A leader in the making: Cedar City teen awarded Young Citizen of the Year

Written by Alysha Lundgren
March 23, 2024

CEDAR CITY — Self-proclaimed lover of local government Sadie Hinck was named Cedar City’s Young Citizen of the Year.

L-R: Cedar City spokesperson Gabrielle Costello, Councilmember Robert Cox, Youth Councilmember Sadie Hinck, Cedar City Mayor Garth Green, Councilmember R. Scott Phillips, Councilmember Carter Wilkey and flag designer Kenten Pope unveil Cedar City’s new flag, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 14, 2024 | Photo by Alysha Lundgren, Cedar City News

On March 7, 17-year-old Hinck received the award from the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce at its 74th annual Best of Cedar City Awards Gala. Hinck was one of 16 awardees that night.

Hinck was nominated for the award because of her involvement in Cedar City’s Youth City Council and the city’s Flag Redesign Project, Chamber President and CEO Chris McCormick said in an email to St. George News.

She was noticed for “her ability to bring people together to solve challenges and her enthusiastic support of the arts. Known for her leadership, Sadie has also served as a member of the Band Council Presidency,” McCormick said.

Hinck told St. George News she was nominated by Desert Pain Specialists, owned by her friend’s dad, Dr. Ryan Workman.

Sadie Hinck (R) was awarded the 2023 Young Citizen of the Year, Cedar City, Utah, March 7, 2024 | Photo courtesy of the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, Cedar City News

“I was so happy when I found out it was Ryan who nominated me for this stuff,” she said. “I’m like, ‘Dude, no way, Dr. Workman? I love that guy.'”

Once received, nominations are submitted to the chamber members for a vote.

“The Cedar City Chamber of Commerce is grateful for the opportunity to honor the accomplishments of individuals like Sadie that do their part to make our community better,” McCormick said. “We congratulate Sadie on her many achievements and wish her a bright and rewarding future.”

Hinck said she learned of the award while spending time with friends after school.

“I didn’t really know what that entailed,” she said. “I didn’t know exactly why or what that meant. I just thought that was super cool.”

Who is Sadie Hinck?

Sadie Hinck films a video for the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce for the 74th annual Best of Cedar City Awards Gala, Cedar City, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce, Cedar City News

As a Cedar High School Senior, Hinck plays the flute in the band and is in her final year of speech and debate.

She was chosen as Cedar High School’s Business and Marketing Sterling Scholar and will compete at the regional competition at Utah Tech University on March 28. Sterling Scholars across Utah are recognized for their scholarly pursuits, citizenship and leadership at the high school, semifinals and finals levels.

Hinck said she is planning to attend Southern Utah University in the fall, which will allow her to continue in her current role as the Youth City Council’s mayor.

While this year’s youth council is starting off slow, they have several initiatives in mind, Hinck said.

“Get Healthy Utah is something that (Councilmember R. Scott Phillips) wanted us to get our hands on — just trying to promote the general well-being of our citizens,” she said.

Sadie Hinck marches during the Iron County Fair Labor Day Parade with the Cedar High School band, Parowan, Utah, Sept. 4, 2023 | Photo courtesy of Sadie Hinck, Cedar City News

Get Healthy Utah aims to improve “healthy eating, active living, and mental wellbeing in Utah,” according to its website. The nonprofit was organized by former Lt. Gov. Greg Bell and works with schools, employers, health care facilities and communities in Utah.

Additionally, the youth council plans to volunteer for the city throughout the year and assisted with the recent Cedar City Star Search event.

After graduating from college, Hinck said she plans to apply to law school and wants to eventually work as a prosecutor. To that end, she’s been interning with the City Attorney’s Office for the past few months.

“I just enjoy that particular aspect of law,” she said. “Because I’m upholding the government’s rules — the law itself.”

Earlier this year, Hinck and other students joined Cedar City Council members on a trip to the State Capitol in Salt Lake City. They met with multiple state representatives, including Sen. Even Vickers, Rep. Rex Shipp and Rep. Carl Albrecht.

“Sadie has an interest in how government works and genuinely wants to make a difference,” McCormick said. “Community is important to Sadie and it shows by her desire to give back in meaningful ways.”

L-R: Sadie Hinck and Asa Burns qualify for finals in their Distributive Education Clubs of America event, Layton, Utah, February 2024 | Photo courtesy of Sadie Hinck, Cedar City News

While Hinck said she hopes to begin a career in local government, potentially as a city attorney, she’s open to pursuing other positions.

“I like government, which is crazy coming from a 17-year-old,” she said, adding that while she’d like to start locally, she may be interested in working at a state or national level.

“As soon as you get comfortable in one seat of government, you’re going to want to pursue something else,” Hinck said. “And you can use your expertise from whatever seat you were just serving and use that to your benefit in a bigger setting.”

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alysha Lundgren joined the St. George News team in 2022. She began her career as a freelancer, writing resource articles for families of children with disabilities. She's also covered topics such as astronomy, recreation and nature. Originally from Nevada, Alysha fell in love with Utah quickly after moving to Cedar City. In her free time, she enjoys wandering and photographing Utah's gorgeous landscapes or hunkering down in a blanket to play video games or read a good book.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews

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