The provincial 4-H ambassador program is short one of its star members.
Prince George's Amanda Wellburn has completed her two-year mandate and set an aggressive leadership pace in the process, according to her provincial leaders. The good news for them is, she is now moving on into young adulthood carry all those skills, accomplishments and affinity for 4-H with her.
As she exits the 24-month advanced leadership program, Wellburn was given the program's 2014-15 Top Ambassador award.
4-H is an international youth development club, focused especially but not exclusively on rural and agricultural young people. It is an influential organization from coast to coast in Canada, operating in this country for more than 100 years. Thousands of Prince George kids have been members. Each one takes on at least one, but as many as four club-prescribed projects per year. Some raise animals, some do community service, always with a businesslike focus in keeping records and proving the execution of their goals. It is set up for kids aged 6-21 with age-appropriate achievement tasks to complete for various kinds of awards and affirmations.
"Amanda was a member of the Pineview 4-H Club in Prince George," said Sarah VanHeesjik, the B.C. Ministry Of Agriculture's youth development specialist in charge of the government's support for the 4-H ambassador program. "During her ambassadorship she was very active all over the Central Interior Region. Amanda did an excellent job in promoting 4-H through the local media as well as in person at events like the Williams Lake Stampede and the BCNE. She also volunteered outside the region at the Yellowhead West Junior camp and the PNE. Amanda's signature event during her Ambassadorship was her 'Steps' line dancing seminar which also served as a food drive for local charities."
Each ambassador (there are a maximum of 20 in the province spread among seven regions) has to accomplish 10 approved activities per year in their two-year ambassadorial position. Wellburn accomplished, said VanHeesjik, a staggering 57 such activities.
"We encourage them to be creative and do what they think will be helpful to 4-H within their own community and she obviously went far above and beyond that. She did a great job of attending to things around the region, and even outside the region. All our ambassadors are remarkable young leaders, and she is remarkable even for them. And it is all volunteer, so that's amazing. The ambassador program is a great opportunity for young people to give back to 4-H and get involved in their community and engaged in their community moving into adulthood."
Wellburn is now graduating out of the program, but Prince George still has an ambassador on the provincial team. Mackenzie Kerr is entering her second year, and coming in as first-year ambassadors are 4-H members from 150 Mile House and Quesnel to represent the local region along with Kerr. VanHeesjik said the program is arranged to have a successive turnover of second-year people bringing along an equal number of first-year people.
"Congratulations again to Amanda for her excellent work," said VanHeesjik. "She will certainly be missed on the ambassador team but no doubt her commitment to 4-H will be ongoing in the future. I'm sure we will see her again working with the 4-H program in other leadership capacities. She certainly has a lot to offer her community."
