Life as a Double Agent: Part 4

         Wow! I cannot believe that this is the last week of my internship at Butler County Cooperative Extension services. I can legitimately say I am going to miss the agents and staff that work there; they have been nothing but great and welcoming to me. The first day of my internship I walked in only knowing a few people, but when I left on Thursday I will have made some wonderful friends and colleagues. I have learned many new hobbies such as canning, freezing, quilting and painting.
           My last week in the office were spent totally on making a quilt of my summer! My quilt has 12 blocks and each block has a different event that I attended. The first block is a canning and freezing block. The Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent had at least 5 lbs. of fresh blueberries delivered to the office. After lightly rinsing each bag of berries I dried and separated them. I separated them in to separate bowls for jam, freezing and a blueberry cream cheese pound cake. We started with the cake, then made the jam and then finished with freezing the rest of the berries. It was definitely a new experience that inspired me to set aside more time to cook and bake.

            The second block is for Aerospace camp. At Aerospace camp I rode in a helicopter, learned how make rockets and how to fly an airplane. That was the first time I had ever flown an airplane and it was definitely an experience! I felt so confident after flying that airplane all by myself. While in the plane I taxied down the runway, took off, flew around in the air, learned many flying techniques and got a little help when landing the plane. I never expected in the beginning of my internship that I would be flying an airplane, but I am so glad that I did!

            The third and twelfth blocks are about the Catfish Festival. The third block is for all the work I did on setting up the 4H and Family and Consumer Sciences exhibits at the festival. The twelfth block was for Catfish Festival Judging. I was one of the judges for the 4H items. We judged them all: blue ribbon means great, red ribbon means needs improvement, and white ribbon means need extreme improvement. We also gave purple ribbons: the champion and grand champion of the categories.

            The fourth and seventh blocks have to do with Western Kentucky 4H Camp at Dawson Springs, Kentucky. The fourth one is just 4H camp. The 2015 4H camp was the first time I had ever been to 4H camp before in my life, I never went as a camper, CIT, teen or adult until this year. It was quite an experience, but I really enjoyed it! The seventh block is for the abstract art class that I taught at camp. I taught the kids what abstract art was, why people do it and famous paintings and artists. We did tape painting, name art and paint drop painting. It was an absolute blast because I love art and I think the campers really enjoyed it!

            The fifth block is the 4H clover. It stands for the four H’s: Head, Heart, Hands and Health. This clover shows that I did work with 4H and really got to know the in’s and out’s of 4H.  I did one or two things with 4H as a child and I wish now that I had done more. The sixth and ninth blocks are also events that I did with 4H. These are Day Camp and Teen Conference. At Day Camp the campers did a numerous amount of crafts each of which were categories in the Catfish Festival or the Kentucky State Fair. Teen Conference took place in Lexington, Kentucky on the University of Kentucky campus. There were hundreds of teens taking different classes, learning new skills and leadership. These kids were all very well behaved and I enjoyed this conference very much.

            The eighth block is a Family and Consumer Sciences block. This block stands for all the things I learned while working with FCS. I learned how to can, freeze, bake, quilt, sew, and use alcohol ink. I really enjoyed FCS because this is the field that I want to go in to. I love helping others to learn new skills that can help them in their family, personal, and recreational life and nutrition and health. It has been a blast learning all these wonderful skills and I plan to continue using all these skills.

            The tenth block stands for all the leadership skills that I have made over this summer internship. I have learned how to take all my leadership roles to the next level and really excel in being responsible. The eleventh block stands for 4H Shooting Sports. I got to go shooting at the Butler Co. Conservation Club. I had never shot anything but a handgun and ended up shooting many different types of guns.  I look forward to getting to spend more time out there or at the range. 

           I am so thankful that the University of Kentucky gave me the opportunity to do this internship! I now know what profession that I want to go in to and what I want to do with my life and I would not be able to say that if it weren't for this internship!

