Our Impact
Making A Difference in Our County
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension is working hard for its constituents. The following are examples of Extension’s impact in the county over the past year.
4-H Youth Development
Georgia 4-H, the state's largest youth organization, engages young citizens in community projects, camps, and issue-focused conferences, teaching them leadership skills and lifelong values. In Oglethorpe County, 4-H Agents conduct club meetings for 355 5th and 6th graders, and around 40 local youth participate in competitive judging teams each year. Volunteers lead Shotgun and Archery clubs under Project SAFE, promoting teamwork and concentration in a safe environment. The cornerstone Project Achievement develops communication skills through research, portfolios, and presentations, with about 70 students participating annually. Summer camps offer adventure and personal growth, attracting 60 campers from the county each year. Approximately 75 4-H'ers engage in daily summer activities like farm tours and kayaking. The Livestock Program teaches responsibility and practical skills, while Special Interest Clubs, with 400 participants, connect 4-H'ers with shared interests and community service projects, emphasizing the importance of giving back.
Family and Consumer Sciences
In Oglethorpe County 30% of adults are obese. Obesity and overweight contribute to the development of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and some cancers. In 2023, the Oglethorpe County Family and Consumer Sciences agent offered programs on cancer prevention, nutrition and physical activity education, weekly newspaper articles, and social media content focusing on nutrition and physical activity education. Cooking for Cancer Prevention, Walk-a-Weigh, Cooking to Share and Senior Center programming were offered to citizens in Oglethorpe County. A total of 150 educational contact hours were provided to 25 early childhood education professionals through the UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences classes. These 25 professionals oversee the nurturing and development of 225 children in Oglethorpe County. Out of those 25 participants, 19 early childhood education professionals completed 114 educational contact hours from the three-part series, Basic Core Skills for Child Care Series: Injury Prevention, There’s No Excuse for Child Abuse, and Infectious Diseases. The other six childcare professionals attended an Eat Healthy, Be Active training to improve nutritional and physical activity practices within early learning centers in Oglethorpe County.
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Oglethorpe County commodities have a farm gate value of more than $220 million, including landscape services. Agriculture, landscape services and directly related businesses comprise 45.7% of the county’s total economic output and 29.2% of county employment. UGA Cooperative Extension in Oglethorpe County provides access to up-to-date research-based information from UGA experts. The Agricultural and Natural Resources program supports farmers, landscapers, home gardeners and other citizens throughout the county. Local relevant issues, such as livestock production, soil fertility and water quality, are addressed through applied research, technical assistance, on-farm consultations, classes and media. Distance programming efforts such as virtual meetings and online newsletters have been added to continue helping our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.