The 4-H Ontario Ambassador program provides youth with advanced level training in leadership, citizenship, communications and public relations. Ambassadors put their energy and 4-H experiences to work recruiting new members and sharing the 4-H story. Throughout 2015, each of 4-H Ontario’s six Ambassadors will submit blog entries about their experiences in the program. The 4-H Ontario Ambassador program is proudly sponsored by GROWMARK, Inc. and UPI Energy LP. For more info on the Ambassador program click here. To book an Ambassador for you event please complete the request form. Submitted by Gina Posthumus, 4-H Ontario Youth Ambassador from Hastings 4-H Association March Madness

Hello, my name is Gina Posthumus and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to be a 4-H Ontario Ambassador in 2015. I proudly come from the Hastings County 4-H Association in which I have been a member for seven years. I live outside a little village called Stirling-Rawdon with my parents and older sister. I am currently in Grade 12 at Bayside Secondary in Belleville, Ontario and will be attending the University of Guelph in the fall for Criminal Justice and Public Policy. I am truly looking forward to this year as a 4-H Ontario Ambassador!

March was a crazy busy month filled with lots of exciting new experiences! To start the month off, all of the incoming 2015 Ambassadors took part in a training weekend held at the 4-H Ontario office in Rockwood. We kicked off the weekend by having a team bonding night on the Friday night at our hotel so we could all get to know each other a little better. On Saturday, we got down to business. We headed over to the 4-H Ontario office bright and early to begin training. We spent all day together in the board room engaged in activities that helped us exercise our communication, team building and other leadership skills that would help us be the best Ambassadors we can be. Saturday evening, a banquet was held at the Holiday Inn to celebrate 10 years of the Ambassador program and congratulate the 2014 Ambassadors on a great year while welcoming the 2015 Ambassadors to the program. It was a very successful evening filled with fellow 4-H friends, family, and great food. The Ambassador team wrapped up the weekend Sunday afternoon after another fun-filled day of training. Overall, it was a fantastic weekend made possible with help from the wonderful sponsors of the ambassador program, UPI Energy LP and Growmark, Inc. Next on my very full calendar in March was to attend Provincial Leadership Camp (PLC). This camp took place during March break in Port Sydney, up north in the beautiful Muskoka’s at Ontario Pioneer Camp. 69 delegates and eleven facilitators took part in this five-day getaway which focused on building upon leadership skills and developing strong friendships. Starting off the week, I was unsure what to expect. I had been to a provincial 4-H camp before (Future Leaders in Action), however I had been told that PLC was unlike anything I had ever experienced; and that statement turned out to be 100% true. I am sure all of the other participants would agree with me when I say it is very difficult to explain to someone what PLC is like. To sum it up in a phrase, PLC is life-changing. This camp allows people to make friends with people from all across the province and strengthen several leadership skills all while having the time of their life. This experience was unforgettable and I encourage any 4-H members ages 15-21 to take the opportunity and attend this amazing camp sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Hastings County 4-H Association’s Annual General Meeting was held during the month of March as well. Myself and two other PLC delegates from Hastings County were asked to speak about our time at PLC. We heard stories from other members of the Hasting’s County 4-H Association who were past delegates of PLC. It was very interesting to hear how things have changed over the years! March was jam-packed with many new and enjoyable experiences. I had the opportunity to make new friends from all over the province. I am so honoured to have the opportunity to spend the rest of the year travelling the province and talking about how proud I am to be a part of this great youth leadership organization. I am so excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for me as I continue to ‘Learn to Do by Doing’.