Last fall, a Penticton youth was given a singular honour, being selected as one of 15 members to sit on the Prime Minister’s Youth Council.
Macgregor “Mac” Tebbutt, a third-year engineering student at UBC Okanagan and a competitive rodeo athlete, was chosen from a pool of 14,000 applicants from across Canada. Tebbutt is the only representative from B.C., and the only council member representing the youth development organization 4-H.
Throughout the fall, Tebbutt participated in video conferences and attended meetings in Ottawa with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his 15 fellow council members.
Tebbutt is heavily involved in the 4-H program in Penticton, where he served a two-year term as a B.C. 4-H ambassadors. He has traveled throughout B.C. to engage rural youth in the 4-H development program, taught public speaking, and interacted with the media on TV, radio and newspapers. He also developed a new safety program for equine athletes.
“One of the prime minister’s election promises was to initiate a youth council to listen and engage youth in areas of mental health, environment, employment, clean growth, agriculture and youth engagement,” said Tebbutt.
Tebbutt credits his leadership training and public speaking skills to 4-H, which he was heavily involved with in Penticton, including serving a two-year term, as one of B.C.’s 4-H ambassadors.
In this role, he travelled throughout B.C., taught public speaking, and completed two years of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Junior Leadership program.
“4-H is an amazing program that teaches leadership, engagement and farm safety. I have just completed a year-long project on improving equine safety for horse members,” said Tebbutt.
In the South Okanagan, the South Valley Silver Spurs is a Community 4-H Club. Registration for 4-H’s 2017 year is on Feb. 6, at 6:30 p.m. in room 2 of the Community Centre. For more information contact: Janette at 250-462-6116.