Karavan Starts Work as County 4-H Agent

COURT HOUSE — Just in time for the 2012 Cape May County 4-H Fair, Julie A. Karavan is getting used to her new job: County 4-H Agent at Rutgers Cooperative Extension. As such, she’ll oversee clubs whose members’ motto is “To Make the Best Better.”
Karavan was hired by the county June 15 to assume the post left vacant since fall 2011 when long-time 4-H Agent Betty Jean Webersinn retired after 37 years.
Karavan is a Linwood resident, but is no stranger to Cape May County. Her husband, George, and his family lived in Wildwood Crest, and they later lived in West Cape May.
The couple has one son, Luke, 11. He’s a member of the Cyber Explorers 4-H Club, of which Julie is leader.
“When I first interviewed for this job, I reassured the search committee I would stay a 4-H leader regardless,” said Karavan.
Karavan is a graduate of Rosemont College, and she holds a master’s degree from Drexel University in non-profit management.
After graduation from Rosemont, Karavan worked at Cape May’s Chalfonte Hotel as marketing assistant under Jean Lloyd. Through graduate school, she worked there “off and on.”
Later she worked for the South Jersey Cultural Alliance then did marketing for the Performing Arts Center of Richard Stockton State College, the American Heart Association and Covenant House.
“And here I am,” she said with a smile during an interview in the Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room.
“This is a new journey for me,” said Karavan, who took time off to be at home with her son as he grew, then reentered the work force.
“I like coming back to Cape May again,” she said.
Among goals Karavan has set for the new job:
* Expand the 4-H club base.
* Develop partnerships with local agencies and institutions to broaden the reach of 4-H.
Regarding expansion of the 4-H base, Karavan said that bulk of the 250-member organization in 25 clubs is “pretty much around the county seat. We want to reach out and work more with schools,” she said.
Such a partnership presently exists with Ocean Academy, and she hopes it will go into the high school of Cape May County Special Services School District.
Noting there are many “great institutions for the arts, marine sciences, Nature Center and Wetlands Institute, Historic Cold Spring Village, Community Center for the Arts,” Karavan hopes to enlist those, too, for 4-H clubs and activities.
“There is a lot happening, and 4-H needs to be a part of it,” she added.
Her new post is a tenured faculty position at Rutgers University.
One difference between Karavan and Webersinn is that she will not be a department head, as was Webersinn. That job is held by Marilou Rochford.
That will afford more freedom to work with clubs, volunteers and 4-H club members.
That work will be coming up in about three weeks when club members will bring their projects into the Lockwood Center for judging at the fair (July 19-21).
Earlier this year, freeholders approved the hiring of Carol Saduk to coordinate the fair, thus alleviating those myriad pre-event tasks from Karavan’s schedule.
The majority of local 4-H clubs are equestrian and livestock, but there are others, including those touching science, engineering and technology. Those are among the ones Karavan hopes to plant, nurture and expand.
Karavan lauded the tireless efforts of Linda Horner, 4-H program associate, who has worked with clubs in the void left by Webersinn’s retirement.
Two prime clubs Karavan hopes to grow are those in marine sciences and robotics.
“One reason they brought me on board was to help grow science and technology,” Karavan said. “There is a big push for those areas from the country’s leaders for the next century of leadership,” she added.
For that reason, in the fall when the Lockwood Center will open its doors for the annual open house, there will be emphasis placed on robotics, since that is the focus of the national youth science experience this year, she added.
“This will be my first fair (as agent). But not my first fair, since I’ve been a leader and know what to expect,” she said.
“My job is to try to jump in and learn how they do it all. In 4-H, you learn by doing,” she continued.
Since part of the general goal of 4-H is to extend into the community, Karavan hopes to have “skill-a-thons” to celebrate National Robotics Week in April. She also hopes to have exhibits of club work, posters and art exhibits in more places around the county.
“Extension to extend,” will be among her guiding lights, she said.
There has always been a close relationship between Rutgers Extension and Atlantic Cape Community College, which allows club members to use its facility at the Cape May County Campus for presentation nights.
Being comfortable with technology, Karavan sees many avenues opening for 4-H members using distance learning as well as Skype to link to distant places to enhance the learning experience.
Aside from Karavan, the county 4-H staff consists of Horner and Secretary Mary Lynn Frandino.
“That’s the staff, but the heart of 4-H is the volunteers,” said Karavan.
They include parents, leaders, 4-H Foundation and Program Advisory Board. Each of those plays a vital role in the overall organization and helping to make the annual fair a reality.
At the Tue., June 26 freeholders meeting, 4-H club members attended in what may well have been one of the largest turnouts in recent history. Members ranged in age from Clover buds (kindergarten) to teens in high school.
“The freeholders were touched seeing so many parents and children,” she said. “They packed the room. That was good for the members, since they need to understand what it’s like to have a meeting, and how the county government operates. There is a place at the table for everybody.”
At that session, three Cloverbud members presented freeholders with invitations to the fair.
In her previous employment with Covenant House, Karavan worked with homeless and at-risk youth, so she understands the sensitivity of challenges many young people face, and that it is important to reach out to them.