Shannon Marie O’Hara named farm bureau state youth ambassador

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 point 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 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 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 farm bureau’s state fair food booth for eight years before she was old enough to work in the kitchen.

Shannon is well prepared to represent the farm bureau, having competed in public speaking competitions since age 5, including a presentation to the U.S. Department of Labor at the 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 as youth ambassador, Shannon will receive a $1,000 scholarship upon completion of her first semester of college.

Shannon’s duties began 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.