Posted: June 27, 2023
A first place Search for Excellence award was given to the Penn State Master Gardeners for the Native Bee Monitoring Program.
Pictured: Valerie Sesler, Stephanie Szakal, and Susan Janton
The Penn State Extension Master Gardener program was recognized for excellence during the 2023 International Master Gardener Conference, hosted by the Kansas State University Extension Master Gardeners of Johnson County, held in Overland Park, Kansas, June 18 - 22, 2023. The award was presented during the conference and was attended by 1,130 Extension Master Gardeners and Extension professionals from 44 states, Canada, and England.
The David Gibby International Search for Excellence Awards, named in honor of the founder of the Extension Master Gardener program, recognize exemplary group projects that show significant learning by the Master Gardeners or the public. The award-winning projects showcase the efforts and talents of Master Gardener volunteers, often providing economic, environmental, educational, and health impacts. These innovative projects frequently serve as models, influencing the development of Extension Master Gardener-led programs worldwide.
The awards are divided into seven categories: Community Service, Demonstration Gardens, Innovative Projects, Research (Applied Scientific Methodology), Special Needs Audiences (Senior, Disabled Audiences or Horticultural Therapy), Workshops or Presentations, and Youth Programs.
Penn State Master Gardeners placed first in the Research (Applied Scientific Methodology) category. Twenty Penn State Extension Master Gardeners are working with the López-Uribe Lab from Penn State University's Entomology Department in a multi-year effort to increase understanding of Pennsylvania's native bee population. This community science project leverages Master Gardeners' interest in pollinators while providing advanced training on the protocols used to collect, pin, label, and identify native bees.
Currently, there are over 4,000 Master Gardener volunteers who support Penn State Extension's educational programs in consumer horticulture. They help Extension better serve the home-gardening public by answering questions, speaking to groups, gardening in demonstration gardens, and participating in many other projects.
To learn more about the Extension Master Gardener program in your area, visit the Penn State Extension Master Gardener website.
