Junior Grange

This year will mark a few changes within our program that I hope will inspire and create growth not only for our amazing Juniors but for the program as a whole. National Grange President Chris Hamp, National Directors, and advisory teams are working to break down barriers between our programs to create unity among all of our programs and to help Juniors transition into their community Grange.

We have opened new opportunities and guides for the youngest of our members to be able to compete in contests that give them entrance-level projects for community service, advocacy, leadership, public speaking, writing, and legislation. For our older participants, we have created similar guidelines that ensure they are challenged and can grow in their interests.

Part of unifying our programs includes mentorship opportunities for our Youth Ambassadors to pass on their knowledge to our Junior Ambassadors. In an effort to foster leadership and new opportunities for our Juniors, the Ambassador program has been expanded to a regional level, giving opportunities for leadership to up to 2 ambassadors per region. We envision these changes strengthening our Juniors, Youth, and programs as a whole.

This program’s thoroughness and the breakdowns for age groups would not have been possible without the hard work and efforts of the National Junior Grange Advisory team. The dedication to keeping our young people involved and helping them learn to make real change in our world is a daunting but not impossible task. This is what we hope to empower our Juniors with.

The advisory board and I understand that all children have different needs, skills, and capabilities. These guidelines are intended to provide structure, but they may not always align perfectly with every child’s individual needs or learning style. If you feel an adjustment to the guidelines would better support your child’s participation, please let us know what alterations you plan to make.

We welcome thoughtful adaptations and encourage creativity—sometimes the most wonderful ideas come from letting those sparks of imagination kindle.

Looking forward to a fruitful year full of curiosity and spark!

Katie Girtler
National Junior Grange Director

Questions or comments should be directed to:

National Junior Grange Advisory Board
Email: junior@nationalgrange.org