Tag Archives: community health

Promoting health and working with youth in Lane County

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Maya Casper

Hi everyone, my name is Maya. I just concluded my first year at OSU where I am in the master’s of public health program, with the health behavior and health promotion option. I will be spending my summer interning with the OSU Extension 4-H program in Lane County. As a previous 4-H member and volunteer this has been a wonderful opportunity to get involved with positive youth development

During the school year, I work with the OSU Center for Health Innovation on the OSU-OHA Surge Epi Bench, collaborating on the COVID-19 response. I am so excited to have a break from work with COVID-19 response this summer and get out to work with youth in my community.

I am passionate about expanding early childhood education programs and child and family social policy. This experience working with 4-H in Lane County has been insightful for my understanding of the importance of advocating for continued local, state and federal funding for youth programming. Reading peer-reviewed articles is one thing but working alongside the community in providing these services has served as an invaluable experience.

Lane County 4-H has been so kind as to trust me with their social media page for the duration of my internship. This opportunity to expand my experience utilizing social media for health promotion and community outreach and engagement has been highly valuable.

I cannot thank enough all of the wonderful staff at OSU Lane County Extension for being so kind and welcoming. I look forward to updating everyone on the jam-packed summer to come. Keep an eye out for us at the Lane County Fair and our upcoming summer day camps.

Go Beavs!

 

Meaningful work in Malheur County

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Hello everyone, my name is Yolanda Diaz, and I am from the town of Nyssa in Malheur County. I’m a student at George Fox University, on my way to a bachelor’s degree in social work. I aspire to pursue a master’s in social work and then become a licensed clinical social worker. One of my main goals is to have my own counseling practice for families and children.

I’ve been involved in OSU Extension 4-H Teens as Teachers and other programs where I’ve had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., and network with many STEM professionals. This summer, I’m working alongside my supervisor, Barbara Brody, associate professor of practice and 4-H educator. So far, I’ve had the opportunity to plan cooking camps for youths, learn about aviation services, promote physical activity around our county, and develop engaging activities at the farmers market.

Yolanda Diaz poses for a picture in front of an Oregon State University Extension Service farmers market booth with coloring supplies and coloring sheets available for youth
Yolanda Diaz at the OSU Extension table at a farmers market.

The process of planning and delivering “Kids in the Kitchen” was a new and exciting experience for me. I’m grateful that our team is able to host summer camps in order for youths to gain essential skills regarding cooking and baking. Seeing them understand concepts and apply them to their work throughout the summer is truly rewarding. Our team has also gotten the chance to visit different schools in our county and teach lessons related to food and nutrition.

Yolanda Diaz handing out sliced fruit to a little girl for making smoothies.
Yolanda Diaz (right) hands out ingredients for making smoothies.

One of my favorite parts of this internship is working in makerspace events. I contribute by helping students learn the process of laser engraving, vinyl cutting, T-shirt and sticker-making, and 3D printing. With the rapid advancement of technology, I believe it’s crucial for youth to learn 21st-century skills. One of the best things about makerspace is that it provides a chance for students to stay determined and creative through the process. The makerspace even won a national teamwork award this year!

Planning educational activities for families at the farmers market is one of the most rewarding parts of this internship. It’s an exciting time to meet families and share resources with them. This year, all of our activities are focused on bringing awareness regarding what bees do for our environment. Engaging with youth about this topic, while building fun crafts, is a beneficial way to inform children about the agricultural setting we live in and how it contributes to our daily lives. The farmers market really helps Extension reconnect with our community and remind them what we are all about.

A valuable lesson I’ve gained from working in Extension this summer is the importance of community partnerships. Involving different organizations is very beneficial. Networking with professionals that may have a different background than yours brings another insight into the subject matter and it also strengthens our community. I’m looking forward to the upcoming events that we have planned. I am thankful to be doing such meaningful work in my community and to grow as a leader, student and intern.

Aloha from Tillamook!

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Kasey Purcell

Aloha! I’m Kasey Purcell and I’m a part of the inaugural cohort of the Oregon State University Extension Service interns. I’m a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying dietetics, and I’ll be working in Tillamook County alongside my supervisor Dusti Linnell.

Tillamook has been my home for most of my life and I’ve always been very active in my community. Throughout high school I found myself participating in a lot of community activities. I was a worker and counselor at Twin Rocks Friends Camp, and a student and teacher at my local dance studio. I also had a mom who knew everyone… and I mean everyone. As much as I hated it while I was living at home, I’ve begun to appreciate her and her connections more now.

It’s weird to be participating in this internship, because many of the people I’m interacting with have known me since I was a little kid. Still, I’m excited to be able to now work with them on a professional level.

Kasey Purcell has been an advid dancer since she was 5.

During my senior year of high school, I became interested in nutrition. I’ve always lived a somewhat healthy lifestyle and I found that learning about the nutrients we need in our body was super interesting. As I said, I was a student and teacher at my local dance studio, North West Dance Academy. I’ve been an avid dancer since I was 5, spending anywhere up to 20 hours a week in the dance studio. This was a large part of my childhood and still is today as I’m also pursuing a minor in dance.

I began my journey to become a dietitian by taking an introduction to nutrition course at our local community college. This course was actually taught by Dusti, my now supervisor. After this class I knew that this was what I wanted to study, so it was now just a matter of figuring out what I wanted to do with my degree. I came to find that community health was super interesting to me. I know that I wasn’t made to work in a clinical setting, so I had to figure out another path. This internship is my first step to learning more about community health.

A large reason why I chose to go to school in Hawaii is because I felt it would be a really unique learning opportunity because of the different agriculture found there. I also love hiking, swimming and being outside so Hawaii just seemed right. Through my time there so far, I have found that it is really similar to Tillamook, just hotter! I can hike through the mountains, go to the beach, and eat all the acai and poke bowls I want.

Kacey Purcell is a student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, studying dietetics,

My plans for the future are to finish my bachelor’s degree, followed by a master’s in dietetics with an emphasis on community health. From there I hope to get my registered dietetics license so I’m free to practice. Then my ultimate goal is to get a second master’s in public health or public policy. I’m super excited to be able to pursue my interests in my home community this summer, and I’m grateful to OSU for providing this opportunity to us. I’ve already learned so much and I know there is more to come.