The Junior DAIRY LEADER program prepares 16 to 19 year olds for successful dairy industry careers. The mission is to give teens an opportunity to build enthusiasm for the dairy industry through personal, professional and leadership development in a networking environment, while discovering the diversity of career options in agriculture. Exposure to different herd, crop and farm business management techniques gives participants the opportunity to experience diverse dairy management styles and ideas. The program also focuses on developing leadership skills necessary to make positive changes and contributions to the dairy industry and challenges participants to focus on personal and career development. Junior DAIRY LEADER is a yearlong program combines a series of 8 hands-on workshops focusing on specific facets of the dairy industry in veterinary science, dairy nutrition, production management, and on-farm production analysis. In addition, participants interact with dairy producers, industry professionals, and other dairy interested young people from across the state and region. Youth will gain advanced industry training for employment and furthering their education and career planning for successful dairy careers. Since 1999, 319 participants and graduates of the program have or will continue their education in dairy or industry related careers. Based on survey results from participants from 1999 to 2013 (using a scale of 1 to 5 and considering rankings of 3 and up to be considered significant influence), 96% of participants felt the program influenced their decision to pursue or enter into an agricultural career. In the area of dairy knowledge and technical skills 98% had an increase in dairy knowledge and 77% learned technical skills directly applicable to production management. In addition participants responded to being better prepared in the following areas: communication skills (97%), working as a team (87%), choosing a career path (92%), problem solving (69%), and networking with other dairy industry people/leaders (85%). The Junior DAIRY LEADER survey results from the 1999 to 2013 show that 58% of participants who were undecided on a career path before the program, chose to a career path in agriculture after participating in the program