Fin

Words can’t explain how great of an experience I’ve had this summer.  I’ve met several wonderful people that are the epitome of hard workers. My final weeks consisted of creating a healthy school lunch program, kids cooking camp and Oldham County day. Kids cooking camp was a hand-on learning experience for kids and teens. We made scones, pickled relish, wheat rolls, chocolate cake, apple jelly, and biscuits. This three-day program taught them how to become proficient in the kitchen. They developed knife skills, sanitary skills, and identified potential program with a recipes. Oldham County day was an educational day for the community. We expressed the purpose of cooperative extension and advice women to become a homemaker.

I wish I had to words to express my gratitude towards extension.  I will miss this program dearly. My FCS agent Christ Duncan has been amazing and had taught me the true meaning of being a community leader.

Special Project

For my special project this summer, I led a Crafts and Apps class. During this class, participants made a craft followed by an appetizer. This Crafts and Apps class was Fourth of July themed and was held at the end of June so the participants would have their craft before the holiday. The participants made a fourth of July wreath out of clothes pins and burlap ribbon. For the appetizers, the participants made fruit pizzas. We made the fruit pizzas by switching up the usual cream cheese frosting with a healthier option using yogurt. Many of the participants said that they would rather have the healthier option than the unhealthy option. In preparing for the class, I used Pinterest to find a cute craft idea. I found the clothespins wreath that looked very easy to assemble. However, I had the pleasure of spray painting over 800 clothespin in the colors red, white, and blue by myself. I am glad I did put the time into because the end product looked better than the picture. I was so pleased with how they turned out. For the appetizers, I searched the internet and found the healthier option frosting for the fruit pizzas on eatright.org. To advertise the class, I contacted the local online newspaper, I made a flyer and passed them out, spoke about the class at other programs, and used social media. We had an attendance of six individuals come to the class. Kelli allowed for me to lead the class all by myself and I really enjoyed the responsibilities. It was a great class with fun participants and I would rate my special project as a great success.

Time flies when you're having fun!

I can’t believe that it is my last week at the Jessamine County Extension Office! I am so sad that my internship is coming to an end, but so thankful to have had this opportunity. The past twelve weeks have been filled with such a wide variety of programs and events that have made my summer a blast!

              For my project I have put together a training for the officers for our teen council. Today is day one of my training and I am so excited for it to start. The training includes a scavenger hunt around the community, goal setting for the year, brushing up on expectations, parliamentary procedure review, Kentucky 4-H achievement program information, attending the Breakout Games in Lexington, Kentucky 4-H state board’s information, leadership building activities, and much more!

              At 9am this morning we will start our weekly Clover Dashers program. This is a program for our teen girls on healthy living. I usually teach a thirty minute lesson each week on a topic ranging from healthy eating to self-esteem, then my supervisor Cathy, leads the girls in a couch to 5K running program for the other thirty minutes. This weekly program has been a lot of fun to do this summer. It has been great to see how excited these teens are to get active especially during their summer break!

              I am sad that my internship is over after tomorrow, but hopefully this is just the start of my career in the Cooperative Extension Service! And I can’t forget, over the next year I will still be coming back to the office at least twice a month too, because I am an advisor for the teen council here. So although my internship is coming to an end, it really just means that there are new beginnings!

Winding Up

As I enter the final two weeks of my internship here with the Johnson County Extension Service, I'm reflecting on the past 10 weeks and all that I've learned. I began this assignment not knowing very much at all about the UK Cooperative Extension Program, what it did, how it worked, or the monumental role in the community that it very quietly fulfills. When I began in May, I jumped straight into the issuance of the Farmer's Market Senior Voucher program, which was a very proud thing for me to be a part of. Ag agent Brian Jeffiers and I had several programs in the making in the early stages of the 12 weeks that we both planned, set up, and now in the last few weeks we have seen evolve into the events that we were looking for. Our Farmer's Market began in mid June, and although between several crop setbacks here in the county and a terrific uptick in at-home product sales we've suffered a slow market, it has been a pleasure to work with producers and consumers alike that are interested in promoting the local brand. We also are halfway through our four session "Farmer's Law School" program, which included my internship project. This program has been aimed at educating local farmers and landowners about ever changing regulations in the environmental, transportation, and legal realms. And of course all in between these things we've had our farm and home call visits, helping clients with a variety of issues with their flora and fauna.

