Author Archives: Francesca

Extension intern deeply invested in improving community health

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Hello, my name is Reagan Shira, and this summer I have the privilege of interning with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Malheur County. I graduated from Corban University with my bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and I am now working toward my master’s degree in teaching through Eastern Oregon University. Having grown up in Malheur county, I am really excited about the many program opportunities that we are offering and that I will be able to help lead.

Reagan Shira passes out Walk With Ease programming prior to walk.
Reagan Shira passes out Walk With Ease programming prior to walk. Photo: Barbara Brody

One program that I am very excited about is Walk with Ease. Walk with Ease is a research based exercise program published by the Arthritis Foundation. It is targeted to older adults who are looking to improve their health and reduce joint pain. Through the work of my supervisor, Barbara Brody, we are now able to offer this program in Adrian, Nyssa, and Ontario. I lead the group in Adrian which is a huge blessing as this is the community that I grew up in.

Through this program, participants will not only learn the research behind the exercise and how it is implemented, but research has shown the positive impact of educational, social, and physical activity initiatives on older adults. They can enhance both mental and physical health, alleviate loneliness and social isolation, and promote emotional well-being and overall quality of life for participants.

Although we are only three weeks in, it has already been so rewarding. While the physical results take time to establish, I can already see other impacts the program is making for our aging adults. The participants have really enjoyed having a place to gather and socialize. Many days they stick around and chat for 10-15 minutes after our workout as they catchup.

It is important for our aging population in rural areas that opportunities such as Walk with Ease are available. According to County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, 27% of Malheur County residents are physically inactive outside of work compared to the state average of 20%. Only 36% of Malheur County residents having adequate access to locations for physical activity which is over 50% less when compared to the rest of the state.

So far, my internship with the OSU Extension office in Malheur County has been incredibly fulfilling, particularly through my involvement in the Walk with Ease program. As a native of Malheur County and a student dedicated to advancing in the field of education, I am deeply invested in improving the health and well-being of our community’s older adults. Through initiatives like Walk with Ease, we not only provide valuable physical exercise but also foster social connections and emotional support that are vital to overall wellness. Moving forward, I am eager to continue contributing to programs that make a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that promote a healthier and more vibrant community.

Community partners are valuable and essential to Extension

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Hello! I’m Yolanda Diaz and this is my fourth summer as an Oregon State University Extension intern. I recently graduated from George Fox University with my bachelor’s in social work and will be attending Northwest Nazarene University in the fall to begin my master’s. I’m extremely grateful for the education I’ve received so far and I’m eager to continue learning. Every summer I’ve looked forward to returning to Malheur County and continuing meaningful work. This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to develop more event coordination and public speaking skills. Taking the lead on a few events was new to me, but I’m thankful to have a supportive team to guide me every step of the way.

Nyssa Elementary Summer school students during the Story Walk station
Nyssa Elementary Summer school students during the Story Walk station

This summer, one of my main projects was conducting a walk and read. Oregon by the Numbers shows that Malheur County has one of the lowest physical activity rates and literacy rates, which inspired me to pursue a project that would meet both needs. Our team decided to conduct a STEM Literacy Walk. This included the Frontier STEM Hub collaboration, which provided a Star Lab and “Feel the Heat” activity for two additional stations during our story walk. During this day, the goal was to increase STEM skills, physical activity, and reading skills among K-5 graders at Nyssa Elementary Summer School. To see the summer school students share about their favorite stations and see how much they enjoyed the event that day was rewarding to my team and I. Story Walks are something that I’d look forward to conducting again to show more students one way that reading can be engaging and fun. 

Another project I’ve had the opportunity to deliver with colleagues is Community Listening Sessions. These sessions were conducted for the Title V Oregon Health Authority health assessments, which are conducted every five years. Planning assessments for youth and adults was important to ensure a well-represented population from Malheur County had a voice in this new assessment. The feedback collected at these sessions will influence the health priorities that Oregon will focus on for the following years. Hearing community members’ experiences will allow the assessment to focus on the health status and needs of our rural communities in Malheur County. Recognizing that community members are the experts of their community and providing a space to share their experiences felt empowering to many and like a step in the right direction for the betterment of our community. Being from Malheur County myself, it feels rewarding to deliver this much-needed service. 

