Halfway Through Already?!

Today starts the beginning of week seven for me and I can't believe I am already halfway done. The past two weeks really picked up speed and flew by. The further we get into the summer, the more the extension office does.

The past two weeks I have been helping with smART camp (summer morning art camp). In our county, a children's art center was recently built, so all through the summer they are having different kinds of art camps for the children in the community. The building was brand new and an awesome facility, so I loved getting to be a part of what they are doing there. The camp is two weeks each morning and for elementary aged kids. Over the two weeks the kids put together an entire musical playing all the parts, making props, sets, learning the songs, and practicing the acting part. Mrs. Vicki and I just provided snacks each day for the campers, but in between I got to help with some of the art projects, and play stage hand sometimes. It was a really neat experience and an awesome way to be a part of the community. On Friday afternoon they had their big performance. We filled the auditorium, and the kids did awesome. It was an exhausting week, but probably one of my favorite things I've got to do so far.

Most afternoons after the camp I came back to the office. I have been working on some projects we have coming up in July, and getting ready to teach an etiquette class at another camp we are having at the art center. After all the crazy mornings, I was glad to have quite and relaxing afternoons.

Last Thursday I helped with a 4H SET (science, engineering, and technology) day camp. The kids extracted DNA from bananas, built and shot off paper rockets, played with eco bots and circuit boards, and built marshmallow launchers. I was in charge of a nutrition lesson and snack along with helping with the other activities. Trying to tie everything we did together, I did a lesson on the importance of fruit, and we built fruit kabob rockets with bananas. The kids all had a blast that day, and I was really impressed with the paper rocket shooter. We have 2 other day camps coming in July that I am definitely looking forward to now.

I am halfway done, and I feel like the second half will fly even more than the first half. Almost every day in July we have our calendars full! We wrapped up the Homemaker year with the County Annual Day today. I have the next two days in the office to plan for my activities, then for the rest of July I will be doing day camps, nutrition lessons, and preparing for the county fair at the end of the month. I can't wait to see what the rest of my internship has in store.