Category Archives: Deschutes County

OSU Extension internship shapes professional career

Posted on by | Leave a reply

Hello again! My name is Chris Vasquez and I interned for the Oregon State University Extension Service this summer in Deschutes County, specializing in SNAP-Ed and horticulture. I am going into my third year at Oregon State University where I will be studying biohealth sciences with a minor in public health on the pre-pharmacy track.

Chris Vasquez teaches Food Hero recipes to resident at Bethlehem Inn Shelter for Homeless Individuals.
Chris Vasquez teaches Food Hero recipes to resident at Bethlehem Inn Shelter for Homeless Individuals. Photo:Michaela Twarog

I grew up in Central Oregon and was extraordinarily fortunate to have the opportunity to work with the Extension Service in my home community. I decided to intern with OSU Extension this summer because I wanted to become more directly involved with my local community and more clearly understand populations I am not as experienced with. This internship taught me a lot about directly helping communities which I believe will extraordinarily benefit me in my future career endeavors. Since my last blog post, I have been productively busy with several side projects, online projects, and events. One highlight was our work with Bethlehem Inn where we taught cooking classes to homeless individuals. I could work directly with a community I was not as familiar with, a major goal I attempted to reach throughout this internship. Another highlight was the 2024 Deschutes County Garden Tour where I was able to help with tabling and guiding visitors to be more involved with the typically unfamiliar gardening community. I have also found myself working in our on-site demonstration garden, making Food Hero TikTok educational videos, attending local farmer’s markets, handing out recipes and samples at a mobile food pantry, volunteering in our plant clinic and finishing our Walk With Ease lessons at the senior center. The diversity in activities I have endured this summer allows me to leave with a strong sense of accomplishment I have been striving towards throughout my educational career. Throughout these endeavors, I have also learned to somewhat overcome my fear of public speaking. Through teaching opportunities, I have become comfortable with voicing my opinion and taking a leadership role in group dynamics. I feel that the work I have completed here will shape who I am for the rest of my professional life and inspire me to continue my community engagement efforts, as I am beyond fortunate for the opportunities presented to me during this internship.

Oregon State Extension intern strives to promote community health

Posted on by | Leave a reply

Hi there! My name is Chris Vasquez and I am an intern for the Oregon State Extension Service in my home county, Deschutes County, this summer. This fall, I will enter my third year as an undergraduate at Oregon State University as a bio-health sciences major with a pre-pharmacy focus and a minor in public health. I am the current Pre-Pharmacy Society Club president and intend to apply to OSU’s Pharm.D. program after receiving my baccalaureate. I did not have any experience with OSU Extension Service before this internship, so I have been extremely excited and fortunate to work with both the SNAP-Ed and Horticulture programs in my home community. I decided to do an internship with OSU Extension because I am fascinated with understanding the implications of directly helping communities and hope to learn how to use this experience to more properly understand my patients in the future.

Chris Vasquez teaches BEPA 2.0 Activities to 3rd graders in the Migrant Ed. Program Photo: Sharlene Chiong
Chris Vasquez teaches BEPA 2.0 Activities to 3rd graders in the Migrant Education Program
Photo: Sharlene Chiong

Thus far, I have worked with a plethora of programs and projects offered through the Extension Service. I have been most excited and interested in our involvement with the Migrant Education Summer Program for children of all ages in Redmond.

In partnership with our Food Hero program, we have been able to educate the youth on means of implementing healthy recipes into their diets in a fun and engaging way. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, we brainstorm activities for kids to learn about the food groups they are eating and offer tips on ways they can prepare these items at home. We also offer cooking activities during the classes and provide the family with take-home recipes. To help engage the children in the lessons, we also incorporate the Be Physically Active 2Day (BEPA 2.0) program to encourage them to be active. This allows the students to integrate fun activities into their daily schedules, whether it be at recess or at home, to reach physical education goals. For instance, they can engage in racing to put bean bags into corners of the room or acting out the letters of words with physical activity, as seen with the word “turtle” in the photo.

Growing up in the Redmond School District, I was aware of the Migrant Education Summer Program but was unaware of its implications and linguistics. Having the opportunity to be more involved with the youth of the community has opened my eyes to possible professional endeavors (such as pediatrics). Considering my subsequent involvement with teaching the Walk With Ease program at the Redmond Senior Center and with retired Master Gardeners through the horticulture program, it is incredible to observe the opposite end of the community spectrum. I am more encouraged than ever to work on one of my projects dedicated to Food Hero informational videos that are accessible to all ages and promote the overall health of our communities.