FCH « OSU Extension Internship Program

Hi everyone! My name is Forrest Pratt, and I am interning with Oregon State University Extension Service in Linn and Benton counties this summer. I am working with SNAP-Ed and supporting the Food Hero program. I am a senior at Oregon State University, where I am pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in zoology and education, and I will be a student teacher in a middle school science classroom during the upcoming school year.

Forrest Pratt serves "Strawberry Swirl" at Food Hero booth at Farmers Market. Photo: Vonda Peters — Forrest Pratt serves “Strawberry Swirl” at Food Hero booth at Farmers Market. Photo: Vonda Peters

So far, I have focused on Food Hero outreach at farmers’ markets with Extension. I have also worked on a few other Food Hero outreach projects in community resource centers. Food Hero promotes accessible healthy eating by sharing recipes that are nutritious, low-cost, and easy to make. The website also has information about food safety and storage, gardening, and physical activity. We bring samples of these recipes that use in-season produce to the markets for people of all ages to try. We encourage people to try making them and to explore what else Food Hero has to offer. I love talking with the people at the markets about the recipe, the market, Food Hero, or anything else they want to talk about. My favorite part is seeing the different reactions kids (and adults!) have to trying something new.

I’ve also met with other people who work for the Extension Service in Linn County, and had chances to learn about what they do and support some of their work. I am exploring careers for myself in formal and informal education, and I am especially interested in community outreach. Interning with the Extension Service is providing me with a new perspective on what this type of work can look like. It is also offering me opportunities to practice event planning and facilitation.

In a few weeks, I will be teaching a local youth club a lesson about energy as it relates to food intake and physical activity. One of the parts of this position that I am enjoying the most is the ability to connect with a variety of people, and to promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle to many different people in my community. As the summer goes on, I am looking forward to taking on more of the planning responsibilities of our outreach initiatives and participating in more farmers’ market events.

Hello! My name is Trinitie Long-Hindman and I am beyond excited to be interning with Oregon State University Extension Service here in Lane County. I am currently a Lane Community College student where I am getting my associates degree in Human Services, with aspirations to move on to Portland State University. My area of interest is interacting with youth. I enjoy working with youth because it allows me to be part of tomorrow’s leaders and I find that fulfilling and with this internship I will be able to be a part of that.

Trinitie Long-Hindman in Lane County with shapes activity artwork. Photo: Trinitie Long-Hindman

I began my internship with 4-H at the STEM camp that was hosted in Lane County, at our office. Within this camp the youth interacted with various activities regarding Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. 4-H program focuses on empowering young people through hands-on learning experiences. One of my main responsibilities was to help organize and facilitate workshops for this camp. I enjoyed interacting with the youth participants who were enthusiastic and eager to learn. I love being blessed with the opportunity to guide them through challenges, celebrate their successes, and witness their development into confident individuals.

I also began working with SNAP-Ed at the Bethel Farm Camp. With this camp we showed 4th and 5th grade students how to make healthy food recipes. We provided them a hands-on learning experience while promoting healthy eating habits. In addition, I have also spent time working with forestry. This week I made an outline for a new episode for the podcast In the Woods. For this episode we will talk about youth and forestry and what programs are available to youth in our community.

Looking ahead I will be helping organize and prepare for the Lane County Fair and summer Extension camps. I am eager to experience these up-coming events. In addition to be able to enhance my professional abilities. I am given a unique chance to develop a diverse skill set that spans community outreach, education program design, and (my favorite) youth engagement. I am beyond ecstatic about the prospect of growth both personally and professionally, and I look forward to leveraging this experience to build a solid foundation for my future career.

Holis! My name is Jazmin Contreras and I am this summer’s Community and Family Health Intern at OSU Extension Service in Hood River County. I am now a third year student at Lewis and Clark College majoring in economics and minoring in data science. What most caught my attention within the field of economics was economic development and global health economics because it emphasizes raising people’s overall quality of living by addressing needs beyond the financial. These include addressing hunger, education, and health. This internship provides me with a unique, social work perspective of how these needs are being addressed in my community and how we can continue to address them. I am most looking forward to gaining a deeper appreciation of qualitative data and humanity within research and giving back to the community that raised me to be the person I am today.

Food Hero Gecko made by program participant. Photo: Jazmin Contreras

This is week three of the internship for me and thus far one of my fondest memories was tabling at el Mercado del Valle (a latino ran farmers market). I offered a tasting of a veggie ceviche which people really enjoyed. The best part was the community, joy and live music. In these past few weeks, I have also been helping with summer camp programming and developing heat and smoke safety guidelines for youth and older adults.

