Summer Internship Program: Smyth County

Primary Program Area Focus: 4-H

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

The intern for the Smyth VCE office will assist in developing, planning, and leading summer education programs for youth.

• 4-H State Congress (June 27 – July 1)
  • Coordinating activities and general supervision of the teen leaders while attending Congress
• 4-H Camp (June 6-10)
  • Planning and implementing camp activities, purchasing and assembling camp supplies and materials, developing camp class curriculum and possibly teach a class during camp, supervising campers and counselors during camp.
• Teen Camp Counselor Training Sessions
  • Planning and leading training sessions for camp counselors and maintaining records of training.
• Rich Valley Fair (July 22- July 30)
  • Help committee chairs with organizing, entering, and displaying exhibits and coordinating events- livestock shows.
• Summer Adventure Day Camps (Various Dates Throughout the summer)
  • Plan and coordinate the day camps, purchase and assemble camp supplies and materials.  May also teach or help facilitate the camp event.
• Annual Showmanship & Fitting Workshop (June)
  • Plan and coordinate event to help livestock showman succeed in the show ring by providing them with the best practices before entering the ring.
• Assisting with other 4-H programs as needed (clubs, materials and curriculum development, etc.)

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

The intern will gain skills in:

• Decision making and conflict resolution
• Curriculum development and planning for youth (grades k-12)
  
• Risk management
• Facilitating leadership development in youth
• Organization and presentation of educational programs
• Exercise verbal and written communication skills
• Coordinate Volunteers
  

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

The internship will expose the intern to diverse Extension programs that will help the intern understand VCE as a whole.  The intern will attend monthly staff meetings and ELC meetings, where they will learn about other components of VCE.  The intern will observe and participate in a variety of delivery modes specific to youth programming, including day camps, clubs, summer camp, leadership trainings, county fair, etc.

• In Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR), the intern will learn about current technologies and management practices through livestock grazing, managing crops, and much more.  In the Natural Resources area, the intern will learn to help preserve the quality of land and water resources through numerous environmental practices and management strategies.
• In 4-H Youth Development (4-H), the intern will learn skills related to educating youth in leadership, citizenship, and life skills through a variety of techniques that encourage hands-on active learning.  The intern will teach youth through delivery modes including summer camps, as well as special interest clubs.