Extension Connections

The 4-H Summer Camp at Camp Whitcomb / Mason was a huge success engaging the heads and hands of youth attending camp in efforts to better the community. In collaboration with the Wisconsin DNR Bat Education Program, Extension Waukesha County 4-H members learned many interesting facts about the different bat species in Wisconsin. Through hands-on experiences, the youth gained knowledge on bat conservation methods, including how to monitor bat populations and how they could help the bats thrive and survive.

Educational opportunities included classroom learning, a bat acoustic monitoring hike at dusk around camp, and making bat houses. Nine single chamber bat houses were donated to Camp Whitcomb/Mason which will be used to incorporate bat education into their nature programming thanks to the contribution from Extension Waukesha County 4-H.

For more information, contact James Boling at james.boling@wisc.edu.

FoodWIse will be starting up two series of Kids in the Kitchen lessons at Heyer and Banting Elementary schools this fall in collaboration with Waukesha Parks & Recreation afterschool programs.

Kids grades 3-5 will learn about healthy food choices and help assemble simple recipes such as spring rolls, black bean quesadillas, make-your-own trail mix, veggie pasta salad, and smoothies. Kids also learn the importance of food safety and physical activity.

For more information about nutrition education, contact FoodWIse Administrator Jill Herz at jill.herz@wisc.edu.

Steve Chmielewski, certified Real Colors® trainer, facilitates Real Colors® trainings for both County departments and community organizations in our community. Steve will be providing three Real Colors® trainings to the Administrative Services Division of Waukesha County Health & Human Services beginning in January.

Real Colors® training assists groups or organizations in dealing with departmental and generational divisions by helping people find common ground in communication and personality styles.

For details about the Real Colors® training program, email Steve, Extension Waukesha County Community Development Educator, at steven.chmielewski@wisc.edu today.

Nearly 100 green industry and municipal professionals attended an educational session focused on utilizing gravel beds to hold bare root trees. These structures can hold bare root tree stock and aid in root development, keeping trees healthy until they can be planted. Utilizing bare root trees is much more cost efficient than container grown plants. Participants then attended an in-person field day at a local gravel bed to learn more about successful approaches using this system.

To be notified of future green industry workshops, email Lisa at lboyer@waukeshacounty.gov.

Are you interested in engaging adults to stay healthy in your local community? Extension is seeking interested individuals who are motivated to lead or co-lead the StrongBodies strength training program in Waukesha County.

StrongBodies is an evidence-based program that increases participants' muscle and bone strength and decreases the risk of falls. For more information, contact Jillian Smith, Health and Well-Being Educator, at 262-548-7789 or jillian.smith@wisc.edu.

Join 4-H for an adventure in learning, growing, and making new friends! Youth in 5K-13th grade discover their passions and build lifelong skills while engaging in hands-on projects, leadership skills, and community outreach. Enroll today and be part of something extraordinary!

For more information about 4-H or how to join, email McKenzie Knudson, 4-H Administrative Support, at mknudson@waukeshacounty.gov.

This summer, FoodWIse collaborated with ProHealth Care’s Hispanic Health Resource Center garden programs. Bilingual FoodWIse educator Lily Izquierdo engaged youth and their parents in a series of Growing Healthy Kids lessons in Spanish.

FoodWIse lessons focused on nutritious parts of plants: roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds, and water, allowing kids to identify and taste an example of each plant part. Parents and kids also tried “plant part” recipes together, such as carrot jicama salad and spinach salad with vinaigrette.

For more information about nutrition education, contact FoodWIse Administrator, Jill Herz at jill.herz@wisc.edu.

The Waukesha County Community Youth Garden, a collaboration between Extension Waukesha County and the Adolescent and Family Division of Waukesha County Health & Human Services, harvested 395 pounds of produce this summer which was donated to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County. At the Youth Garden, youth ages 12-17 learn about planting and maintaining a garden via hands-on education led by Extension Health and Well-Being and Nutrition Educators. 

Youth observe the changes in the garden and help make decisions on when to water and harvest produce. Youth develop positive relationships with adults and peers throughout the summer. All produce that the youth help to plant, grow, and harvest is donated.

For more information, contact Jillian Smith, Health and Well-Being Educator, at jillian.smith@wisc.edu.

An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.

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