The winner of Alberta’s most prestigious 4-H award credits the rural youth organization with helping her choose her future career.
Amanda Hughes, the second year university student selected from 123 students for the Premier’s Award, has been a 4-H member for 11 years and plans to join again next year when she turns 21, the last year she is eligible.
“I plan to stay in it as long as I possibly can,” said Hughes.
Hughes has come a long way from a nervous child giving her first public speech, a 4-H requirement.
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“4-H has impacted me a lot,” she said. “When I was nine and had to do it, I would never have imagined I would become someone who really enjoys getting in front of a huge crowd and talking.”
Hughes said one of her biggest joys from 4-H is teaching younger members, which helped her discover that teaching was her passion and future career.
“Now that I am a senior, I really like to teach the younger members.”
Hughes is a member of the Heart of the Country Club in Calmar.
She has participated in 4-H projects as varied as crafts, market lambs, light horse, market steer, canine, photography, performing arts and food.
“I did sheep for three or four years, then I was caught by the horse bug,” said Hughes, who earned top honours at the 4-H provincial Horse Classic program last year.
“I really liked the agriculture aspect of 4-H. It was something that interested me. There are so much variety in terms of projects in 4-H.”
Hughes was raised on a small sheep farm south of Edmonton.
As the Premier’s Award winner, she will spend part of the next year speaking at different provincial events, giving workshops and promoting 4-H.
4-H is Alberta’s longest running rural youth program with more than 6,400 members and more than 2,100 leaders participating in about 400 clubs.
