The 2021 Award for an Outstanding Program by an Individual Specialist went to Dr. Mary Fosnaught and the 4-H Embryology Hybrid Summer Fun 2020 program.

To address a need for summer youth programming during the Covid-19 pandemic, 4-H Embryology delivered a free statewide program where families incubated eggs and hatched chicks at their homes and joined Extension staff for virtual programming to learn about the process together. This was the first time this program moved to a virtual format.  During a typical summer, this program will reach over 56,000 youth. This year the program was limited to the first 50 registrants to ensure that everybody could get the equipment needed for the at-home activities. An additional 20 families who had the equipment joined the program. Victoria Brewer, 4-H Agent in Chatham County, partnered with Jeannette Beranger of the Livestock Conservancy to develop high quality virtual learning materials. This program included a variety of virtual learning materials and activities, vaccination clinics for participants, and at-home learning activities.

Partners such as the NC Egg Association, Prestage Department of Poultry Science, Jamesway Hatchery, Zoetis, Extension staff from Poultry and 4-H made this program possible.

Congrats Dr. Fosnaught!