MOUNT GILEAD — OSU Extension educators met with the Morrow County Extension Advisory Committee to review the past year and consider plans for the next couple years. It was their first in-person meeting since the beginning of the pandemic.
4-H and Youth Development Educator Amanda Staley, told about the spring classroom projects in county schools that include: hatching ducks and chicks, the science of weather and soils, rocketry and career exploration workshops for teens.
“It brings me joy to see children learning and many times seeing that lightbulb go off when learning something cool,” Staley said.
Staley said they will soon receive a $24,000 Apple grant for several new technical devices.
OSU Educator Becky Barker began updates with a report on the lifting of some COVID 19 restrictions. In-person Extension meetings are now welcome once again with indoor meetings limited to 20 persons and outdoor meetings and events limited to 300 persons.
Barker, 4-H and Youth Development educator, said 4-H clubs are meeting again this spring.
Both youth development educators are excited to have overnight 4-H camp at Camp Ohio this summer. Camp will be July 10-13. Plans are also under way for the Morrow County Fair Aug. 30 through Sept. 6.
OSU Educator Candace Heer reported on Family and Consumer Sciences. She is still receiving responses from the survey she sent out last month on interests and needs for county residents.
Heer is teaching Food Preservation, Food safety and Certification for Serve Safe. She is also doing canner testing and explained why it is important to do it annually.
Educator Carri Jagger described agriculture and natural resource upcoming events. Jagger also makes many visits to farms and homes to advise on soils and crops and test for soil compaction.
Jagger presented a Master Gardener program that has been viewed more than 500 times on You Tube Extension page. She also completed a gardening program at the Tomorrow Center in Cardington this spring.
Advisory Committee Chairwoman Eddie Lou Meimer commented that the educators have learned a lot with virtual classes and now have training videos they can continue to use.
Committee member Betty May said that even though in-person meetings are preferred they can also use the videos later. She said more of the horse and pony advisors have gotten more involved with 4-H because of the virtual classes.
The group discussed how they can get the word out about all the resources that are available at the Morrow County Extension office and with educators’ programs.
They approved a motion to have a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis to consider ways for growth and improvement for Morrow County Extension.
To receive the Morrow County Scarlet and Gray newsletter you can call the Morrow County Extension office at 419-947-1070. They are on Face Book at Ohio State University Extension-Morrow County and You Tube Channel-OSU Extension – Morrow County.
