Melissa (Mel) Schroeder is responsible for the management and stewardship of 4-H Youth
Development, Hidden Valley 4-H Camp, 21 st Century Afterschool Program and Parenting
Education. Mel provides leadership to the team on curriculum, professional development,
connection from local County Association to Campus resources and research. Mel has worked
on the Positive Youth Development (PYD 101) online curriculum training and is a trainer for the
project in NYS. Mel is a member of the NYS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Cohort team, and
also a member of the American Camp Association’s Advisory Committee for DEI. Mel works
towards weaving all aspects of positive youth development and DEI to help promote spaces
where all youth feel a sense of belonging and can thrive. As a team member with the NYS 4-H
program Mel concentrates on training and curriculum for NYS 4-H camps that focus on positive
youth development, the 4-H Thriving Model, creating, identifying, and supporting 4-H Safer
Spaces along with DEI and Belonging.