Hey! My name is Emilie Caron, and I am so thrilled to be telling you all about the Hartford County 4-H Extension Program this summer! I work at the office in Farmington as the 4-H Summer Intern and work on the county programming closely with Jen Cushman. We work mainly in office on projects pertaining to the youth development of 4-Her’s in our county, out in the field doing youth outreach, and on the recruitment of volunteers to help inspire and develop these youth! One of the biggest projects I am helping her work on is the Pollinator Project! This program is designed with the help of the National 4-H Council and Corteva Agriscience. Its main goal is to equip young leaders with the tools and experiences needed to deepen their understanding of pollinator habitats, their populations, and the integral role they play in food production.  Through this program, these individuals are expanding their knowledge, and by the end are saving a population. Our program was fortunate enough to get funding for this program and a group of diverse youth were formed that are passionate about saving the pollinators. Through my internship I was able to help them build their pollinator garden at Auerfarm in Bloomfield, CT and will be attending their Blueberry Jam educational event where they will be advocating for the pollinators and teaching their peers about all the amazing aspects of the pollinator. If you are interested in ever helping blossom today’s youth through 4-H I highly recommend becoming a 4-H volunteer in Hartford County! If interested visit the UConn extension website to learn more!