How do you get kids interested in horticulture? In Montgomery County, you show them plants that eat things.

4-H members learned how and why carnivorous plants eat insects. Andrew Holsinger, U of I Extension horticulture educator, provided the hands-on instruction. When the county's classroom teachers heard about the program, the phones began ringing in the Montgomery County office.

Now, more than 600 youth in 25 classrooms in the county know more about the life of carnivorous plants, and might just think it's cool to one day be a botanist.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Judy Mae Bingman, University of Illinois Extension Marketing and Communications Manager

Judy uses powerful words and photography to tell the Extension story. She is a skilled communication strategist and storyteller with demonstrated success in building teams and creating strong organizational brand identities that deepen Extension’s impact among key audiences, build brand loyalty, strengthen employee talent, and expand public engagement. She is a frequent conference presenter at the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Conference and helps Extension staff across the nation tell compelling stories.