EDUCATING and reinvigorating the next generation is what drives 2014 Marsh Rural Ambassador Sarah Hannah.
She received the award at a dinner on the first Sunday night of Ekka at the Mercure Hotel Brisbane, with Darling Downs sub-chamber representative Kate Todd named runner-up in this year’s competition.
Representing the West Moreton and Brisbane Valley sub-chamber, Sarah said she entered the competition to help reconnect the Lowood State High School with the local show.
“Lowood Show has really lost its connection with the high school and I would like to see that connection re-established,” she said.
Sarah is motivated to get more young people involved in the show over the next 12 months through things like the Young Farmers Challenge.
She has been involved in her local show since she could walk, first through her parents being involved and then by getting involved through school.
“A school program was there when I grew up but it fell away and I’d love to see it return,” Sarah said.
Over the next 12 months Sarah hopes to attend as many shows as she can.
Next weekend she will visit the Wondai Show, but she wants to travel to some of the shows in the far flung parts of Queensland as well.
Passion for her local community pulsing through her, Sarah’s desire to see her local show and school more connected has grown into a much bigger dream.
As rural ambassador she is eager to create a program that connects schools with their local show via the Queensland Chamber of Agricultural Shows (QCAS) Next Generation movement.
“The idea is to create something that can be applied in any situation, whether it is 600km west of Longreach versus inner city. Being able to work in both places and target a youth audience would be a fantastic way of approaching it,” she said.
“I’d love to see our involvement with the Next Gen movement having more of a connection with Ekka school program as well.
“It would be great to see all 11 sub-chambers with a member in rural ambassador competition at the Ekka next year.”
Sarah grew up on her parents’ cattle property Palmerose, at Glamorganvale, in the Brisbane Valley. The family runs a herd of predominantly Murray Grey and Hereford cattle.
After completing high school she went on to study her Bachelor of Education at the University of Southern Queensland.
During her time at university she was fortunate to receive a scholarship that sent her to the Longreach School of the Air and a Saibai scholarship, which led to her first teaching placement in the Torres Strait.
The year one teacher currently works at the Eight Mile Plains State School and said her proposed program would help address issues surrounding the lack of understanding about food and fibre production.
“It would help educate students who might not know where their food comes from and tell them about the effort that goes into producing it in a green, clean way.”
Sarah said she enjoyed the sense of community a rural lifestyle afforded and hoped to receive a teaching placement closer to her home town.
“When you become a member of a country town it’s all about the sense of community and mateship,” she said.
“I like the idea that when you drive through my hometown you know everyone who lives there and people are willing to give you a hand in any way shape or form.”
- For more information about becoming involved in your local show or applying for the Marsh Rural Ambassador awards visit www.queenslandshows.com.au
- To stay up to date with the latest show news like their Facebook page: Qcas Next Generation.