The 2024 Old time Fair Ambassadors (from left to right): Aaliyah Rahman, Natalie Katko, Hallie Jones, Sadie Jones and Kaelynn Garcia. (Submitted by the City of West Linn)

The West Linn ambassador program is a traditional part of Old Time Fair season. Each year, a court of eighth graders participates in community service projects and volunteers at local events, with a king or queen being crowned on the first day of the fair.  

But this year, the program is taking a break.

“After careful consideration, the West Linn Ambassador Program will take a brief pause for the year 2025. This pause provides us with the opportunity to thoughtfully re-evaluate the program’s goals and structure, ensuring it continues to serve as a valuable leadership opportunity for our middle school youth,” the West Linn Parks and Recreation department said in a statement on the Old Time Fair website. 

The department decided to take a break and reconsider the program after fewer applications were submitted, noting lower interest after the pandemic. 

Recreation coordinator Allissa Caceres said they hope a future iteration of the program can be “truly community service oriented” and engage  middle school students who may be looking for more professional and academic development. 

Historically, the West Linn Ambassador program was volunteer run, but, after the pandemic, parks and recreation staff did much of the work. 

“This process will help us refine and strengthen the program, ensuring it remains an impactful resource for fostering youth leadership and community engagement,” the department said in the statement. 

This isn’t the first time the department has reevaluated the program. In 2019, it was renamed from the traditional Old Time Fair Court to the ambassador program and expanded to include more volunteer and service work for the middle schoolers.