4-H « OSU Extension Internship Program

Hello everyone! It’s Aspen again! As I continue through my internship with Clatsop County Extension, I have had the opportunity to support a variety of programs and projects throughout the county. One of the things I have enjoyed most about this internship is that no two weeks look exactly the same. I have been able to help with community programming, create communication and outreach materials and participate in hands-on projects. Each experience has given me a better understanding of the many ways Extension connects with and supports the community.

Aspen and other community volunteers after the first KMUN weed removal workday. Photo: Mari Begeron

One project that has stood out to me so far has been the KMUN weed removal project. This was a very hands-on experience and ended up being a big learning moment for me. We worked with community members and Extension staff to remove invasive Himalayan blackberry and English ivy from the area around KMUN. Throughout the project, we held several community workdays and were able to see the area improve each time we worked on it.

Wiley, Makena and Aspen at the Clatsop County Fair helping with the Master Gardener tabling booth. Photo: Wiley Thompson

What I found especially rewarding was seeing how much can be accomplished when people come together. In total, 21 volunteers and four employees contributed 82 person hours to the project. We also removed eight heaping pickup truck loads of plant debris. Seeing the physical results of everyone’s work made the project feel especially meaningful. The KMUN project also taught me that weed removal is more than just pulling plants out of the ground. I learned that invasive weed management requires planning, follow-up and long-term maintenance. This helped me better understand how Extension education can connect to real-world natural resource management.

Another experience I have really enjoyed was helping at the Clatsop County Fair. This experience felt especially full circle for me because I grew up participating in 4-H. When I was younger, I remember going to fairs and participating in 4-H activities. Now, getting to be on the other side of the fair and help support Extension programs has been a special experience. It has allowed me to see how much work goes into creating the same opportunities I enjoyed growing up.

Along with these experiences, I have also supported other Extension programs through outreach, communications, community programming and creating educational materials. Being involved in different programs has shown me just how broad Extension work really is. One of my biggest takeaways so far is the importance of being willing to try new things. From pulling invasive weeds to helping at the county fair, every experience has taught me something different. I am looking forward to continuing to support programs, meet new people and learn even more throughout the final days of my internship. I am leaving this internship feeling very thankful for the experience this program has given me in the past two summers.

It has been a great few months at the OSU Extension office! Over my time here I have been able to help at a variety of local events. Some of my favorites include the county fair, corn festival, 4-H youth camp, and a water cycle camp. I also had the opportunity to help teach the Spanish classes hosted at our office building. It was fun to see kids progress and be able to help them improve. Soon, I look forward to returning to school and resuming my studies. I will be able to apply some of the things I learned over the summer as a research assistant to an engineer working in field crops, which will be very exciting. Now that I know there are so many more community events than I knew about, I will also try to participate in more of them.

OSU Extension intern, Zach Richards, smiles alongside OSU Extension staff from Marion County during a tabling event. Photo: OSU Extension Marion County

I really loved working here over the summer! One of the highlights of my time as an intern was having the chance to organize and figure out our Makerspace. I spent a lot of time recalibrating and setting up the machines, as well as making sure that people would be able to use them in the future. I was even able to help make things that my coworkers would use in activities that they run. As I mentioned before, I also really liked the community aspect of the job. Working outside was always fun, as was seeing all the community activities come together. Although it was difficult to relate to people who had been part of 4-H their whole lives, I found that the more time I spent around them the more I was able to find enjoyment in what they saw too.

Overall, I feel like my time here has allowed me to learn how to have strong community outreach, as well as helped me learn how to better plan activities. It also helped me understand more of what goes on in the agricultural community around us and has given me a greater appreciation for it. In the future, I will know how to help people engage in the community around them and consider more fully the implications of my work in a larger sense.

– Zach Richards

As I’ve spent more time in my internship position here at Douglas County Extension, I have gotten to see a side of Extension and 4-H that I didn’t have a good understanding of before. Before my internship, I didn’t realize how much work goes into everything before the fair actually starts. Now that the Douglas County Fair is finished, I have a much better understanding of how much time, planning and work goes into making everything happen for the youth involved in 4-H.

