Illinois Extension staff spotlight: Brittney Muschetto DePatis

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Each month University of Illinois Extension serving Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties sits down with an Extension staff member to discuss their work and impact in the community.  

This month's spotlight features Brittney Muschetto-DePatis, 4-H youth development educator serving Grundy, Kankakee, and Will counties.  In this role, Muschetto-DePatis provides educational experiences centered around the 4-H program, Illinois' largest after school program, which helps young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. 

How long have you worked with Illinois Extension and what do you like most about your job?

"I have been with the University of Illinois in various roles since 2018. I started as an intern at the Poultry Research Facility on campus, then in 2019 started as a paraprofessional at the State 4-H Office. In April of 2021 I became Extra Help at the Kankakee County Extension Office before becoming their full time 4-H Program Coordinator in July of 2021. In February of 2023, I became the Will County 4-H Program Coordinator, and in February of 2024, I became a 4-H Youth Development Educator which is the position I am currently in. The thing I like most about my job is being able to give back to the organization that has given me so much. I would not be the person I am today without the wonderful 4-H and Extension staff I had when I was a 4-H member, and I hope that I am able to help youth unlock their potential in the same way."

Extension is heavily focused on community impact - Can you tell us about a project you are excited about that you have completed or are currently planning that will help the community?

"I have two… 

As a Program Coordinator, I had youth tell me numerous times, “Miss Brittney, we want to have an Esports Contest.” Well, I love when youth express their needs and interests, and those often become the top of my list. I was able to work with the State 4-H STEM Specialist to host an Esports Workshop and 3 Esports tournaments in our county. From there, we were able to receive grant money to purchase our own gaming systems and TVs, and were approached with a local gaming convention to host our 4-H Esports Tournament. We have now hosted this annual tournament three times, and this year we were able to add in Universities and Colleges with Esport Teams to come and recruit youth. Additionally, we have partnered with the High School Sports Association to better promote our program, and the local IBEW 176 to serve as volunteer TV monitors. I also had the opportunity to present on our local Esports program Nationally, and have assisted other states to get an Esports program going. I am working with State 4-H Staff to make Illinois 4-H the home of a National 4-H Esports Contest where youth from across the country can come together and participate in something they love.
 

Another project I have worked on is making 4-H more accessible to everyone. I am very honored to have been given the opportunity to work with Tina Gnade, a Will County 4-H Leader to get the 4-H 4ALL Club started for youth and adults with Special Abilities. Additionally, I completed research on the Perspectives of Staff when working with Youth with Special Abilities in Illinois 4-H. This research helped me to identify gaps and needs for training to make 4-H more accessible. From there I have been working to make resources to make 4-H more accessible. "

What does Extension's Mission and Vision mean to you and how do those ideas connect with your own values or goals in your role?

"To me, Extension’s Mission and Vision mean recognizing that people are lifelong learners and that Extension exists to meet individuals and communities where they are by providing research-based education that reflects their needs and interests.

These ideas connect closely with my personal goals and values as a 4-H Youth Development Educator. I strive to ensure that Extension programming is accessible to all members of our community and that learning does not stop at any age. I strongly believe in the power of youth and view them as our future. They bring new ideas, perspectives, and experiences to programs, creating opportunities for everyone—including myself and other adults—to learn alongside them. I also value that the work we do is grounded in research, which strengthens the impact and credibility of the education we provide."

What is your FAVORITE Extension program or resource and why?

"My favorite Extension Program has to be Mad Scientist. Mad Scientist is the first program I developed on my own as an Educator, and is my most requested program to teach. In this program, youth are encouraged to see themselves in STEM related careers and fields when they may have seen themselves in these fields before the program. While the program focuses primarily on horticulture related topics, it keeps science and the scientific method at it’s core. Youth participants get to design, set up, and run experiments, while collecting data, and having fun in the process!

The different sessions of Mad Scientist include:

• Lesson 1: Living Mad Scientist
  • Participants will learn about the term “horticulture” and horticulture careers. They will also make a living mad scientist (grass heads).
• Lesson 2: Plant Maze Part 1
  • Learn about what plant’s need to grow and design your own plant maze for the plants to grow through.
• Lesson 3: Plant Maze Part 2
  • Construct your plant maze based off of your designs.
• Lesson 4: Wacky Worms
  • Learn about vermiculture (worm composting) and set up your own worm compost bin.
• Lesson 5: Ecosystems in a Jar
  • Study aquatic food chains, fishing stock rates, creel and size limits used by Fish Biologists to manage largemouth bass populations. Learn how the eye of a bass works and why water clarity effect largemouth bass behavior
• Lesson 6: Observations and Edible Soil
  • Look over all of the observations you made throughout the program, and compare your results with partners. Learn about the layers of the Earth through edible soil cups. "

Outside of work, what are some of your favorite hobbies?

"Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my dogs creating our dream homestead. I enjoy gardening, raising chickens and rabbits, and food preservation. I also enjoy all things outdoors including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and kayaking, as well as traveling and doing once in a lifetime experiences while on vacation."

What does 'Beyond Ready' mean to you?

"To me, ‘Beyond Ready’ means that youth are prepared for whatever life throws their way. We don’t know what the future holds, but what we do know is that jobs and careers will exist for our young people that have not even been dreamt about today. As 4-H staff we are teaching the skills needed that prepare youth for whatever the future holds."

EDITOR: Anthony Warmack, communications and marketing coordinator, Illinois Extension.

SOURCE:  Brittney Muschetto-DePatis, 4-H youth development educator, Illinois Extension.

IMAGE CAPTION: "4-H Youth Development Educator Brittney Muschetto-DePatis with Extension Associate Dean and Director Matthew Vann. Credit: University of Illinois / Illinois Extension"

MEDIA ACCESS:  For press inquiries, contact Anthony Warmack, warmacka@illinois.edu, 217-244-5813. Want to keep in touch with news from Illinois Extension? Sign up for press updates.

About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension, administered through the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. Through hands-on learning and life-changing experiences, Illinois 4-H prepares youth to be Beyond Ready — ready for college, career, military service, entrepreneurship, and more. Young people build confidence, leadership, and resilience as they explore interests from agriculture to computer science. Independent research and national surveys confirm the powerful outcomes of 4-H: participants are 40% more likely to pursue a college degree, twice as likely to obtain technical training, and two times more likely to serve in the military. With a legacy of cultivating leaders, Illinois 4-H continues to grow the next generation who are equipped to thrive in life and work today and beyond.