Wisconsin 4-H’s first Career and College Readiness Program Manager has been leading youth on rich adventures of self-discovery since she was a college student.
Amy Boelk started the position in early January after serving as the Portage County 4-H educator. Boelk worked as an outdoor guide while she studied at UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire. She led youth on experiential wilderness adventures, like paddling and backpacking through the Boundary Waters and Sylvania Wilderness, as well as in national parks in states including Utah, Colorado and Arkansas. On these trips, Boelk saw young people learning about themselves, connecting with others and making connections about life.
“I wanted to work with youth while they had these transformative experiences of doing really hard things and being pushed out of their comfort zone in a safe and controlled environment,” Boelk says. At the same time, she was following her spark — an activity or skill that interests you and helps you find joy, energy and purpose.
On adventure trips and in her later career, Boelk lived and promoted Career and College Readiness journeys of self-exploration that can lead youth to build a good life for themselves.
“There are so many pathways to career and vocational success that come from helping youth discover their sparks,” Boelk says. “4-H gives them tools to translate their passions into a career, whether that’s through college or by making connections with employers.”
Through 4-H Career and College Readiness experiences, youth can explore a range of career paths that align with their sparks. A youth who has taken part in the horse project could be a graphic designer for an equine magazine, a veterinary technician or a riding instructor. Youth who are interested in sewing may assume they should work in tailoring but could also design textile patterns and costumes or operate and oversee woven product manufacturing.
Boelk brings a wide range of professional experience to Wisconsin 4-H. After studying experiential learning in grad school, she led cycling tours in Austria. She then returned to Wisconsin and co-founded a high school with a project-based curriculum and an experiential learning model similar to 4-H. After serving as the Portage County 4-H educator, Boelk accepted the role of Career and College Readiness Program Manager. She is the first person to serve in this new role. Her family has been part of the Wisconsin 4-H community since her 11-year-old daughter was a Cloverbud.
4-H offers youth a unique experience with Career and College Readiness.
“Career and College Readiness is building on that foundation of experiential learning, youth empowerment and youth voice, while also being the bridge to the world after 4-H,” Boelk says.
Career and College Readiness in 4-H helps youth look at their talents, skills and personality so they can explore careers that would be a good fit for them, she says. 4-H programs show youth how to translate their experiences into the skills employers are looking for. For example, working as a camp counselor requires time management and managing others.
“4-H is Career and College Readiness — we’ve been teaching life skills and sharing opportunities with youth since 4-H began,” Boelk says. The Career and College Readiness Program Manager position underscores Wisconsin 4-H’s focus on preparing young people for productive lives as adults.
4-H experiences like Summer Academy, June 14-18 on the UW-Madison campus, offer three levels of Career and College Readiness for grades 8-11. In the Exploratory Track, best for new delegates, youth explore multiple sparks. The Core Track, for returning delegates, helps them dig into specific fields. An advanced track for youth in grade 11 helps successfully youth transition to college or a career. Registration for Summer Academy is open from March-April 2026. Click here for more information!
Youth in middle and high school are in the perfect developmental stages to benefit from Career and College Readiness.
“4-H allows them to discover and explore who they are and what their passions are in a relaxed setting without grades and other expectations,” Boelk says. Wisconsin 4-H is also part of the Universities of Wisconsin, which connects youth to innovation and best practices for career and college readiness.
“Textbook topics are important, but the employability of young people is really in their soft skills,” Boelk says. Communication, resilience and reliability are just as important as the skills on their resumes.
4-H Career and College Readiness also helps youth navigate an ever-changing job market.
“It can be a challenge to prepare youth for one career, which could change a few years after they’re done with training or school. What’s important is how they learn to think through things on their own,” Boelk says.