4-H photography exhibits displayed during the Douglas County Fair. Amaya helped organize and set up this section, along with all of the other static project sections. Photo: Amaya Slay

A big part of my internship has been helping with the County Fair. We were preparing in the main Extension office until mid-July, and then moved out to the fairgrounds to begin preparing there, and where we spent about three weeks between preparation, fair and then putting everything away. I spent a lot of time helping in the 4-H office and wherever else I was needed during fair. Some days that meant helping with things in the office, while other times I was helping make sure things around the fair were taken care of. I really enjoyed being able to help with so many different tasks during the week and interacting with all of our 4-H families. One of the things I was most involved with was the static exhibits. I helped with getting interview times set up, communicating with exhibitors and families, preparing the static exhibit building, helping on Static Day, and making sure the exhibits were ready to go for the week of fair. I was also there to help with Static check out. Seeing the whole process from start to finish was probably one of the most valuable parts of my internship. It was a lot of work, but it was rewarding to see everything come together and know that I helped make it happen.

I also really enjoyed getting to work with the youth and public for the week. I saw all of the kids’ names and the projects they were completing on the computer leading up to the fair, but it was so awesome to finally interact with them and put a face to their name.

I would not say that I faced any major struggles during my internship, but I have learned that things do not always go exactly as planned. Especially during the fair, there are a lot of people, projects and things happening at the same time. I learned to take initiative and step in where it was needed, even if I wasn’t sure what I was doing. This experience has taught me many valuable lessons that I will carry with me in future jobs and life endeavors.

Overall, this internship has taught me more than I ever initially thought. I have learned about Extension and 4-H, but I have also learned a lot about working with people, staying organized, coordinating and being willing to help wherever I am needed. Most of all, I am glad I got to experience the County Fair I grew up competing at from the other side and see how much work goes into making it a good experience for the 4-H members. I am grateful for the people I have worked with and for everything I have been able to be a part of during my internship.

– Amaya Slay

Hello! I’m Emma Branson, the intern for OSU Extension in Lane County. I’m a sophomore at the University of Oregon majoring in environmental science with a minor in secondary educational foundations. Since my last blog post, I have enjoyed designing community outreach projects, exploring new tools for my career and leading summer 4-H efforts!

A photo taken after a long and fun day of work. Featured is the crew assisting with the State 4-H Fair exhibit hall clean-up. Photo: Emma Branson

Throughout the summer, I designed multiple themes for spin-to-win wheels to engage community members at events with our Family & Community Health program. The themes are intended to introduce some basic health information while keeping the mood lighthearted including hydration, bone health, the farmers’ market and nutrition. This project was fun to design an interactive outreach method, coordinate logistics and collaborate with staff along the way. We now have a finished copy of the themes for each office in Lane County to reach more communities with our resources!

In early August, I participated in the Virtual Canopy training through Forestry and Natural Resources which showed educators how to use a VR headset program that addresses safety education and career exposure within the forest sector for students. I met some amazing professionals in our community and discussed the many ways we interact with forestry and natural resources daily. This was an amazing opportunity to experience the power of cutting-edge technology and education, all thanks to Extension, which I hope to integrate with my future career.

Of course, the summer has been packed with 4-H fun! I took initiative to create some engaging 4-H lessons and activities for leaders and their clubs. I’m grateful for the opportunity to expand this project and create a meaningful contribution to my 4-H community using my passion for agricultural education. I’ve centered the activities around hands-on engagement, teamwork and thought-provoking discussions to balance learning with fun! Topics covered include biosecurity and farm mapping, market retail cuts and anatomy, basic animal needs and animal health issues. This project opened my eyes to the challenges volunteers face and how to build systems that best support their goals. My intention is to provide volunteers with a bank of educational resources for wherever they meet, at any time of year, of all ages.

At the end of the summer, I happily worked alongside staff and youth from across Oregon to clean and set up the 4-H statics exhibit hall at the state fair! The pride and care the youth took into preparing the space for 4-H was an uplifting reminder of OSU Extension’s positive impact in our communities. I’m grateful to the people and programs at OSU Extension, especially in Lane County, who have inspired me to connect with my community face-to-face and address real problems with hands-on, healthy solutions.

Since my last post, many things have changed around here at the Yamhill County Extension office. We have now successfully made it through our week of county fair and are currently preparing for state fair in Salem next week. At our county fair, I got to help with a variety of things like designing and hanging up sponsor posters, handing out awards to our 4-H youth winners, and even driving a golf cart to help shuttle families during animal move-in. I’m happy to say that this year, through better preparation, our fair went on fine without any major issues, making it smoother than years past. Overall, my experience at the fair was enjoyable and fun, even though it might have been very busy at times.

