Inside Extension: Extension Interns: Volunteering, Teambuilding, and Bicycle Rodeo!

May 12- May 23

The past two weeks as an Extension Intern for Mercer County Extension Services has been absolutely wonderful! Throughout these two weeks I have had the opportunity to do many new and exciting things. I plan to utilize this blog to keep you updated on the things I have been doing, how I feel, and what events and activities are coming up on my calendar!

Week 1:
During this week, I was constantly introducing myself to the other extension staff and "learning the ropes." I even got a tour of downtown Harrodsburg since I had not previously visited the area. It is a beautiful community and the staff at the office were very welcoming and helpful to me during this first week.

I was able to hit the ground running on the very first day with a checklist of things to do. This list included creating online surveys which utilize a QR code. This QR code allows users to utilize their smartphones to scan the code which will then take them to an online survey link where they can then fill out the survey for that particular event. In this case, I created surveys for the state country ham competition and the state communications day competition. Mrs. Anderson's future goal is to offer more of these surveys online to reduce paper waste, eliminate the possibility of losing the surveys, and make the process easier for those completing the survey.

Also during this week, I was able to assist in preparing materials for the Fort Harrod Beef Festival, process 4-H camp applications, volunteer with a group of our teen 4-Hers at God's Pantry in Lexington, and plan a lesson which I then presented to those individuals at the local Mercer County senior citizens center. During this lesson, I did a seated exercise routine to help build strength and increase flexibility. This was a wonderful experience and I got to talk to many of the participants after the lesson. Many of them even asked for a copy of the workout so they could continue to do it. (I based the workout off of one I found online at http://youtu.be/4Uzk6f2GnO8 and slightly modified the end to do arm circles in place of the arm dips).

To end the week, I was able to attend a JC camp training lock-in with Jessamine County at Jessamine County Extension Office. I had to pack for this event and coordinate all of the food and drink. In addition, I planned and facilitated a teambuilding activity for the kids to do during this event. While it was a busy week and I was extremely tired by the end, it was certainly a fun learning experience for me as an intern.

Volunteering at God's Pantry

Balloon Towers at the JC Camp Training Lock-In

Week 2:
During my second week, I was also quite busy with many long days starting off with a County 4-H Council meeting on Monday evening. The next day, I was up early making and serving pancakes at 6:00am as a fundraiser for Mercer County 4-H during the primary elections. During this Tuesday, I also got attend a staff outing and training day to Rising Sons Winery and Vineyard in Lawrenceburg, KY. At this outing we were able to learn about different wine and food pairings, sample products, and complete a diversity training session. It was a very enjoyable day, however it was not over yet. That evening I was also able to attend the County Extension Council meeting, making my second late night of the week.

During my second week, I also had the opportunity to attend a District 4 Staff Meeting Wednesday morning/ afternoon and then come back to Mercer County to help put on a Cloverbud Bike Rodeo to teach bike safety and road rules. Each child watched a safety video, answered questions, and completed a series of obstacles successfully to earn their certificate of completion and prizes to make for a fun day in the sun!

Thursday, I ended my week with a bang and added a new item to my resume. I was able to try my luck at live news interviews after receiving a frantic phone call from Mrs. Anderson explaining that the couple who were supposed to be promoting the Fort Harrod Beef Festival on the WLEX 18 noon broadcast had cancelled at the last minute. I hesitantly agreed, seeing as I had never done a live news interview before, but the experience was great! (I will try to find the link to the video soon) Upon completion of the interview, I traveled back to Mercer County to present a PowerPoint presentation about Mercer County 4-H, its opportunities, and its objectives to second and third graders at Mercer County Elementary School. Needless to say, they are all very excited about different things they can be involved in through Mercer county 4-H clubs. To end my day, I assisted with the project club meeting where we designed candleholders and placed designs into a candle using tissue paper, markers, candles, wax paper and a blow dryer- a very fun and functional project!