Originally from Ontario, 19-year-old Tamara Snook moved to small town Oxford, Nova Scotia to fulfill her dream of working with animals. With the help of 4-H and AV俱乐部鈥檚 Faculty of Agriculture, that's exactly what she's achieved.
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Through 4-H, Tamara has pledged her head, heart, hands and health to bettering her club, her community, her country and her world. 听
鈥�4-H is a community and has given me family: a home away from home,鈥� explains Tamara. 鈥淪omeone is always there for you. They take care of you and look out for you鈥� It鈥檚 also given me a huge sense of self-confidence.鈥�
And it is this self-confidence that enabled Tamara to win the organization鈥檚 National Citizenship Award and to be nominated for Member of the Year for Cumberland County 4-H.
The National Citizenship award enables young members of 4-H, a national youth organization,听 to learn about Canada and its history including governance, parliamentary procedures, citizenship and politics in a way that is fun, inspiring and memorable. Sixty members were selected across Canada for 2014, including Tamara.
鈥淲e were able to produce a mock debate in Parliament house in Prince Edward Island as part of the 150th anniversary of Confederation!鈥� she says. 鈥淲e learned so much.鈥� 听
The goal of 4-H is to develop citizenship, leadership, responsibility and life skills of youth through experiential learning programs and a positive youth development approach.
鈥�4-h is such a good program and helps so many different people with so many different things 鈥� it becomes your life,鈥� says Tamara.听 鈥淚鈥檝e seen so many people grow from the program.鈥澨�
Discovering campus
Tamara is no exception.听 She earned several industry scholarships including the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association scholarship, 4-H Council scholarships and an entrance scholarship from AV俱乐部 upon enrolling in the Faculty of Agriculture in 2013 to study Animal Science.
鈥淚鈥檝e always loved this campus. I鈥檝e attended 4-H weekend on this campus and have just always wanted to come here,鈥� she says, explaining that she appreciates the campus鈥� close-knit community of like-minded students. 鈥淓veryone knows everyone and there are so many opportunities.鈥�
Scott Reid, coach of the Dal AC Woodsmen team, saw Tamara competing in a 4-H woodsmen鈥檚 competition and asked her to try out for the AV俱乐部 team.听 Now a second year veteran, Tamara is captain of the Woodsmen鈥檚 B Team, is employed part-time with the Safety & Security office and worked with Conference Services this past summer. 听
Tamara combined her 4-H showmanship skills and her love for the Ag Campus during the livestock competition at last month鈥檚 College Royal. Tamara helped with showmanship and clipping of the animals in preparation for the livestock show. It was a busy weekend for her, with College Royal Livestock show, travelling with the Dal AC Woodsmen鈥檚 team, attending a 4-H banquet and studying for mid-terms.
But Tamara wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.听 鈥淚 plan to continue my membership in the 4-H program, eventually becoming a leader,鈥� adding she plans to pursue a career in veterinary pathology or wildlife conservation.
Learn more about students like Tamara and the Faculty of Agriculture during Discovery Day 2014. Step onto our campus and learn to change the world! .