Youth competition finalists selected
Apr 6, 2010 
RED DEER ADVOCATE | By Brenda Kossowan
Lofty goals — like reaching or surpassing the accomplishments of Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling — help some people rise above the crowd.
Reaching Rowling’s level of achievement is the long-term goal driving Ami Price-Gagnon, a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Red Deer who is now working on her third year toward a business degree from the University of Alberta.
Price-Gagnon, 20, was recently named one of the three finalists in Servus Credit Union’s search for a youth representative. Young and Free Alberta is part of North America-wide campaign, Young and Free Spokestar, that recruits young adults to spend one year helping members of their generation connect with sponsoring credit unions through blogs, YouTube videos, public speaking engagements and other media.
Being named Alberta’s first Young and Free Spokestar comes with an iPod, an Apple laptop computer and a salary of $36,000, says Price-Gagnon, who learned about the contest while researching student bursaries.
Pumped as the “Ultimate Job,” the Young and Free Spokestar Competition was narrowed from 22 applicants to three finalists, including Price-Gagnon’s university roommate, Kelsey MacDonald, 20, of Calgary. MacDonald is taking her third year of human ecology at the U of A.
Rounding out the field is barista Madison Kerr, 18, of Edmonton, who focuses her creative endeavours on photography.
Price-Gagnon said she and MacDonald support each other, but don’t discuss each other’s campaigns.
The winning entry, to be announced April 22, will be decided on two major factors, she said. Fifty per cent will be based on the number of votes each of the finalists is able to capture by April 11. The balance will be based on performance, including media coverage of their campaigns.
Please visit www.youngfreealberta.com to learn more.
