The conference is designed to cultivate leadership skills in current 4-H members throughout the province.

Forty-six participants were involved in a mix of social, interactive and competitive activities over the weekend in Saskatoon.

A panel of judges had the difficult task of selecting five young people to receive scholarships.

First place and a $4,500 scholarship was presented to Brett Rumpell with the Long Laketon Multiple 4-H Club. Rumpell was raised on a mixed grain/cattle farm near Craven and is in her first year at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources.  Her career goal is to become an agricultural biologist.

Rumpell says the $4,500 scholarship is great, but there are many lasting benefits from the Prairieland Youth Leadership Conference.

“The biggest thing I have gained are the communication skills. You learn how to network and meet new people. There are other skills like marketing, creating your own personal brand and how to talk to consumers about agriculture.”

Second place and a $3,000 scholarship went to Simon Mann with the Handel Multiple 4-H Club.

Morgan Davey, a member of the Vanscoy Multiple 4-H Club, placed third and received a $2,500 scholarship.

There were $1,000 dollar scholarships for the fourth and fifth place participants. Ruby Kinash is with the Wishart Multiple 4-H Club and Dylan Watt is with the Beechy Multiple 4-H Club.

The Prairieland Youth Leadership Program has several sponsors—Bayer, Affinity Credit Union, Saskatoon Co-op, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Prairieland Park, Parktown Hotel, Western Producer and CJWW Radio.

(above photo from left to right: Curtis Gulka, vice chair Prairieland Park Board of Directors, Brett Rumpell, Simon Mann, Morgan Davey, Ruby Kinash, Dylan Watt)

(group photo below)