AgCareers.com Sponsors Canadian Young Speakers for Ag. Competition
November 17, 2008
Cynthia Hoffman
Supporting youth and their passion for agriculture is a priority of AgCareers.com. The company sponsored the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition that took place at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, ON.
“AgCareers.com sponsors the CYSA competition because it is a great opportunity for young people to express their ideas, gain confidence speaking in front of people and demonstrate their knowledge of the agriculture industry,” said Alison Besley, AgCareers.com Canadian Accounts Manager. “This event highlights agriculture youth in a positive way, and allows participants to demonstrate their passion for agriculture.”
There were 26 competitors from seven different provinces. Kayla Getzinger of Stony Plain, Alberta, won the senior category. Getzinger is a third-year science student at the University of Alberta. Her speech was titled “Agriculture Around the World: Where does Canada Stand?”
“We know that piles of gold are not as good as stores of grain, thus Canada should continue to invest and build on its agricultural industry…” Getzinger said during her speech.
Junior division champion, Sam Kloppenburg of Arva, Ontario, chose “Food, Fuels & More: Exploring the Future of Agriculture” for his topic.
“In one year, scientists think an acre of algae will be able to produce 10 times more biodiesel than an acre of soybeans. Is it possible that one day, I could be an algae farmer,” Kloppenburg asked his audience.
Besley said both speeches contained valuable information and were well-prepared. She served as a judge for the competition, and said she enjoyed hearing all of the speeches.
“It was interesting to hear each participant’s different perspective and their creative expression,” Besley said. “I was very impressed by the overall presentation and level of thought that was put into each competitor’s speech.”
