Hello again! 

My name is Madeline Breiling, and I am now in my last full week as the 4-H intern for OSU Extension in Umatilla County. Throughout my internship this summer, I have had the chance to assist with and take the lead on a wide variety of projects across Umatilla County. Before this summer, I had little involvement with 4-H, and I’ve been so impressed by the sportsmanship, enthusiasm and dedication the youth have demonstrated throughout all of the 4-H events I’ve assisted with.  

This summer, I have had the opportunity to assist with Umatilla County’s “Pre-Fair” contests, including Fashion Revue, Public Speaking, Cooking and the 4-H Dog Show. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time at each of these events. Since I have less experience with the livestock and home economics side of 4-H, it was exciting to learn by watching the contests, illustrated talks and demonstrations, as well as talking with competitors, 4-H Ambassadors, superintendents, volunteers and judges. In a time when so many people are glued to their devices, it was refreshing to see young people so passionate and knowledgeable about sewing, cooking, caring for livestock and confidently sharing their skills and interests with others.

My main focus this summer has been providing hands-on STEM opportunities to nontraditional 4-H audiences. Earlier in my internship, I taught STEM lessons at the YMCA after-school program in Milton-Freewater and at the Hermiston summer school. More recently, I led activities at Camp Cloverbud, where campers planted pumpkin seeds during a horticulture lesson and built straw rockets as part of a science activity. Throughout much of the summer, I have also been teaching STEM lessons for the YMCA summer camp in Milton-Freewater. Campers explored many different areas of STEM through hands-on activities, from creating and investigating Möbius strips as part of a mathematics activity to working in teams to design and build boats capable of holding as many pennies as possible without sinking during an engineering lesson. One of the most rewarding parts of my internship has been seeing students collaborate, test their ideas and improve their designs as well as gain more confidence and excitement about doing STEM activities.

This summer has flown by, and I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I have had with 4-H and OSU Extension this summer. My experiences over the past few months have allowed me to connect with and learn from the community while strengthening my skills and confidence in developing STEM curriculum and teaching. This internship has reinforced my passion for STEM education and community outreach, and I will carry these experiences with me as I begin teaching calculus as part of my master’s program this fall. I would like to thank Shevon Hatcher, Courtney Waliser, Jaime Chambers and all of the other Umatilla County OSU Extension employees who have made this summer so enjoyable. Thank you for your mentorship, encouragement and support throughout the summer.