One valuable lesson I’ve learned from these events is the importance of partnerships. I recognize these events would not have been possible without the support and contributions of community partners such as the Frontier STEM Hub or Nyssa Senior Center. To all those who I’ve newly partnered with this summer, I thank you for your time and willingness to invest in my career path. I’m thankful for my supervisor who empowers me to take the lead on projects that are meaningful and relevant to my career path. Without these past summers with Extension, my professional and personal development would not be the same. I’m beyond excited to deliver more programs as we continue this summer. 

 

Educating the public about Food Hero

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Hello everyone!

My name is Madeline Breiling and I am interning with Oregon State University Extension Service in Umatilla County with SNAP-Ed. I just finished my second year at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, majoring in mathematics. I grew up in Umatilla County and I also served as an OSU Extension intern last summer, so I am excited to be back and helping in the community again this summer.

Madeline Breiling poses with chips and dip at Food Hero event
Madeline Breiling with chips and dip at Food Hero event. Photo:Mike Jones

I am in the seventh week of my internship and I am excited to share some of what I have accomplished so far. Since I was also an intern last summer, I had some familiarity with SNAP-Ed and the Food Hero program. Last summer I really enjoyed getting to hand out free food samples and educate the public on healthy eating and the Food Hero program at the Pendleton Farmers Market and at the Milton Freewater Farmers Market. This summer I am excited because I have had the opportunity to hand out free food samples of our Food Hero recipes and educate the public on the Food Hero program at the Pendleton and Milton Freewater Farmers Markets once again, but I have also been able to expand my scope and be at the Athena and Hermiston Farmers Markets as well.

Early in my internship, I had the opportunity to have a Food Hero table at the Children’s Fair in Boardman. I was able to give many children and families fun ideas for healthier alternatives to the snacks they usually eat. I also had the opportunity to join the Farm to School Program at Athena-Weston School District’s Family Night where we made salsa using ingredients from the school garden. This was a great opportunity for the students and their families to see that food doesn’t just come from the grocery store.

As I quickly approach the final weeks of my internship, I am excited to continue working on the many projects I am already working on as well as begin to do more with St Mary’s Outreach in Pendleton. I am very excited to be back in Umatilla County with Extension and to see what other opportunities the rest of the summer will bring!

Extension intern hopes to learn about the professional world

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Hello! My name is Bennett Johnson. I attend Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington and will be a sophomore in the fall. I am a psychology major with a leadership minor. I am located at the Oregon State University Extension Office in Malheur County. I want to become a licensed mental health counselor and serve a rural, agrarian community like Malheur County. I was a 4-H member for 10 years, so my past experience with extension primarily involved 4-H and other youth development programs.

Bennett Johnson in Malheur County in front of red barn and County fair sign
Bennett Johnson in front of the Malheur County Fair sign. Photo: Bobbi Howell

This summer, I hope to learn more about the professional world. This internship is my introduction to the professional, working world and I hope to continue to grow upon the skills this internship requires, like professional communication, computer literacy, record keeping and organization. On top of growing on these previously established skills, I want to learn more about the intricacies of agriculture. While I did grow up here in Malheur County and was involved in agriculture and agriculture education from a young age, it is important for me to know even more. As I mentioned before, I want to be a licensed mental health counselor, and I want to serve a rural area. For me to do this effectively and correctly, it is important for me to be aware and understand the delicate intricacies of working in agriculture.

As I work with Extension in Malheur County, I am looking forward to working with 4-H members. I was in 4-H for 10 years and the program means so much to me. I am looking forward to continuing to make 4-H a strong part of Malheur County and continuing to allow the opportunity for youth to become involved in using their heads for clearer thinking, their hearts to greater loyalty, their hands to larger service, and their health to better living for their clubs, their community, their county, and their world.

To continue making 4-H a reality for Malheur County youth, my project idea involves a show-clothes exchange. When 4-H members show their livestock in the ring, it is important for them to look nice and look professional. These nice clothes, such as nice pants and button up shirts, are expensive and might be hard for some families to get for their 4-H youth. To garner the amount of show clothes I need, it will be important that people will donate their old show clothes to the effort. It is my goal that my project, which is still in the planning phase, will make getting these show clothes easier for 4-H families across Malheur County.

