My internship has been a fulfilling and worthwhile experience, especially when it came to figuring out what I want to base my career around. I hope my projects have benefitted the WIC here in Gonzales as well as the community. I played a part in promoting the Gardening and Cooking classes at WIC. I created flyers and handouts as well as edited the recipe books that are given out at the classes. I also made a flyer to encourage clients to send in a favorite recipe to put in the book. It was a challenge to get people involved, especially since I was not able to promote around the community, just at the WIC office. My favorite experience from the internship was helping with the Gardening classes. It was fun to watch the amusement on the children’s faces and see them learn. Although the attendance numbers may not have been high, the classes were successful in teaching hands-on and getting the clients to grow vegetables at home. Towards the end of my internship I started calling the clients to complete a follow-up survey. I created and formatted the follow-up surveys to make sure they asked questions that would get helpful answers for the outcome objectives. I received nothing but positive feedback and many clients have started their own garden or grown something. I took a lot of time outside the Gardening class to work in the garden. I assisted the part-time gardener in watering, spraying, planting and harvesting, and other maintenances. As hot and humid as it was, I still enjoyed spending time in the outside environment. I learned so much about the produce and how to maintain the garden. Another project I had included the 2015 Fiscal Year Obesity Prevention Grant. I reviewed past years and worked on the budgeting for the upcoming year. I also researched estimates for an outdoor kitchen project which was Cynthia’s brilliant idea. I priced grills, canopies, seating, and a lean-to for a possible outdoor cooking class that will follow the gardening class. This project was challenging because it was my first time to work on a grant. Cynthia was a great help, guiding me and showing me the strings. Together, we created the outcome objectives and applied for the grant. I am glad I gained the experience in case I ever apply for grants in the future. Towards the end of my internship I created herb tags to stick on the bundles of herbs given away to clients. They turned out wonderful and I cannot wait for them to be used. Working with Cynthia was a pleasure and privilege. She is a knowledgeable individual and supervisor. She, the other WIC employees, and the community were encouraging and supportive of my work. I am proud to have completed the Ogallala Commons internship and will keep the skills and memories gained from the experience for a lifetime.
