{"id":2181,"date":"2026-08-28T16:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/?p=2181"},"modified":"2026-08-28T16:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:39:10","slug":"osu-extension-intern-sees-teamwork-blossom-through-project-leadership-in-clatsop-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/2026\/08\/28\/osu-extension-intern-sees-teamwork-blossom-through-project-leadership-in-clatsop-county\/","title":{"rendered":"OSU Extension intern sees teamwork blossom through project leadership in Clatsop County"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello everyone!\u00a0<\/span>It\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0Aspen again! As I continue through my internship with Clatsop Count<\/span>y<\/span>\u00a0Extension, I have had the opportunity to support a variety of programs and projects t<\/span>hroughout<\/span>\u00a0the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>county.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>things<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>enjoyed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>most<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>about<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>internship is<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>no<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>two<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>weeks<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>l<\/span>ook<\/span>\u00a0exactly the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>same.<\/span>\u00a0I have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>been able<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to help with community programming, create<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>communicati<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0and outreach\u00a0<\/span>materials<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>participate<\/span>\u00a0in hands-on projects. Each experience has given me\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>\u00a0better understanding of the many ways Extension connects with and supports the community.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"\"\n
Aspen and other community volunteers after the first KMUN weed removal workday. Photo: Mari Begeron<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>project that<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has stood<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>out<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>me<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>so<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>far<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>has been<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>KMUN weed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>removal<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>project.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>This wa<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>very hands-on experience and ended up being a<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>big learning moment<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for me. We<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>worked wit<\/span>h<\/span>\u00a0community members and\u00a0<\/span>E<\/span>xtension staff to remove invasive<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>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.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n \"\"\n
Wiley, Makena and Aspen at the Clatsop County Fair helping with the Master Gardener tabling booth. Photo: Wiley Thompson<\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n

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\u00a0also\u00a0removed\u00a0eight\u00a0heaping\u00a0pickup\u00a0truck loads\u00a0of\u00a0plant\u00a0debris.\u00a0Seeing the\u00a0physical<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>results\u00a0of\u00a0everyone\u2019s work\u00a0made the\u00a0project\u00a0feel especially\u00a0meaningful. The\u00a0KMUN project\u00a0also\u00a0taught me that weed removal is more than just pulling plants out of the ground. I learned that\u00a0invasive weed management requires planning, follow-up\u00a0and long-term maintenance. This\u00a0helped\u00a0me\u00a0better\u00a0understand\u00a0how\u00a0Extension\u00a0education\u00a0can\u00a0connect\u00a0to\u00a0real-world\u00a0natural\u00a0resource\u00a0management.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another experience I have really enjoyed was helping at the Clatsop County Fair. Thi<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0experience<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>felt<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>especially full circle<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for me<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>because<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I grew up\u00a0<\/span>participating<\/span>\u00a0in 4-H. When I wa<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0younger,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>remember<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>going to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>fairs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>participating<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>4-H<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>activities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Now,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>getting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>t<\/span>he<\/span>\u00a0other side of the fair and\u00a0<\/span>help<\/span>\u00a0support Extension programs has been a special experience. It ha<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0allowed me<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to see<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>how much work goes into creating the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>same<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>opportunities I enjoyed growi<\/span>ng<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>up.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Along<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>these<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>experiences,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>have<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>supported<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>other<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Extension<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>programs<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>through<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>outreac<\/span>h,<\/span>\u00a0communications, community\u00a0<\/span>programming<\/span>\u00a0and creating educational materials. Being involve<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>different<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>programs has shown<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>me<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>just<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>how broad Extension<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>work<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>really is.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>One<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>my<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>bigges<\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0takeaways so far is the importance of being willing to try new things. From pulling invasiv<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0weeds to helping at the county fair, every experience has taught me something different. I a<\/span>m<\/span>\u00a0looking forward to continuing to support programs, meet new\u00a0<\/span>people<\/span>\u00a0and learn even mor<\/span>e<\/span>\u00a0throughout<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>final<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>days of my internship. I am leaving this internship feeling very thankful<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0the experience this program has given me in the past\u00a0<\/span>two\u00a0<\/span>summers.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello everyone!\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0Aspen again! As I continue through my internship with Clatsop County\u00a0Extension, I have had the opportunity to support a variety of programs and projects throughout\u00a0the\u00a0county.\u00a0One\u00a0of the\u00a0things\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0enjoyed\u00a0most\u00a0about\u00a0this\u00a0internship is\u00a0that\u00a0no\u00a0two\u00a0weeks\u00a0look\u00a0exactly the\u00a0same.\u00a0I have\u00a0been able\u00a0to help with community programming, create\u00a0communication\u00a0and outreach\u00a0materials\u00a0and\u00a0participate\u00a0in hands-on projects. Each experience has given me\u00a0a\u00a0better understanding of the many ways Extension connects with and supports the… Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14884,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,26,49,33],"tags":[298],"class_list":["post-2181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-4-h","category-ag-and-natural-resources","category-clatsop-county","category-extension-communications","tag-aspen-bowling"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14884"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2181"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2185,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2181\/revisions\/2185"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.oregonstate.edu\/extintern\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}