It was truly an honour to represent both British Columbia and Canada at Ignite by 4-H in Washington, D.C., from March 12–16, 2025. Alongside delegates from across Canada, I had the opportunity to share what 4-H looks like in Canada and B.C., while learning all about 4-H in the U.S.A. This year marked the first time Canadians were invited to attend Ignite, making our small but mighty delegation of 12 a novelty to American members and chaperones alike.
Ignite by 4-H is the flagship event of U.S. 4-H National, held annually in Washington, D.C. This year, more than 1,600 4-H members from nearly all 50 states—plus our Canadian crew—took part. The conference is described as “four days of inspiring and engaging panels, respected speakers, workshops, entertainment, and opportunities to create amazing connections.” It’s designed to help members “Find Your Spark” through exploring their passions.
Participants joined sessions on a wide range of topics including AI, GMOs, cheese making, and identifying transferable skills. Many workshops followed themed learning tracks: STEM, AgriScience, Community Acceleration, and Healthy Living.
A highlight of the conference was the incredible lineup of speakers. The keynote was Emily Calandrelli—MIT-trained aerospace engineer, science communicator, author, TV host, and the 100th woman in space. Her empowering story moved me to tears. The “tracknote” speakers included Antoni Porowski (a fellow Canadian!) for Healthy Living, Kevin Olusola from Pentatonix for Community Acceleration, Chris Barton—co-founder of Shazam—for STEM, and fifth-generation farmer Andrea Flemming for AgriScience.
One of my favourite parts of Ignite was the pin trading. It’s a huge, unofficial activity where members exchange lapel pins from their hometowns or regions. Thanks to Senator Rob Black from Ontario, we had enough Canadian flag pins to give one to every member and chaperone we met, sparking great conversations and friendships. I returned with over 50 pins—a meaningful reminder of everyone I met.
I also learned a lot from talking with American delegates. One surprise was discovering that public speaking is considered its own project in the U.S., similar to how we might raise a market lamb or heifer. Many were shocked when I explained that every member in B.C. is encourages to do some form of public speaking in B.C. I also noticed how strongly the U.S. program emphasizes STEM—even sessions outside the STEM track incorporated those elements. Another memorable part of the trip was our self-guided monument tour. We explored the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument in the evening to avoid crowds. Though a mechanical issue initially canceled our White House and Capitol Hill visit, our awesome chaperones organized an evening walking tour instead—turns out the White House really is white! Experiencing Washington, D.C.’s blend of modern and classical architecture made it feel like stepping into a movie.
I am so grateful to have attended Ignite by 4-H. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thank you to 4-H Canada and 4-H BC for selecting and supporting me, and to the anonymous American benefactor whose generosity helped subsidize our attendance. I hope we made a strong enough impression to ensure Canadian delegates are invited back in future years. It truly was an unforgettable experience.
