Douglas County 4-H Summer Engagement Experience
Kalen Dressler, Douglas County 4-H Summer Engagement Intern
Being a Summer Engagement Intern at Douglas County Research and Extension was a really great experience. I am very blessed to have had this opportunity. While interning this summer, one of our tasks was to travel around the community and teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), and differing Science topics. The programs that were the highlights of my experience as a Douglas County 4H Summer Engagement Intern were Field to Fork and our Booth at the fair!
Field to Fork
One of my favorites was the program Douglas County hosted called Field to Fork. Our team hosted a three-day camp on July 12th through the 14th. There were 30 youth total ranging from ages 6 to 11. The campers got to learn about the following topics: botany, soil science, animal science, and nutrition. Each topic was taught for one hour. For botany the kids learned about plants and how they function. Soil science was fun because the campers got to go inside a soil trailer. For animal science youth learned about various livestock breeds and the purpose of livestock. Lastly, for nutrition, youth participated in a lesson about My Plate and prepared a healthy snack. On the last day of the Field to Fork program the youth experienced a trip to: The Giving Garden of Eudora, Kalb Farms, and South Baldwin Farms. At the Giving Garden the kids pulled weeds and harvested vegetables. At Kalb Farms the campers learned more about 4-H, cattle, and farm equipment. At South Baldwin Farms youth toured the orchard and picked blackberries. Field to Fork was a great opportunity for youth to learn more about where their food comes from and what all goes into preparing their food for the table.
Douglas County Fair Booth
Another program that I enjoyed was the enrichment activities during the Douglas County Fair. A fair is always a great way to reach a lot of people in a small amount of time. The Douglas County Fair took place July 25th through the 30th. The total number of youth participants we reached at the fair was 142. From July 26th till July 30th, we had a booth set up. From 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM our booth hosted different Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activities such as: hoop gliders, clay animal prints, or rocket launchers. On the busier nights of the fair, we also had a blender bike to go along with the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activity. The blender bike is cool because the blender blade correlates directly with the bike petals so as the youth bikes the smoothie gets blended. The Blender Bike is a great way to promote exercise and healthier eating options. The public really enjoyed coming by our booth and participating in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) activity while also cooling down with a refreshing smoothie. To me the part that made this internship so special was being able to positively influence youth.