Summer intern, Armando, stands in front of the OSU Extension Service Yamhill County sign in McMinnville, Oregon. Photo: Julie Jensen

Outside of the fair, my experience at this office has also been wonderful. I feel like I’ve become part of a small but inviting local community here. If you missed my initial blog post, it’s important to know that this program is my first experience working with 4-H or Extension ever. I had somewhat known of 4-H growing up, but I had no idea Extension even existed! I’ve enjoyed this program even more because of this fact, as knowing the effort that my office and all the other county offices put in to keep our programs running has truly been something special.

As with everything, however, there have been ups and downs. A challenge I had to overcome this summer was navigating the stress and high intensity of working my first county fair. From this experience, I learned the value of clear and concise communication with my supervisor and coworkers, which might seem like a simple aspect of the job but can be easily overlooked. If I had any advice to give to future interns it would be just how important communication can be. I have a great dynamic with my supervisor here, where I can ask questions and be vocal about any issues I might have.
As of writing, I’m in my last week of my internship. It’s a bittersweet moment, but I’m also looking forward to keeping in contact with my coworkers and potentially coming back here for a future position. My time at this office has not only been fun, but has given me valuable work experience and insight into everyday programs that serve our communities. A key takeaway for me is that more people should be aware of OSU Extension and university extensions in general, as I feel not enough people understand the value of the programs they provide us. This internship was just the start of my experience with OSU Extension and I hope it continues!

Hey everyone! If you don’t remember me from my last blog post, my name is Shylee Davis, and I am interning with OSU Extension in Harney County. Since my last blog post, a lot has happened! One of the biggest things was our day camp. This year, our day camp was called Dirt to Dinner, where kids ages 5 to 11 were taught where their food comes from and how it gets from the farm to their plate.

Shylee smiles with her steer that she will be showing at the 2026 Harney County Fair in September. Photo: Nikylee Davis

We kicked off the camp by bringing in local producers from the farmer’s market. They explained where and how the items sold at a farmer’s market are produced and what kinds of products you can find there. The kids then learned about chickens and goats from another local producer, including the different breeds that are raised for meat and may eventually end up on their dinner plate.

The next part of our Dirt to Dinner journey focused on the kids learning about growing plants. We had an agriculture teacher come in and teach them about germination and how to properly plant seeds. The kids were able to pot peas and marigolds to take home with them. After that, they learned about the ruminant stomach from our very own Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center. They brought in a cannulated steer, which has an opening into its rumen that allows people to observe what cattle eat and how their food is digested. The kids were able to safely put their hands into the rumen and feel what the steer had been eating. It was definitely an experience they will remember!

The bee display from the Harney County Dirt to Dinner day camp. Photo: Shylee Davis

On the third day, we had a local honeybee producer come in and teach the kids about bees and microgreens. She brought a special display that allowed the kids to see the bees up close without being stung. The kids observed many interesting things, from spotting drone bees, which are male bees, to even watching a baby bee hatch. After learning about bees, the kids got to start their own microgreens and learned what microgreens are and how they are grown. Later that day, our Junior Leaders (members of a 4-H club focused on leadership) each gave an educational presentation to the kids on a topic of their choosing. It was great to see them take what they have learned through 4-H and share their knowledge with younger kids.

We finished our week with Autumn, our 4-H Coordinator, teaching the kids about different types of soil and showing them how to ribbon soil to determine its texture. Later, we had someone bring in a milking sheep, allowing the kids to try milking and learn more about where milk comes from. At the same time, Boer goats made an appearance to teach the campers about their purpose in agriculture. We ended the camp with frozen yogurt and a water fight, which was a pretty great way to finish four busy days of learning!

After day camp, I was busy with fair preparations, including creating social media posts and helping put together our new fair office. Unfortunately, the fires then affected my family and our cattle, which meant that things had to slow down for a little while. I am now back in the office and right back to working on preparations for our County Fair, which will be held September 8th–12th.

Looking back on my internship, I have learned so much about what goes on behind the scenes to make programs and events happen. From working with kids at day camp to helping prepare for the county fair, I have been able to experience many different sides of Extension and agriculture. I am grateful for all of the opportunities I have had and for everyone who has helped make this internship such a great experience. Thank you for following along with me through my internship! Until next time!

Hello again!

This summer, I have had the privilege of interning with the OSU Extension Service in Douglas County. Since my last blog post, we have been busy preparing for the fair and making sure that everything ran smoothly throughout the week!

Photo of preparation for static exhibit pick up day at the Douglas County fair. Photo: Makaela Carter

For the past several weeks, I have been working out of the fairgrounds to help get everything ready for fair week. From putting together materials for each species exhibited at the fair to setting up spaces for our 4-H Static Exhibit Day, I have been involved in many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that go into preparing for the fair.

