GEORGIA COUNTY INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHT

 

 

Charlton County resident Emma Harris completed a unique internship with her home county over the summer. Partnering with University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension, Harris developed an agricultural education program for county students called "The Farm to Table Initiative.” Harris worked with Charlton County and UGA Extension to research local issues, plan and lead farm tours, and teach lesson plans to promote local agriculture.

 

Harris, a senior at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, used her studies in agriculture education throughout her internship. While in a program development class, Harris designed the farm tour initiative – but only as a hypothetical program. When she was hired as a GCIP intern in Charlton, Harris could finally implement her ideas and work with students. Though unfamiliar with county government operations, the internship taught her about the diversity of county services. As an intern, Harris got to use her background in agricultural education and her passion for teaching to provide a unique service to students in the county.

 

Harris designed "The Farm to Table Initiative" to provide a broader agricultural education to students. "Many kids in Charlton County have not had a chance to experience or learn about production agriculture other than timber," she noted. For Charlton County Extension Coordinator Madison Sands, Harris' initiative matched perfectly with an issue she had also identified: students didn't know where the food on their tables came from. With Sands' support, Harris researched local farms and developed hands-on lessons. Harris learned about county budgeting and record-keeping to manage the program effectively. Additionally, she conducted community outreach to engage students in the county to participate in her programming.

 

Harris led groups of rising sixth, seventh, and eighth graders to Trader's Hill Farm and Blue Jay Cattle Company during the farm tour series. Trader's Hill Farm is a hydroponic and aquaponic farm known for year-round lettuce production. Students were led through all steps of production, from seedlings to ready-to-pick lettuce. At Blue Jay Cattle Company, students learned about cattle genetics, beef production, and butchering. On tour days, Harris gave students a lesson on the way to the farm and encouraged students to take notes and ask questions during the tour. Following each visit, Harris assessed student learning through short questionnaires. She focused on making the experience immersive and hands-on when planning each tour. "Why would you want to sit in a classroom when you can visit farms and have the experience yourself?” Harris said.

 

 

Harris noted that, before the farm tours, many of the students had no experience with agriculture. "After each tour, the kids gained so much knowledge that they were able to take home to their families," she said. Not only did her students finish the summer with new knowledge, but Harris also grew in her professional skills and knowledge of local government. She noted that the skills in program development, communication, and organization she built during the internship will help her in the future. “This internship has definitely made me feel ready to jump out and into my career in the future, and I don’t feel like I’m going to be walking into something blindly,” Harris said.

 

Harris also reflected that the internship was a meaningful way to give back to her county and develop relationships with local students, farmers, and county staff.  Looking ahead to her graduation in December 2024, Harris expressed her interest in exploring a career in county government. She hopes to leverage her experiences to further her passion for connecting students to the agricultural industry and enriching their understanding of its significance in their lives and the local economy.

 

To learn more about the GCIP, please visit the ACCG Civic Affairs Foundation website.