Summer Internship Program: Frederick County

Primary Program Area Focus: 4-H

1. Describe your plans for this internship.  (i.e. What specifically will the intern be doing?)

Though the focus will be on 4-H Youth Development Programming, the 2024 VCE-Frederick intern will also work with agents and staff involved in horticulture programming and Family Consumer Sciences - Food Nutrition, Health, and Wellness. Ideally, the intern will have marketing and communication skills to help develop program marketing materials, social media, and website content.

Duties will also include:

• Assisting with summer programming, such as Camps, 4-H Garden, Frederick County Fair
• Assisting with and providing leadership for Frederick-Page 4-H Camp as an adult leader, possibly teaching a camp class or directing an evening program
• Assisting with Junior Master gardener activities and helping in the community garden
• Attending club and other organizational meetings when needed
• Assist with the Frederick County Fair, 4-H Exhibit booth, coordinating meals for exhibitors, and livestock shows and sale
• Giving presentations/speeches when appropriate
• Assisting the ANR and FCS Agents with projects/program when appropriate

2. Describe the knowledge / skills you expect the intern to gain from this experience.

Upon completion, the intern should have a well-rounded idea of the various sectors of VCE and the different educational programming opportunities that we provide our local communities. The intern will have had the chance to assist with all aspects of youth development programming, improve communication skills by answering questions about 4-H camp and record book questions, gain experience and knowledge in the skills of training and managing volunteers, develop a better understanding of creating hands-on programs, built knowledge and confidence in working with youth, and gain the personal reward of watching and assisting youth grow through their own learning and discovery process. The intern will assist agents in the development, delivery, and evaluation of educational programs. This experience will show the individual how to identify needs and to assess impacts and skills gained by participating clients.

3. How will the intern learn about the breadth of VCE and our various program areas?

The intern will work with agents housed in Frederick County and will primarily be a part of the 4-H Youth Development Program offerings in Planning District 7 (Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties) but also ANR and FCS. The intern will experience interactions between agents and specialists as well as interactions with the local county government, 4-H Leaders Association, and the local Extension Leadership Council.