Once fair arrived, I helped check 4-H members’ record books, staff the 4-H office at the fairgrounds, run supplies between barns and assist with anything else that was needed. Every day of this internship has brought a new adventure and a new opportunity to learn. Being able to see the direct impact that 4-H has on kids has been one of the most rewarding parts of this internship.

A few weeks ago, I also had the opportunity to judge the Cloverbud 4-H exhibitors and learn more about their static projects. Although Cloverbud projects are judged on participation rather than competition, I had a great time interacting directly with the kids and seeing the amazing projects they had worked so hard on. From LEGO structures to quilts to floral arrangements, I was so impressed by the creativity and effort that each Cloverbud member put into their project.

As my internship comes to a close, I have been reflecting on what a great summer it has been! I have had so many opportunities to gain hands-on experience, develop new skills and see the impact that 4-H has on our community. I am especially grateful for the opportunity to spend my summer giving back to my home county and being part of such a meaningful program. I can’t wait to take the skills and experiences I have gained this summer into my future career. Thank you to the Douglas County staff for making this such a memorable and rewarding summer!

Hello again!

Just in case you didn’t already read my first blog post (linked here), I’ll go ahead and re-introduce myself. My name is Brooke Parker, and this summer I have had the opportunity to intern with Deschutes County 4-H at their OSU Extension office. I am headed into my final year of undergrad at OSU E-Campus, studying business administration, with double minors in writing as well as agricultural communications.

My main roles in this internship so far have been to support Deschutes County’s horse fair and general fair. I have also been working on creating a task sheet to document everything that happens every year to make the fairs successful.

Brooke’s first round of rabbit showmanship she judged. Brooke notes that the student on the left is answering a question that she asked her, and “the one on the right is doing an excellent job remaining attentive, while also managing her rabbit and ensuring it didn’t try to hop off. (The rabbit had grown impatient of sitting by this point in the long show day).” Photo: Stephanie Parker

During the fair, which happened two weeks ago, my role consisted of little supporting errands such as brining requested items to the superintendents, or helping set up our 4-H ice cream booth.

Brooke asking questions to one of the rabbit showmen. Photo: Stephanie Parker

Apart from that, my major daily responsibility during the fair was to judge herdsmanship in the swine and beef barns. Herdsmanship is a competition where 4-H members are graded on the appearance and quality within three categories: members’ presence, the animals, and their area as well as common areas near their club. It was fun to walk through the barns every day and catch glimpses of 4-H’ers getting ready for shows and taking care of their animals.

My main project was raising and breeding rabbits when I used to do 4-H. Knowing this, my supervisor, Morgan, offered me the opportunity to judge the rabbit master showmanship. At first, I was concerned that I might not remember enough about rabbits to judge well. I borrowed a rabbit 4-H handbook and all the information came right back to me. I feel like that goes to show how much the 4-H program can leave a lasting impression, that I remembered almost everything, even after years away from the environment.

I had fun interacting with all the Champion and Reserve Champion small animal showmen. It was likely many of the students first time showing a rabbit (for those who typically showed other species). I was pleased to shake their hands after each round and congratulate them on the hard work that had gotten them there.

In these final two weeks of my internship, I plan to wrap up the task sheet. My goal is to create a useful resource for 4-H staff in future years, that will help operations to be more efficient and reduce the mental load of organizing the fair each year.

Once again, a big thank you to Morgan Henson, my supervisor for this internship, and to the rest of the 4-H staff, as well as all of our wonderful superintendents and volunteers. And a big congratulations to all of the 2026 Deschutes County Fair exhibitors for finishing out another year!

Hi again! It’s Evelyn, the OSU Extension intern from Wasco County, Oregon. This has been an amazing summer, and I have learned a lot. Now that all of our 4-H summer camps have finished, I can recap everything I learned. To make the camps run smoothly, we have to ensure we have enough supplies for every student, from building materials to working computers, to snacks and water bottles. I also learned that even if you spend days updating computers in June, Windows will still require major updates in July that unfortunately must be installed for the computers to run. While working with Susan McCourt on our Invention Convention (IC) teacher training, I have learned what IC will look like in Oregon in the future. Additionally, I facilitated my first Zoom meeting, which took a lot of troubleshooting to set up, but it was a huge success! I have learned a lot about Zoom, and I feel quite prepared if I am needed to run another meeting again.