They told us interns at our orientation to be ready to work 60 hour weeks, to never expect the same thing on any two days, and to be ready to have to dive into anything at anytime that the clientele could require us to. They were right. I've learned that in this business, there is no routine. The routine is chaos, and that's the only thing you can get used to. You never know where you'll be, what you'll be doing, or who you'll be helping. From our recent flood victims here in this county, to senior voucher recipients, to local producers, to landowners and even a visit to a local golf course, Cooperative Extension is a blanket that covers Kentucky like a blanket of consultation and direct help with issues (primarily Natural Resource and Agricultural in my emphasis). I've learned all that goes into running an Extension office and a whole lot of what goes into being an agent as well. I've learned the impact that this Service has on communities in this state is profound, and also largely unheralded, at least to its real extent. It has been a very enriching and diverse internship, and I've gotten so much out of it. It has been a fantastic experience, and I am very sorry to see it now very nearly over!

My Extension Office is better than yours! I kid....kinda lol

I'm actually convinced that I have been lucky enough to intern in one of the best extension offices in the state of Kentucky, Shelby Co.  They are more then my mentors and guiders through this summer life of as an FCS agent they are like family. Everyone may from time to time get on each others nerves but everyone loves each other like brothers and sisters. Oh my don't get me started on my FCS agent Sheila Fawbush!!!!! OMG she is the best sweetest, most kind hearted person that I think that I know. Working with Sheila has not only been a professional lesson but a life lesson. She has taught me patience, she has showed me what it means to be selfless, she has inspired me to be a better person inside and out and  most importantly she has helped shaped me to be a great future FCS agent. She is a woman that knows how to tackle a million and one things at once while making it all look so effortlessly. She is just awesome. Oh and I probably shouldn't forget to mention that my awesome extension office threw me a mini birthday surprise party with my favorite cake present, Dairy Queen's 'OREO BLIZZARD CAKE!!' Talk about yum!! Today has been a busy day like always but yet Sheila has found time to sneak me in a birthday surprise! Yeah they are awesome!! I love everyone at my office!!! 



Sincerely,
KC

PS. My birthday is tomorrow, July 25th

Interesting, Fun, Unique, and Over too Soon

It’s almost my last week as an intern in Marion County and I can honestly say that the time has flown by. Monday will start my last week, I really have enjoyed my summer as an intern and I feel that I have learned a lot about extension. This week I did my program, I had created a program that focused on the 4-H achievement application. I started the program by having the participants complete a personal style inventory as a warm up, this let participants realize that there are different styles of leadership. We also had a quick lesson on the history of 4-H, the lesson discussed the land grant system, extension and Ag research stations. I also lead a discussion on why 4-H has meetings and how they relate to the real world. The program also covered the different offices and what was expected of each officer, as well as parliamentary procedure of meetings. The final portion of the program was an explanation of what the 4-H achievement application is, how to fill it out, why fill it out, when to turn it in and going over any questions that people had. I had eight youth participants and two parents come to the program. I wanted to cover the history of 4-H because I think it important for 4-h participants to realize that it is a part of something bigger and to see what it used to be and what is now. I also wanted to cover leadership, meeting, and procedure because the application has a large focus on leadership in the clubs, so I wanted the 4-Hers to know what kind of opportunities there were. All in all I think the program went very well, I had participants complete a pre and post-test as well as an evaluation. Seven of the eight improved their scores on the test and one maintained their score, the evaluation showed that the majority felt more confident in their ability to correctly complete the application. I was very pleased with the way the program went and the responses I received from the participants.