In the coming weeks I am most excited to continue working on the 2025 Columbia Gorge Food Security Assessment. Not only will this project provide me with invaluable professional experience, it will also provide our community partners updated information with which to continue making our home a better place for everyone to live in. As the first-generation daughter of two farm workers, being able to participate in this assessment means the absolute world. But in the bigger picture it also means that more kids like me may have access to food and thus be able reach their dreams just as I am doing now. To end this blogpost, I want to leave you with a quote from a song I grew up with. Gerardo Reyes’ Sin Fortuna: “las letras no entran cuando se tiene hambre” or “letters cannot enter when one is hungry”. I feel that this song and this line specifically really capture my motivations for this project.

Hasta la proxima,

Jazmin Contreras.

Hello! My name is Cassidy Swan, and I’m excited to be interning with the Oregon State University Extension Service in Lane County. I just graduated from OSU with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health, focusing on health promotion and health behavior. This summer, I’m working mainly with SNAP-Ed and 4-H Youth Development. My ultimate goal is to work in eating disorder treatment and prevention with adolescents and young adults. I believe that fostering healthy relationships with food and body image from a young age is crucial for long-term well-being. This internship with the OSU Extension Service is giving me invaluable experience to reach that goal.

Cassidy Swan in Lane County with a goose. Photo:Jennifer Volem

With SNAP-Ed, I’ve been teaching cooking classes to 4th and 5th graders, helping them build a healthy relationship with food and understand the importance of balanced nutrition. In addition, my work with 4-H Youth Development lets me connect with kids through various activities that encourage critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 4-H also focuses on mental health, providing a supportive environment where youth can build self-esteem, resilience, and emotional well-being.

Looking ahead, I’ll be helping prepare for the Lane County Fair and Extension summer camps. I’ll also be conducting Food Hero tastings and demonstrations at food pantries, promoting healthy eating habits and showing how to prepare affordable, nutritious meals. These hands-on activities are designed to make healthy eating accessible and enjoyable, reinforcing the positive messages we aim to share through our programs.

Beyond these activities, I’m excited to grow my professional skills, gain hands-on teaching experience, and apply what I’ve learned from my degree. This internship has been an invaluable experience, allowing me to combine my passion for public health with direct community engagement. By working with SNAP-Ed and 4-H Youth Development, I’m gaining important insights into how educational programs can prevent eating disorders and promote lifelong healthy behaviors. I can’t wait to continue this journey and contribute to the well-being of the community.

My name is Ashley Treadwell, and I am located in Umatilla County, specifically in Hermiston. I just finished my first year of college at Eastern Oregon University, and I am working towards my bachelor of science degree in nursing. There are a multitude of areas that you can enter in the field of nursing. I hope to become a travel nurse in the future because I thoroughly enjoy traveling and experiencing what this world has to offer. I would only pursue this for a few years, however, then eventually work at a hospital. I chose this internship because it will help me to become knowledgeable about the public health aspect of nursing. If I can inform my patients about nutrition, it will help play a large role in prevention. It will also help to further develop my communication skills with people of a variety of ages.

Ashley Treadwell explains nutritional guidelines Photo: Angie Treadwell

I have a lot of experience with Extension. As a kid I had the pleasure in participating in 4-H and was first exposed to the Extension Service from my time there. I always had a positive experience while being in 4-H and I learned many lifelong skills that I continue to carry with me. My mom was previously employed at the Extension and while she was here, I aided her in making videos for the Food Hero website. My main job was filming the videos and editing them. Through this I learned a lot about Food Hero as a whole and what they have to offer children and families. I never realized how affordable and simple each recipe was to make. I also would join my mom at cooking classes here and there and help with childcare. Extension has created a great environment, and I am grateful to have gotten this internship.

This summer I hope to learn more about Food Hero and its impact on the community. I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new connections. Cooking classes are one aspect of this internship I look forward to as well.

One of my project ideas is to teach cooking classes to a summer school class at the high school. As I was browsing the Food Hero website and social medias, I noticed they frequently advertise for young children and their families. However, Food Hero is for every age. I think that high schoolers should be integrated into platforms, so that everyone can see that it is indeed for all ages. I know as a college student I have utilized some of the food hero recipes due to them being cost effective and easy. I plan on doing integrating this idea by creating a couple Instagram Reels at the classes I teach, so that those who follow our social media can be exposed to my idea. Reels are a very popular way to watch videos, so that is why I chose this avenue to gain exposure.

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. 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.

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

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.

OSU Extension Internship Program

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