Hello, my name is Taylor Wilken and I am the new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences 4-H Extension Agent for Okaloosa County.
I was born and raised in Medina, Ohio, which is just outside Cleveland. Growing up I enjoyed camping, boating and horseback riding. When I graduated high school I moved out to Ames, Iowa, where I attended Iowa State University and worked at the university’s child development center.
In 2014, my military husband got orders to Florida and we moved to Crestview. I graduated from Iowa State in 2015 with my bachelor’s degree in Child, Adult and Family Services. I just completed a master’s degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences from the University of Florida.
I am very excited to join the faculty in Okaloosa as the 4-H Youth Development agent. There are many exciting things happening over the next several months so if you want to join us, please contact me for further details.
Last year Okaloosa 4-H reached over 3,911 youths through school enrichment programs, five community clubs and our four 4-H military base clubs.
Some of the activities that we provide for our local youth include 4-H summer camp, 4-H day camps and special interest topics throughout the year.
One main goal for 2018 is to recruit and train new 4-H leaders/adults that are interested in starting a 4-H community club.
Florida 4-H aspires to be the leading youth development program that creates positive change in youths, families and communities.
Our slogan is "To make the Best Better" and our motto is "Learn by Doing."
4-H is known for experiential learning where youths are both experiencing and processing what they are learning. Youths experience the activity, share the experience with others, process the experience, generalize from the experience, and apply what they have learned.
Youths have the opportunity to identify what they have learned from their 4-H experience and apply it to other experiences and situations.
If you would like to find out more about 4-H in our county, I can be reached via email at twilken@ufl.edu or by calling the extension office at 689-5850.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 4-H agent joins Okaloosa’s UF IFAS Extension