Mid-summer Fun!

As my summer reaches its midway point, I’m ecstatic to say that I’ve already attended camp and completed my special project. This year at camp was a little different than last year when I went for the very first time. Although it was my second time attending, it was my first time teaching. I was assigned the role of teaching the Team Building class with Franklin County intern Michelle. This experience provided me with the insight on exactly what it takes to coordinate a class/workshop in the field where every day is completely different, however busy nonetheless. For our class, we coordinated mostly through electronic sources such as phone and email to come up with the schedule for our class and to obtain the materials needed to teach it. For the class we composed a schedule comprised of different team building activities which not all were inside the box. Our participants enjoyed our balloon tower team building exercise the most.

Balloon Towers made by my 4th Block Team Building Class, 4-H Camp 2013

This activity allowed for them to work to together, be creative, and of course have fun!  I don’t think 4H camp would be the same if the fun wasn’t there. Overall, I enjoyed teaching my first class at 4H camp and I can see myself doing it for many years to come.

My special project this summer was similar to that of last summer only in the effect that it had something to do with food. While last summer I taught and engaged students in a summer program on the importance of nutrition, this summer I organized a kitchen bootcamp. First and foremost, this project wouldn’t have been the same without the assistance of my agent Jenny Cocanougher, our FCS agent Elizabeth Creed, and Program Assistant Kelly Gash. One thing that I really enjoy here in the office at Woodford is the willingness, and the ease that everyone, no matter what their background is to work and help each other out. For this project I organized for our members to come in the kitchen three consecutive days to learn the ins and outs of cooking different things. The first day was dedicated to fruits, the second to bread, and the third to them putting their heads together to invent their own brand of a trail mix inspired snack. The first day we used a Kentucky Proud recipe and made Very Berry Salsa with cinnamon sugar churritos, and finished the morning off with making grapes jelly that will be eligible to enter into our Youth Expo and possibly qualify for State Fair. The second was dedicated to making biscuits, using the State Fair recipe, and pretzels using a recipe from King Arthur to make the dough. On our last day, the participants got into their groups they had been working with all week to complete the finale cooking challenge. This is the day the groups were allowed to make their own trail mix inspired snack, going through the whole process of coming up with the ingredients, marketing strategies, the actual cooking/mixing, and labeling techniques. From this bootcamp, the participants reported learning how to cook, clean dishes, and to have patience. Looking back on my bootcamp special project, I’m satisfied at the way it went, and I’m glad I can impact the lives of youth in this community.

Highlights from my special project, Kitchen Bootcamp