Meet Grace-Ann Pegnone, a Truly Amazing Kid

There are some amazing kids living in our communities. Every year the Pamplin Media Group, along with Coastal Farm & Ranch, honors those young people who do good things and are committed to making a difference in their communities. Parents, educators, and others nominate these incredible young people. The winners are then honored at an awards ceremony and featured in their local paper.

At Coastal Farm & Ranch, we’re proud to sponsor the Amazing Kids event, especially when one of this year’s recipients is someone like Grace-Ann Pegnone.

Grace-Ann was chosen as the Clackamas County Amazing Kid 2017 for her kindness, good citizenship, and hundreds of hours of volunteer work over the past several years. Grace-Ann is a sophomore at Canby High School who loves helping others. It’s built into her DNA. Along with her mother, Grace-Ann has worked with local churches and a Portland-area television station in coordinating, collecting, and distributing toys to foster kids for Christmas through the Clackamas County Department of Human Services.

“I love seeing the smile on the face of a child who has had her wish come true with a favorite toy,” Grace-Ann said in a recent interview with Pamplin Media Group. “I’ve done this with my mom for eight years,” she added. “Now that I can drive I can be even more helpful.”

Did we mention that Grace-Ann is only 16?

This Amazing Kid volunteers through Oregon State University Extension’s 4-H program where she’s been active for 10 years. While she does volunteer a lot of her time for foster kids, she is also very active in 4-H with a focus on cooking, art, photography, food preservation, and baking.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she happily stated.

Grace-Ann is also part of Future Farmers of America (FFA).

“I joined FFA this year and am raising two goats,” she shared. “I’ve always helped with my friend’s goats. I’m excited to do my own this year.” She plans to show them both at fair.

Over the years, Grace-Ann has raised rabbits and won several awards. This year she took home a 4-H Metro Citizenship Award.

Once again, Grace-Ann will promote 4-H as a Junior Superintendent at the Clackamas County Fair.

“We have our building open every day during fair for people to come in and see projects.”

That title has her teaching educational workshops at 4-H events on a regular basis, and sharing what she loves about 4-H with kids of all ages. Someday she hopes to be a 4-H Superintendent.

When asked about college, she replied, “I want to study child development and child psychology to become a child life specialist at a hospital.”

These highly trained individuals help kids and families cope with cancer, sickness, and other trauma with emotional support. They are the ones who explain medical jargon to kids and help them feel safe.

Congratulations, Grace-Ann Pegnone. You deserve the title Amazing Kid. We couldn’t be prouder to have had a chance to chat with you and your family. The next time you’re in your local Coastal Farm & Ranch, tell us how the goats are doing.