One big struggle I faced this year was at one of our later summer camps. We were running our camp at one of our local elementary schools, and a lot of our computers were unable to connect to the internet. After sorting through the twenty-one computers I had, I was able to connect twelve to the internet. We had a 16-student camp starting in 30 minutes and were prepared to pair up students to ensure everyone could learn. We then had many students go to the wrong location due to a mislabeled email months back, but by the time the camp started, we had twelve students show up. Luckily, we had enough computers, and the rest of the day went smoothly. I learned a great deal about organization and adapting when encountering challenges to achieve success amidst struggles.

Students at the 3D Printing Camp testing their boat designs in a tub of water. Photo: Cameron Deitz-Fuller

This past week I have been helping Leah Ashley plan the Wasco County Fair. This involved doing odd jobs around the office. I made judging cards for livestock and small animals, and then dove into sorting the champion banners into their respective categories. This part of the fair is actually quite exciting because I get to see what the 4-H office team does before the fair starts. During the fair, I will be helping run the STEM activities: robotics, duct-tape projects and popsicle-stick catapults [due to the Grasshopper Fire, the Wasco County Fair has been canceled, placing all fair activities on hold].

Now that my internship is almost over (August 14th is my last day), I can share what I have generally learned this summer. Besides learning how to run the 4-H camps and the fair, I have learned how to solve problems with limited instructions, which is a very useful skill. Also, all the knowledge I gained about STEM and the Wasco County Fair will help me as I pursue a career in engineering.

I would like to thank the entire Wasco County OSU Extension office for making my internship a very enjoyable experience. I would also like to thank Susan McCourt, whom I worked alongside during my internship. It has been a pleasure to hear about all of the other interns’ stories, and I hope everyone has an amazing year!

As my internship with Hood River County Extension comes to an end, it is hard to believe how much I have learned in such a short amount of time. Looking back on this summer, one of the biggest highlights was helping with the Hood River County Fair. I knew fair week would be busy, but I did not realize just how much work goes on behind the scenes to make everything come together. Seeing months of planning become a successful event for our 4-H members and community was an incredibly rewarding experience.

Karyna Marquez poses with the Grand Champion Sheep Showmen of the Hood River County Fair.

Throughout fair week, I helped wherever I was needed. Every day looked a little
different, whether I was assisting with livestock activities, answering questions, helping with events, or supporting Extension staff behind the scenes. One of my favorite parts of the internship was getting to experience so many different aspects of Extension work. Being willing to jump in wherever help was needed taught me how important flexibility and teamwork are. There were plenty of moments when plans changed or unexpected situations came up, but everyone worked together to make sure the fair was successful.

Karyna (right) smiles after working hard photographing and assisting with buyer paperwork at the Hood River County Youth Livestock Auction.

One of the biggest things I will take away from this internship is the confidence I have gained. Since I grew up in Hood River County 4-H, many of the volunteers, parents, and community members have known me for years as an exhibitor. This summer, I stepped into a different role. Instead of being the kid showing livestock, I was working alongside those same adults as an Extension intern, helping answer questions, support events, and assist wherever I could. At first, it felt a little strange navigating that change, but over time I became more confident in myself and my abilities. Learning to contribute as a coworker instead of just a participant showed me how much I have grown, both personally and professionally.

Working under my supervisor, Grace Wesson, gave me a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes into Extension programming and the county fair. I learned that successful events require organization, communication, teamwork, and the ability to adapt when things do not go exactly as planned. Those are skills I know I will carry with me throughout college and into my future career in agricultural communications.

As I finish this internship, I am grateful for everything I have learned and everyone who invested in me along the way. If I could give one piece of advice to future interns, it would be to say yes to every opportunity. Some of the most valuable experiences came from stepping outside my comfort zone and taking on tasks I had never done before. You never know what you will learn or who you will meet. This internship has strengthened my confidence, expanded my perspective, and reinforced my passion for serving the agricultural community, and I am excited to carry these experiences with me into the future.

OSU Extension Internship Program

Category Archives: 4-H

OSU Extension intern sees teamwork blossom through project leadership in Clatsop County

OSU Extension intern builds community outreach skills and serves Marion County

OSU Extension intern experiences the hard work, planning and reward of the County Fair

OSU Extension intern empowers local youth and families through interactive education

OSU Extension intern reflects on lessons learned from a summer with 4-H and Extension

OSU Extension intern recaps a busy summer of youth development and fair preparation

OSU Extension intern turns classroom learning into community impact

OSU Extension intern honors 2026 fair exhibitors and leaves behind lasting resources

OSU Extension intern recaps a summer of 4-H, growth and overcoming obstacles

OSU Extension intern reflects on saying yes, stepping out and stepping up

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