Teen-tucky Take Over :)

Greetings All,

The past two weeks have been filled with smiling moments and laughter. The kids I work with are hilarious! I had a full dose of teenager at The 2013 Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference! I almost forgot what it was like to be 13. Teen Conference was a BLAST! I got to relive my teenage years (as if they weren't just 8 years ago laughs) some things I was familiar with like and others that were new, like knowing the entire Thriller dance or the Gangnam Style Dance. I was tickled pink by not only the fun the teens were having but the camaraderie and the enthusiasm to be apart of something bigger than themselves. To be actively contributing to their communities and their state is something to be very proud of. During teen conference, Marquel Lett (from Jefferson County) and myself had the pleasure of teaching The College Conversation workshop. The workshop was enhanced by Jordan and Kendriana (interns from Hardin and Jefferson Counties) who helped us talk about the highs and lows of college. We all have different experiences in the college world. One thing we all agreed on is choosing between Good Grades, a Social Life, and SLEEP was one of the hardest things to balance. I was impressed and proud of the fact that most of the teens had already started the College Road process. I really didn't start thinking about college until my Junior year/middle of Senoritis (laughs). Not only did I bond with teens across the state, I also bounded with the teens in Franklin County!! They were already asking if I was coming back next year :) so I must be doing something right in this world of Extension!

The next week consisted of more fun with Project Days, bonding with coworkers, and judging the Woodford County Fair. Let me first say that Woodford County have some future bakers in the making over there! The treats I tasted from the 5-8 yr old were delicious!! Great Job Little Ones!! After judging, I got some great ideas for my special project and for my arts and crafts project day! Coooking Project Day was filled with sweet treats and Kentucky Proud recipes like kiwi jam, chocolate cake, apple cake, and many other yummy deserts. The arts and crafts project day was filled with folk art, decoupage, safety pin bracelets, and hemp bead bracelets! This week I also met the District Board, which was nice to see how changes and decisions were made here in Franklin County. The week was finished with Longest Day of Play in Lakeview Park. This was one of the first times we really used some of the equipment we bought with our Best Buy Grant. The children (we had to play to bait them over) got to play on the Wii and Xbox Kinect which was quite the task because everyone wanted to play and everyone wanted a turn, but it all worked out and they enjoyed themselves!!

In the next edition, Clover Bud Camp and 4-H Camp, I'm so excited I haven't been to camp since I was like 12 :) :) :) leghooo !