Shannon Marie O’Hara of Sussex County has been named Delaware Farm Bureau’s State Youth Ambassador for 2019. Daughter of Diane and Thomas O’Hara of Milford, Shannon will be a senior this year at Sussex Tech, where she has a 4.0 grade average. In college, Shannon plans to pursue a major in hospitality and tourism management or communications, with a minor in business.
Shannon’s community activities include the Delaware State Fair Junior Fair Board, the Sussex County Youth Philanthropy Board, Jefferson Awards and Slaughter Beach Memorial Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. School activities include the concert choir, Bella Voce (Sussex Tech’s Advanced Women’s Choir), Sussex Tech’s Raven Nation Marching Band’s Color Guard, National Honor Society, Student Government and DECA, an international program that prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
Shannon has been active in Kent County 4-H, and through that organization helped at the DFB Food Booth at the state fair for eight years before she was old enough to be allowed to work in the kitchen.
Shannon is well prepared to represent Farm Bureau, having competed in public speaking competitions from the age of 5, including a presentation to the U.S. Department of Labor at National 4-H Congress. “I love teaching members of my community about agriculture and helping them appreciate one of the largest industries in Delaware,” Shannon said.
After attending several Farm Bureau functions through the year, the Youth Ambassador will receive a $1,000 scholarship upon completion of the first semester of college.
Shannon’s duties begin Aug. 1, but she was already at work during the Delaware State Fair, touring the fairgrounds with Dave Marvel, a Kent County Farm Bureau member, on Governor’s Day.
