A fourth-year sociology student has been chosen as the face of 4-H Canada’s 100^th anniversary campaign.

Kathryn Ringelberg, who grew up on a 200-acre dairy farm outside of Hamilton, stars in a new video produced by the organization to celebrate 100 years of helping youth learn by doing.

One of Canada’s oldest youth organizations, 4-H is often associated with rural areas and agriculture, but Ringelberg makes it clear in the video that it’s “more than just an opportunity for your farm kid.”

A crew of videographers and photographers visited Ringelberg’s home in September 2012 to film her and her family performing chores and explaining the role 4-H played in their lives.

“It is a big honour to be featured in the video,” she says, admitting that it was a long day of shooting with the crew, who flew in from Calgary. “All of our cheeks hurt by the end of the day from smiling so much.”

Ringelberg’s parents, two sisters and brother are also featured in the video.

Ringelberg says her participation with 4-H activities and clubs helped her develop leadership skills and confidence, which then helped her as a university student.

“When I went into 4-H, I was very young and quite shy,” she says. “But as you take part in the clubs you develop the ability to make decisions and defend those decisions.”

Ringelberg also applies the skills she learned through the club outside the classroom. She currently sits on a number of committees at the Rockton World’s Fair, which attracts nearly 100,000 people each year, and is a junior director of the Hamilton-Wentworth 4-H association.

All of this activity has made Ringelberg a bit of a celebrity in the agriculture community. Being featured in the video, as well as a full-page ad in the popular Ontario Farmer magazine, has resulted in people recognizing her at events such as the International Plowing Match.

“People will stop me and say things like ‘You’re the girl from the ad!’”

The full video can be found here.