U of M Extension office hires three interns for summer

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 7/10/02

Three interns began working at the University of Minnesota Extension Office in Milaca in June.

Nicole Anderson, Karen Miller and Melissa Wergin will be assisting extension educators Lori Schott and Tana Haugen-Brown.

Their duties range from the 4-H program to master gardening to livestock.

Nicole Anderson

A recent graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, Anderson received a bachelor of arts degree in secondary social studies.

Anderson grew up in Foreston and graduated from Milaca High School in 1998. She spent 14 years with the Foreston Foragers 4-H Club.

This is her second year interning for the extension office. Last year she worked mostly with horses, but this year her main focus will be assisting Schott in the livestock area.

Anderson will be working on education programs through the farm bill, which will include workshops for area farmers. There will be sessions in Chisago and Isanti counties, along with the cities of Milaca, Mora and Hinckley.

Another project of Andersonís is a display on pasture management and grazing, which will be at the Pine County and Mille Lacs County fairs. The display will also include a list of the farm bill workshops.

There is also a display at the Mille Lacs County Courthouse with a variety of publications offered by the extension office.

Another program Anderson is involved with is the "Pasture Twilight Tours," which was scheduled for today (July 11) for area farmers regarding pasture layout/design, livestock watering systems and weed control. The theme for the tour is "pasture is more than grass."

Her many years in 4-H have given Anderson an opportunity to experience different leadership roles, she says.

Anderson said 4-H is a good example of having a goal and obtaining it through planning programs and educating people.

She plans to teach social studies in either middle school or high school, and prefers to teach in Minnesota.

She says of her fellow interns, "Itís fun to work with these girls and Lori. It gives me an idea of what to expect when working with teachers."

Schott said of Anderson, "Nicole is a return player for me. Sheís talented, sheís a self-starter and she just enhances what the University of Minnesota extension service can deliver to the county, educationally."

Karen Miller

This is Millerís first year interning for the extension office.

She will be returning to River Falls, Wis. this fall where she will be a junior. Miller is working toward a speech and communications major, with a minor in music.

Miller grew up in Princeton and graduated from high school in 2000.

Like Anderson, Miller was in 4-H for 14 years with the Greenbush Go-Fors.

Her main responsibility as an intern is to work with Haugen-Brown and the 4-H program.

Already this summer, Miller helped chaperone 65 kids from Pine, Isanti, Chisago, Kanabec and Mille Lacs counties to a Norway Point Camp at St. Croix State Park in Hinckley.

And sheíll be doing some more chaperoning at the end of this summer when the 4-H kids go to the Minnesota State Fair. Miller will be helping 4-Hers with livestock showmanship clinics.

She tells young people looking to join 4-H, "Itís a really good way to meet quality people and you may find out you can do things you never thought you could do."

Miller also assisted with a livestock "auction" in which the 4-H participants sold the livestock ribbons theyíve won. Monies raised went to the new 4-H pavilion at the fairgrounds.

The Creamery Calf Award is also one of Millerís projects. Itís the 55th year for the award, which is given to a young 4-H participant who has been in the program for four years. After interviews, review of dairy records and other qualifications, the winner is then given a scholarship to purchase a calf for the following fair.

"Itís a very honorable award to get," Miller said.

Miller is also working with approximately 30 kids on a musical production for the Mille Lacs County Fair and the Minnesota State Fair. The production will have a patriotic theme, which was chosen by the kids. "Itís a good thing to be doing," Miller said.

Haugen-Brown said of Miller, "Sheís doing a great job. With the extension reorganization, sheís taken on some extra things than our interns in the past have, which has been a big help."

Miller said of her many years in 4-H, "Itís probably shaped part of who I am. It shaped my personality, the people I know and my communication skills. Most of my really good friends are in 4-H - theyíre people I can count on."

Melissa Wergin

Wergin has been interning for three years now with the extension office.

She graduated from Princeton High School in 1998, and in May she graduated from Dordt College in Iowa with a degree in plant science.

Wergin is a project assistant working with Schott and the master gardener program.

She began interning with the extension office almost by accident. Wergin had sent out her resume to area businesses, when a gentleman with the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) got hold of her resume. He then contacted Wergin and informed her of the internship program at the U of M Extension Office.

Wergin coordinates the master gardenersí schedules. There are currently 19 master gardeners in the county. She also answers as many yard and garden questions the extension office receives from the public.

Wergin said the master gardeners, who are all volunteer, donated roughly 500 hours of time last year, helping people and educating them on gardening.

Wergin also has a display at the county courthouse. Itís an information display on the master gardener program, the training involved, and horticulture and is located in the atrium on the second floor.

A Pathways Education grant is another project of Werginís. She will be working on horticulture education for students on the Mille Lacs Reservation, which will include instruction on basic gardening and nutrition.

Schott said of Wergin, "Sheís kind of the glue for me in the area of horticulture. She has really motivated and enhanced the talents of our master gardeners in the county. Sheís like our customer service representative for horticulture issues that we address in the office."

Wergin hopes to use her communication skills in future employment and says sheís open to working anywhere in the midwest. She enjoys being outside and watching things grow, she adds.

"I love sharing the information Iíve gained with other people. Itís very rewarding to me. If I donít share it, itís wasted knowledge," Wergin said.