If you’ve ever stopped at the 4-H Information Booth at the fair, spun the wheel and won a prize, then you’ve met a Pierce County 4-H Ambassador. And if you haven’t, you should.

Who exactly are the 4-H Ambassadors and what do they do?

“The Pierce County 4-H Ambassadors are a group of 4-H youth in the age range of 12-19 who serve as the public relations team for the 4-H program both within 4-H and for the general public,” said Advisor Shari Turvaville. “They promote the 4-H program by representing it in a variety of ways as spokespersons and role models for the 4-H program and by leading by example.”

Not only do the Ambassadors staff the information booth at the fair and assist judges and superintendents, they can be found at public events around the county throughout the year representing Pierce County 4-H. They were at the Pierce County Dairy Breakfast (Farm to Table event) painting faces and leading activities at the July 11 Summer Hoopla, for example.

“Within the 4-H program, the Ambassadors help with festivals introducing performances, handing out awards and helping with judging,” Turvaville said. “They are a large part of the annual 4-H Awards Banquet presenting numerous awards and being on hand to help wherever needed. This summer they assisted at numerous Cloverbud Days and soon they will be busy teaching sessions or helping with registration and teaching at Discovery Day, an education day where 4-Her's and friends come to experience a variety of project areas.”

This year’s ambassador team has 11 members: Varah Sorenson, Audrey Christianson, Mary Peterson, Grace Hennemann, Ashley Symicek, Bristal Books, Paige Pablo, Ani Whelan, Ruth Hennemann, Jessie Brown and Nevaeh Peters.

Recent high school graduate Sorenson has been an ambassador for five or six years. She has been a member of the Falcon Falls 4-H Club since kindergarten.

“I wanted to share my love of 4-H with others and have an opportunity to be a leader for the county,” Sorenson said. “I have always had a passion for helping others, and this felt like a perfect place for that.”

Ambassadors need to be enrolled 4-H members in seventh grade and older - one year post high school, Turvaville said.

“They typically hold leadership positions within their club and possess skills in areas of communication, dedication and professionalism, as well as having a growth mindset. They love 4-H and have a desire to help others take advantage of the opportunities that 4-H has to offer,” she added. “Our selection process includes an application, letters of recommendation, along with an in-person interview.”

Turvaville, who also leads the Busy Fingers 4-H Club out of Bay City, has been advising the Pierce County 4-H Ambassadors since 2022. When one of the previous advisors stepped down, her daughter and a fellow ambassador asked their mothers to take on the program. Prior to becoming the advisor in Pierce County, she spent several years as the St. Croix County 4-H Ambassador Advisor before moving to Bay City in 2008.

Sorenson said she loves seeing young people be excited about 4H and seeing more people reach out to join. She’s looking forward to working a few shifts at the 4-H Information Booth, running some fun games and submitting music and art projects. Her favorite part of the fair is seeing the animals and art projects.

Turvaville hopes more 4-Hers will consider becoming ambassadors.

“The program is extremely important to PC 4-H because the ambassadors are often seen outside of 4-H,” she said. “Many people learn about the 4-H program because they see an Ambassador at a public event which sparks interest; sometimes that spark is as simple as noticing the clover emblem on their 4-H shirt. Most things we do are hands-on and fun! Education is a very important aspect of 4-H and our ambassadors teach others using a core philosophy of learning by doing.”

Sorenson, who plans to attend Luther College for choral music education, said she has learned a lot from being an ambassador.

“Assisting others is a wonderful thing that can bring so much joy and can better the world. You will meet so many different people from different environments, and it is important to be understanding, and it can help you learn more about the world,” Sorenson said. “Sometimes all someone needs is a smile or someone to offer some help, however small, so don't be hesitant to assist those around you!

“It is a great learning experience, and you can meet so many people that can turn into lifelong friends! (It also looks great on a resume!)”