A New Program Educator Has Joined Bath & Highland County Virginia Cooperative Extension

Virginia Cooperative Extension has a new team member to help with the wide variety of programs that it offers.  Jordan Alexander is the new Program Educator for the Bath and Highland County Virginia Cooperative Extension Offices.

“My job entails assisting our 4-H agent Ben and our ANR agent Kari in their variety of program areas, along with assisting the office staff in both offices,” says Alexander.  “I went to school at Virginia Tech and two of my summer internships I did here at the Bath and Highland office as well, so that provided me a good experience to get to know the office and the agents and staff and it was a good fit for me.  The following summer I worked at another Virginia Tech farm.  I went on to work with the Department of Agriculture and when this position came up, I knew how much I enjoyed those summers and figured I’d apply.”

The summer internships introduced Alexander to Virginia Cooperative Extension.

“I’d lived in Bath County, but I wasn’t really familiar with the Extension Office and what services they provided,” says Alexander.  “So, it gave me an opportunity to learn the scope of the jobs and what all they provided for the county.  That gave me an opportunity to help primarily in the 4-H and Youth Development area.  So, we did programs like Cloverbud Camp, Junior 4-H camp, along with some of the ANR programs like Wool Pool and Tag Day for the fair animals.”

Alexander started her new job at the end of February and is already busy working on a variety of programs.

“For me, coming up I’m doing a presentation next month for the Beef Producers meeting that will be here in Highland,” says Alexander.  “Right now, I’m really promoting the 4-H Camp which is not until July, but just getting the word out there and getting kids and teens involved.   The Bath County Fair, we’re doing the Bath and Highland Poultry Chain again this year, so that’s another program area for kids if they are interested in raising smaller animals.   We’ve currently got going on the Show and Sale 101 series, which is on Thursdays up here in Highland, and that’s for kids new to showing animals.”

Alexander primarily works in the Bath County Extension Office, but plans to get to the Highland County office once or twice a week.

“I think living in both these counties, agriculture can be such a large part of the community,” says Alexander.  “It gives an opportunity for kids, whether they have a background in it or not, to become involved and just jump in hands on and learn by doing.  I’m happy to be back home and helping out my community and looking forward to what’s to come.”

For more information on the Bath and Highland Extension offices, visit https://bath.ext.vt.edu

To learn more, you can contact the Bath County Extension office at 540-839-7261.