Over the course of the last eleven weeks I have been fortunate enough to get to work with all three program areas and all three agents, this has allowed me to participate in, observe, and assist with a wide variety of programs. The exposure to different aspects of extension has made reevaluate my career possibilities, not outside extension but in relation to which area is the best fit for me. Working with the different agents has also provided me with a wealth of knowledge, and each agent has offered me different pieces of advice, all of which I have found very helpful. I have been very fortunate this summer to get to work in an office where all of the agents interact with one another, and work so well together, it has made my time as intern interesting, fun, unique, and over too soon

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Kids in the Kitchen, Snakes in the Office

I'm almost to the final week in the office (next week) and then I will finish my time here in Boone County at the county fair the week of August 1st-8th. All of the agents and staff have been busy preparing for fair- classes have been going non-stop, fair projects are laying in the hallway, and campers are still calling about lost and found items!

Over the last two weeks I have helped with several events and accompanied agents on many of their errands. Last week was one of the biggest classes we have had here at the office: Kids in the Kitchen. This class offered youth the opportunity to create some tasty and healthy snacks. There were around 30 kids in each of two classes, and each class received the chance to visit around eight different stations to make different foods. Things such as fruit kabobs, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, and bagel pizzas were some of the favorites. On the second day of the class, I was able to do a game station (it gave the kids a chance to have a little fun and take a break from all the cooking and eating). We played the sticky note game in which I wrote a noun on the note and attached it to their foreheads, and each player had to ask questions to figure out what their note had on it. They really enjoyed it and some even came back for a second round.

Our environmental agent brought his pet snake to the office for one of his classes, and it quickly became an educational opportunity for those of us here working. He got "Steve" out and handled him, and we were able to pet the snake and ask Rex (the agent) questions before he went off to his class. I do have to say though that I won't be upset if "Steve the snake" doesn't make a return appearance to the office.

This week I have gone on several farm visits with one of the 4-H agents. We were traveling to check up on the projects of some of the 4-H'ers before the fair in a couple of weeks. It was a really good experience to get to see how some of the youth raise their projects and what they do to prepare for the fair.

As the fair draws closer and my time here in Boone county begins to wane down, I look forward to every opportunity and task that I may be presented with- as long as it's not Steve the snake.

Camping Adventures

I have been lucky enough to have camped at North Central 4-H Camp for the last 16 years of my life. However this year marks the first time I have ever camped at J.M. Feltner 4-H Camp with all new people and it was AMAZING. Going to 4-H Camp with a 4-H Agent perspective was something I have never experienced, I now understand the amount of hard work goes into one week of camp, everything from the pre-camp planning and paperwork, to the Uh-Oh that happen during, and the memories made in the end. It's a week of memories I will never forget.

 

4-H Camp: Intern Style

            I’ve gone to 4-H camp for 7 years, but this year’s camp week as an intern has by far been the best yet. I didn’t expect camp to be that different from the intern perspective: just pack your bags and get on the bus, right? But was I ever wrong. Our preparation for camp at the office started when I was just starting my internship in May. It seemed like there was a constant stream of paperwork coming to the office, and when we had collected all of it there was still more that needed to be sent out. We also had to prepare for our classes we would teach. This was my first camp teaching a class on my own. My class was called “Fun with Water” where we played water games with water balloons and water guns. I had to plan out all the activities we were going to do each day, how many kids we could have and get all the supplies. It was very instructive to see what all preparation had to go into teaching a class and how I needed to plan out every detail for the class to run smoothly.

            Finally the day arrived, and with registration complete we were on the bus headed to West Kentucky 4-H Camp. Once we settled into our cabins, the real fun began. The first day of classes we played different relay races and games with water balloons and the kids had a blast. That night was the Mega Relay, where our cabin teams compete in one giant relay race. The second day it rained the whole day, so my classes had lots of “Fun with Water.” However, it did clear up enough that everyone had fun at the Carnival, where the kids got to play games for prizes. And of course every night we Sallyed down the alley, everyone’s favorite part of camp. While I had fun at all this events, I learned that there is more behind-the-scenes work that goes on to make them happen. In a way, the hard work we put into preparing activities made it more gratifying to see the campers enjoying the things we had planned.

