December 2024 Newsletter-Granville County Center

Hello, y’all! I am incredibly excited to be starting this new journey as County Extension Director here in Granville County! I had the chance to meet many of you at my reception, but I look forward to meeting many more of you and learning more about the projects you are passionate about. In just a few weeks, I have learned from our ag agents about the farmers they serve, I’ve learned about the food programs led by Food and Built Environment Systems, FCS, and EFNEP, and I’ve learned about the technology trainings led by our digital skills agent– in short, our staff is exceptional!

Just as I’ve learned about these wonderful programs, you all get to read about the work our agents do to serve Granville County– enjoy!

Thank you all for being a part of this journey and for trusting me as we look forward to next year and the years to come!

The Un-Rappin’ the Gift Leadership Program is a transformative initiative designed to nurture young leaders through hands-on activities, skill-building workshops, and a focus on community service. With a mission to develop confident, compassionate, and capable leaders, the program equips students with tools they need to succeed in school, future careers, and life. Over the past months, participants have embarked on a journey of growth, tackling challenges, building skills, and embracing their unique potential as leaders.

The program kicked off with activities centered on communication, service, and self awareness. In September, students explored the power of clear communication through the Cupcake Communication Activity, a colorful and engaging exercise where cupcakes became a metaphor for key communication skills. By working in teams designing cupcakes symbolizing empathy, clarity, respect, and active listening, students learned how effective communication fosters trust and team-work essential traits for strong leaders. Presenting their creations to peers helped participants practice public speaking and build confidence. Later in the month, students participated in the Leadership Styles Exploration Activity, discovering the diversity of leadership approaches such as transformational, democratic, autocratic, and servant leadership. Through self-assessments, discussions, and research on iconic leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Oprah Winfrey, they gained insight into their personal leadership styles. This activity emphasized that leadership isn’t one size-fits-all but instead a journey of self discovery and adaptability. Adding to their practical leadership experience, students also volunteered as servers and hosts at a prestigious awards program. This hands-on experience allowed them to develop entrepreneurship, professionalism, communication, and interpersonal skills in a real-world setting. By interacting with guests, managing tasks, and ensuring the event’s success, students learned the importance of presenting themselves with confidence and adapting to the needs of others—key skills for effective leadership.

In October, the focus shifted to professionalism and real-world leadership skills. The Professional Dress and Presentation Skills Workshop provided students with valuable insights into the role of appearance in leadership. Young ladies learned to walk confidently in heels, while young men mastered tying neckties. Beyond these practical skills, the session emphasized how professionalism extends to posture, self-respect, and the way leaders present themselves to others. Later in the month, students embraced the challenge of Student Leadership and Campaign Preparation by learning the art of running for office. Participants explored the responsibilities and qualities of leaders, practiced crafting campaign messages, and created mock speeches to present their platforms. This workshop helped students hone their public speaking skills while fostering an understanding of integrity, empathy, and the importance of serving their peers.

Leadership isn’t confined to classrooms or formal settings—it’s a mindset practiced in everyday life. This idea came to life during the Outdoor Leadership Photo Scavenger Hunt, where students worked in teams to find and capture examples of leadership qualities like creativity, teamwork, communication, and integrity. This fun and engaging activity reinforced that leadership happens everywhere, from teamwork in solving challenges to showing resilience in the face of obstacles. In November, students began developing practical life skills through Financial Literacy Activities, starting with a workshop on writing checks and balancing a check register. These exercises provided students with essential tools for managing money, tracking expenses, and understanding the importance of financial responsibility. These foundational skills are crucial for future independence and success.

Programs like Un-Rappin’ the Gift provide an invaluable space for teens to develop life skills, build confidence, and connect with peers and mentors. In a world filled with distractions, these structured activities help students focus on their goals, discover their strengths, and prepare to lead in their communities. By offering opportunities to practice teamwork, communication, and decision-making, the program fosters growth that extends far beyond the classroom. Through engaging exercises, service projects, and real-world applications, students are not just learning about leadership—they’re living it. Volunteering at community events, developing financial literacy, and exploring leadership styles teach them to embrace challenges, value collaboration, and make a meaningful impact in their schools, communities, and future careers.

Join us for a field day on January 30, 2025, that will be held at Butner Beef Cattle Field Laboratory, located at 8800 Cassam Rd. Bahama, NC. We will be discussing technologies to improve pasture management and winter feeding. Registration and lunch will be from 12 noon to 1 pm, with the workshops beginning at 1 pm. This event will be outdoors so dress
appropriately for the weather that day.

Topics include bale grazing and the use of temporary fencing, which should be useful for managers of all types of grazing livestock. In addition, frost-seeding and the use of UAVs (drones) serve as a strategy to jumpstart forage establishment during winter/spring, to improve pasture productivity, and to provide floral resources in the landscape.

The cost is $10 and will include lunch. This will be a great opportunity very close by to learn more about these topics that can improve pasture management on your livestock operation. The program is limited to 80 participants, so we strongly encourage early registration to secure a spot. You can register by scanning the QR code on the event flier or by going to the registration link at: https://winterfeedingandpasturemanagement.eventbrite.com

Students in Foods 1&2 at Granville Central High School began creating nutritious recipes in the lab. Students battled it out in the kitchen to create a deliciously healthy Breakfast bowl and Southwest bowl. Bowl meals are a great way to use up leftovers and other items you have on hand. A great bowl can come together in just minutes. Nutritious Bowls can be inexpensive and made with simple ingredients. After Students in Foods 2 studied Fuel for Life curriculum Nutrition Basics lesson while creating One Pot Pasta! One serving contains only 264 calories. This recipe provides 24% of the Dietary Fiber needed for your daily plan and 22% calcium.

312 Sycamore Street Hope House and Naturally Nourished Tutoring + Homeschool

The garden is growing slowly but surely! Weeds are not our friend and the leaves keep falling so we are great at having a wonderful game called who can get all the leaves out of your garden the quickest. The students have learned that water is very important to the garden and they love going over a few times a week to water the garden. Thanks to the Oxford Fire Department for filling up our water tank for the first time.

You all are such great community partners!