A Maple Ridge teen has received one of four prestigious scholarships from 4-H Canada.
Victoria Pitsiaeli has been chosen for a 4-H Canada Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction, (LEAD), worth $20,000, to go towards her four-year post-secondary education.
Each scholarship is connected to one of 4-H Canada’s four leadership development pillars which are: Community Engagement and Communications; Science and Technology; Environment and Healthy Living; and Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security – Pitsiaeli’s scholarship.
In addition to the scholarship, recipients will also benefit from an ongoing mentorship with a prominent expert from their chosen field of study.
Pitsiaeli first joined the Golden Ears 4-H Community Club at the age of eight and credits the club with providing her with a link to agriculture she would have otherwise missed out on, since she grew up in an urban area.
Pitsiaeli has been in Ambassador roles with 4-H British Columbia and at the Pacific National Exhibition, in addition to being an active and engaged
student who was named Valedictorian for the Class of 2023.
Plus, she was honoured with the Julie Chetty Award, handed out in recognition of remarkable service to others with a spirit of joy and selflessness.
Other accomplishments include becoming editor of her school newsletter, a peer tutor, and camp counselor. Pitsiaeli also volunteers her time with numerous organizations, from Operation Christmas Child to the BC Conservatory of Music.
And she has dedicated many hours to the Ocean Wise YouthToSea Leadership Program, creating a website to help spread awareness of sustainable aquaculture and food security. In recognition of her efforts, Ocean Wise awarded her a Service Award for completing over 200 volunteer hours.
The scholarships were launched in 2015 by 4-H Canada in partnership with CN Railway Company, to recognize 4-H members who have leveraged their experience in the agricultural organization to become exceptional leaders – demonstrating not only leadership excellence, but community impact and personal development.
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“Each year, with CN’s support, we are able to help impressive youth leaders attain their educational goals, not only by providing them with significant financial support, but also by pairing them with a mentor from their desired career field,” explained Hugh Maynard, 4-H Canada Interim Chief Executive Officer.
“This year’s recipients have shown tremendous leadership skills and have worked incredibly hard to positively impact their 4-H clubs, their communities, and the world. We are proud to support the next step in their exciting educational journeys, and look forward to seeing what the future holds for these bright young leaders,” he continued.
Other 4-H Canada L.E.A.D recipients are: Amy Bishop from St. Mary’s, NL, for Environment and Healthy Living; Andrew Jones from Midland, ON, for
Science and Technology; and Olivia Taylor from Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, NL, for Community Engagement & Communications.
Janet Drysdale, CN senior vice-president and chief stakeholder relations officer noted how programs like the L.E.A.D. scholarship help build the next generation of leaders.
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“People that will drive future advancement and growth in the regions our customers and employees call home,” she said.
Pitsiaeli is excited to continue exploring her passions at the University of British Columbia, said 4-H Canada, where she plans to major in Sustainable Agriculture and Environment. She plans to use her post-secondary education to launch a career helping farmers and food producers integrate sustainable practices, while also educating urban youth on the importance of agriculture.
She also plans to give back to the 4-H community in future by launching and running her own 4-H club, added the organization.
The 4-H Canada Leadership Awards will be celebrated in February 2024.
For more information on the L.E.A.D. scholarship go to 4-h-canada.ca/lead.