
John Long: Yes, and I don't... I asked... Oh, I kind of want to tell you this. I asked somebody last night when we had the ambassador little meeting you were presiding over, and I went down to the front and I said, "So how many of y'all listen to podcasts?" And, one guy raised his hand. So we're hoping we'll spread the word. So subscribe and tell everybody about us, and we'll get the word spread. So...
Jaylen Smith: I will.
John Long: All right, well we're going to keep on keeping on, on 4-H-4-U-2. If you want to know more about 4-H, you can go to the extension.msstate.edu website, and as I said, go and subscribe to 4-H-4-U-2, and we're going to keep bringing you up-to-date information on what 4-H is doing for youth and what it is doing for your state as a whole. So with that, I'm John Long-
Cobie Rutherford: And I'm Cobie Rutherford.
John Long: And we will see you next time.
Announcer: Thanks for joining us for 4-H-4-U-2. For more information, please visit extension.msstate.edu, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast. 4-H-4-U-2 is produced by the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Agricultural Communications.