Kristen Hedley figures it was her passion for 4-H that led to her being named the 2005 Alberta Premier’s Award winner.
Hedley was chosen during the annual provincial 4-H selections program April 29-May 2.
The 18 year old, who just finished her first year at the University of Alberta in education, said she gained a lot of social skills in 4-H.
“I’m not afraid to talk to people.”
But two nights after winning the award, she was out pulling a calf on her parent’s farm near Consort.
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“It brings you back into real life.”
She spent 10 years in 4-H in the Consort Creative Hands Club where she learned cooking, sewing and crafts.
After taking her teaching degree, Hedley hopes to take her master’s in speech pathology and then return to work in rural
Alberta.
Hedley was not sure what activities Alberta 4-H will ask her to participate in although she anticipates meeting premier Ralph Klein when she gets her award and she might get to meet Queen Elizabeth at the province’s centennial celebrations this month.
For the summer she will be lifeguarding at the local lake as well as helping her dad on the farm.
She said 4-H is a lot of fun.
“As a member I didn’t focus on the project so much as the program, the people you meet and the friendships you can make.”
4-H is Alberta’s longest running rural youth program with nearly 8,000 members and 2,500 leaders spread among 422 clubs.
