March is Extension Month in Tennessee. Established in 2015 by a proclamation from the Tennessee General Assembly, Extension Month celebrates the educational outreach, service, and economic impact achieved by Extension across the state. Over these past three years since Extension Month began, county offices across the state have used the month as a way to showcase their programs and attract new clientele. Union County Extension took March as an opportunity to celebrate successes, tell stories, and show new and current audiences the value that Extension brings to their lives and communities. Every day Extension Agents, Program Assistants, and all other staff strive to provide real life solutions and improve Tennesseans’ quality of life.

During this celebratory time, Union County Extension invested a great deal of time into the local youth community. Many activities took action with a focus this year on a countywide photography contest, chick chain project, and countywide baking contest.

Photographs were received from fourth through twelfth graders in the categories of Animals and Insects, Land and Nature, 4-H, Portraits, Light and Shadow, Health and Nutrition, and a Theme category that changes yearly, this year being Union County. The youth exalted their photo shooting skills and talents with more than one hundred and fifty exhibit entries. A panel of judges critiqued the photos and awarded a first, second, and third place in each category in divisions of Junior (4-5th grades), Junior High (6-8th grades), and Senior (9-12th grades) levels. First place winners are as follows: Adelina Montoya, Weston Beeler, Kailei Beeler, Bo Blakely, Will Jennings, Meredeth Whitley, Travis Hanna, Allyson Hanna, Robert Schlacter, and Kaleb Hanna.

Overall, a Best of Show photo was chosen by the judges as a special recognition. Sixth grader, Meradeth Whitley’s photo of a fresh baked, buttery loaf of homemade bread on a butcher block was chosen as recipient of this honor. In addition, during the Extension Month Open House, observers cast votes for a People’s Choice Photo. Fellow sixth grader Summer Kerr pulled in the top number of votes from the crowd with her photo of an unsaddled horse in pasture to take home this award. All entries were appreciated by spectators with many comments on extraordinary talent in the group of 4-Her’s.

A Top Ten photos are chosen from the pool of sixth thru twelfth graders to move forward the State 4-H Photo Search Contest to be held in June. The talented folks chosen were: Will Jennings, Meradeth Whitley, Allyson Hanna, Joannah Kadron, Travis Hanna, and Kaleb Hanna. Congratulations to all entrants and these as they move on to the next level of competition.

A favorite annual contest also held in March is the County 4-H Baking Contest. In the preceding months, 4-H has a local contest at each school awarding ribbons and advancing blue ribbon winners to the county contest in March. Categories are: fourth grade muffins, fifth grade cookies, sixth grade bar cookies, seventh grade quick bread, eighth grade cake, ninth thru twelfth grade yeast bread. At the county contest more than twenty-five participants entered their delectable treats this year.

Fourth grade winners were: 1st place Raven Walker’s Lemon Drizzle Muffins, 2nd place Chloe Lloyd’s Blueberry Streusel, 3rd place Kassidee Weaver’s Strawberry Muffins. Fifth grade winners: 1st place Kaylee Haynes’ Chocolate Chip Toffee Cookies, 2nd place Kailei Beeler’s Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, 3rd place Katie Johnson’s Sugar Crusted Lemon Cookies. Sixth grade winners: 1st place Summer Kerr’s Strawberry Shortcake Bars, 2nd place Iliy Ray’s Blueberry White Chocolate Bars, 3rd place Gracie Lloyd’s Magic Cookie Bars. Seventh grade winners: 1st place Danielle Haynes’ Lemon Blueberry Quickbread, 2nd place Antonio Grasty’s Zuccini Bread, 3rd place Dalton Schreieck’s Cinnamon Raisin Bread.

Emmagayle Malone was named the overall Grand Champion with her delicious Dark Chocolate Cranberry Magic Bars. David Hopkins’ lip-smacking Pumpkin Bread was chosen as Reserve Grand Champion overall. Judges were excited at the number of delicious entries and are looking forward to next year’s event.

In early March, nineteen 4-Her’s entered the annual 4-H Chick Chain Project. They each received twenty chicks in their choice of breed, Black Sex Link or Golden Comet. The kids will raise the chicks over the summer months, keeping records and investing time. In September, they will return six of their best, most uniform hens who should be beginning to lay, to the Annual 4-H Chick Chain Show and Sale. The Auction will sell the hens in lots of three and raise donations to fund the upcoming year's project. The remaining hens are kept by the 4-Her’s and will produce a numerous amount of eggs quickly as a young, quality flock.

As you can see, the local UT Extension office has a very active program involving youth within the community. There is always a need for volunteers to lead programs, if interested contact the Union County office at 865-992-8038.