            What made this camp experience the best was the incredible group of teen and adult volunteers that I had the pleasure of working with, fun-packed activities all week and the spectacular, positive attitudes of all the campers. Even though the weather was less than cooperative all week, volunteers and campers alike all kept a sunny outlook and made the week a bright experience for everyone. This was truly a 4-H camp experience that I will measure all future weeks against and I will not soon forget.

July

By: Cole Bell

Where should I start?  The last few weeks have been very full.  My second week of 4-h camp was a blast, I really enjoyed helping the kids in Trap Shooting.  The weather was very pleasant and all of our kids had fun.  Then last week we had a chicken BBQ contest for the 4h, I got to eat some good BBQ chicken and I saw some of my campers again from the week before.  The next day was poultry judging, I think the kids really enjoyed getting to hold the chickens, I was also able to get some great footage for my video to showcase 4h programs. That Wednesday was summer in the park, a program that provides school age kids with a meal and fun activities in the park during time that school is out.

Thursday I took some more video footage and began the final editing of my video project.  I was overall very pleased with what I was able to put together, all of the agents and staff seemed to think it was pretty good to, so that was a relief to have that project completed.

Friday I got to do some Family & Consumer Sciences work delivering cooking magazines all over the county.  Then Monday Morning I left for Bowling Green Ky. for Kentucky No-Till and Cover Crop Soil Health Forum.  Five farmers from across the state shared their experiences of growing no till row crops planted in cover crops and the importance of keeping live roots in the ground year round as well as the value of having increased organic matter.

Now I am preparing for my own presentation on cover crops for a Horticulture class held here in Calloway County.  I am preparing some visuals for them to help better understand the benefits for their soil and groundwater.  Later this week is Farm to School Training and then back to Bowling Green for a Livestock Expo.

Cloverbud Camp, Day Camp, and Floral Hall!

WOW! The past few weeks have been busyyyyyy! Jully 10-12 we had Cloverbud Camp at North Central, where myself and Aubrey Clark, the Jessamine County Intern taught foods class.  But not just any normal foods class, but teaching the campers how to make ice cream from a tin can!  It wasn't so bad teaching because of the amount of ice cream I consumed that weekend. :)

AFTER Cloverbud Camp, it was time to start Day Camp.  Mercer County has a 2-day day camp at their office each summer.  Their 4-H program assistant usually does this but we no longer have a 4-H program assistant, sooooooo this is what I decided to do as my project this summer! I had already been planning,  I had my schedule and volunteers all lined up and ready to go. Day Camp was a Tuesday and Wednesday this year.  The theme I had chosen was 4-H Day Camp: The Movie!  I had found a craft on pinterest that creating your own Hollywood Walk of Fame star.  I modified it a tad and that was their craft! I had also made the decision to take the kids to the movie theater in Danville since it was only less than 10 miles away from our office.  We went to watch MINIONS and the kids loved it! To go along with the Minions, the kids decorated cupcakes that had Minion Twinkies on them that they got to create.  We also had tye-dye, stamping, cookie decorating, foods class, camp dancing AND I even got to bust out my archery teaching for a class!  I think all in all, my Day Camp was a success and all the kids enjoyed it.  I had FABULOUS volunteers and it wouldn't have been successful without them! :)

 

 
 














Our county fair started this week and so we spent last Thursday and yesterday setting up Floral Hall.  This year was a learning experience for Mercer County because of they are not using a brand new building for their Floral Hall.  And from what I've heard about the old building, it was something similar to that you find in a horror movie. :/  The amount of entries we had was outrageous! But I love how involved everyone in this county is with their Fair entries!  We have plenty of shows this week that me and Dana will be attending, but I'm super excited for the fair!