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Nominations wanted for Youth Engagement Showcase

Nominations must be submitted by Friday, November 27th

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

The Rural Ontario Institute is currently accepting nominations for its Youth Engagement Showcase and will do so until Friday, November 27th.

Nomination box

The showcase will highlight young leaders and share stories about them stepping to the forefront and fighting for important issues. It will shed light on the impact youth (age 29 and under) can have in their communities and how rural communities can look to youth to address local issues.

“Today’s engaged youth represent the future leadership of rural Ontario,” said Norman Ragetlie, Director of Policy and Stakeholder Engagement, Rural Ontario Institute in a release. “The exodus of youth from rural towns to urban centres is a common trend but evidence illustrates that engaging young people in leadership roles before they leave for post-secondary education is integral to improving return rates.”

As many as eight nominees will have their community involvement displayed through short documentaries. In addition, the videos will show other community programs and how they look engage youth.

Nominees will be judged on their:

Story – What activities are they involved in? How can their story be an inspiration to other youth in rural communities?

Impact – What successes have they had as a result of their community involvement? How has the community benefited from their involvement?

Programming & Organizations – Any programming or organizations they’ve been involved in and how the organizations spurred civic engagement.

A full list of rules and qualifications can be found by visiting the Rural Ontario Institute.

Join the conversation and tell us about someone you would nominate for the Youth Engagement Showcase.


Trending Video

California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Video: California Farm Bureau 2025 Farm Dog of the Year Contest Winner - Willy - CAFB 107th Annual Meeting

Meet Willy: California Farm Bureau’s 2025 Farm Dog of the Year!

We’re excited to introduce Willy, a miniature long-haired dachshund with a big heart and even bigger courage, and the Grand Prize winner of this year’s Farm Dog of the Year Contest!

Willy may be small, but he’s become an indispensable partner on owner Marshal Hagedorn’s forestry and cattle operations in Shasta, Tehama, and Siskiyou counties. Adopted in 2023, he quickly found his place on the ranch, helping manage critters, tagging along for long days in the woods, and offering unwavering companionship during demanding logging work.

Willy has even taken naturally to moving cattle, surprising calves (and more than a few full-grown cows!) with his burst of energy from the tall grass. As Marshal put it: “He goes with me everywhere every single day.”

Congratulations to Willy and his family, a perfect example of how every good farm dog, no matter the size, helps keep California agriculture running strong.