Longtime 4-H’er joins Extension Internship

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Hello! My name is Sienna Mahaffy, and I am so excited to be interning for the Oregon State University Extension office in Coos County this summer. I recently completed my freshman year at Oklahoma State University, where I am majoring in animal science with minors in agriculture business and equine enterprise management. It is great to be back home on the Oregon coast after an incredible, but long, year in Oklahoma. After spending nine years in 4-H showing livestock, I am looking forward to continuing to be involved through this internship.  

Sienna Mahaffy (left) and Elissa Wells (right) help set up the new swine wash racks
Sienna Mahaffy (left) and Elissa Wells help set up the new swine wash racks. Photo: Jason Wilson

Growing up as a fifth-generation dairy farmer and a nine year 4-H member made agriculture incredibly important to me, and I hope to share it with others this summer. In the three weeks since I have started working, my focus has been on 4-H. I have set up small animal judging contests, assisted with small animal weigh-ins, and helped organize and prepare for the county fair, which is a large undertaking. As I continue in the internship, I am looking forward to working with the other Extension agents and assisting them with their projects. In the coming weeks I will help with making garden beds for local youth groups, running nutrition classes with SNAP-Ed, and conducting research in cranberry bogs. 

This summer I am looking forward to learning how the county fair is made possible. I have already helped with some small projects in the office to prepare, but things are about to get busier. I will learn how the shows are organized, and the schedules made. I am excited to work with the 4-H kids, families, and volunteers to make fair a success! Some project ideas that I have been considering are all related to the county fair. I could assist with the livestock judging contest, a huge undertaking to run on one’s own, but I could help make things easier for my supervisor. Another possible project is the Milk Drinking Contest, a fun event for 4-H members and the community. Following the years we didn’t have fair during COVID the contest has struggled restarting, but I would love to bring the Coos County Fair tradition back to its former glory!  

Encouraging physical activity for adults in Malheur County

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Hello everyone! My name is Karrington Troyer, and I am currently serving as an intern at Oregon State University Extension Service Family and Community Health in Malheur County for the summer of 2024. I hold a bachelor of science in kinesiology from Oregon State University, having graduated in the spring of 2023, and I am presently in my second year of pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy at George Fox University.

Adults stretching at Treasure Valley community College
Walk with Ease participants stretch at Treasure Valley Community College.
Photo: Barbara Brody

My professional focus centers on promoting physical activity, particularly among older adults, and assisting them in managing pain to sustain a healthy lifestyle. The opportunity to partake in this internship has ignited my enthusiasm for furthering community health initiatives and expanding my knowledge of available resources and programs designed to foster physical activity. In Malheur County, there is a significant demand for resources aimed at facilitating individual engagement in physical activities. Our upcoming summer programming endeavors to effectively address these gaps by providing essential support and opportunities for those of all ages to become more physically active. Recognizing the pivotal role of community health and education in the field of physical therapy, I am eager to cultivate skills that will contribute to my growth as a comprehensive practitioner.

I am excited to lead the Walk with Ease program this summer in Ontario, hosted at the Treasure Valley Community College campus. As we conclude our third week, I am deeply inspired by the commitment demonstrated by participants to enhance their well-being and maintain an active lifestyle. Additionally, my involvement with the Strong People exercise class has been gratifying. Leveraging my expertise in exercise prescription, I have been able to tailor exercises to suit individual needs and introduce new strengthening routines to our participants. Engaging with the community through physical activity remains a highlight of my day, as I draw inspiration from their dedication and commitment to self-care as they age.

Alongside engaging in various exercise classes, my fellow interns and I had the privilege of participating in QPR training. QPR, an acronym for Question, Persuade, and Refer, is a comprehensive suicide prevention program. This training equipped us with invaluable insights into identifying signs of mental health struggles and gave us effective tools to provide assistance during mental health crises. The knowledge gained from this session is not only pertinent to my professional endeavors but also profoundly impacts my personal life.

The initial weeks of this internship have proven immensely enriching, providing me with a wealth of invaluable information. I am eagerly anticipating the experiences that the remainder of the summer holds in store.