The Charles-Mix County 4-H Department has a friendly new face in their office. Jo Cee Johnston joined the Charles-Mix County 4-H as an administrative assistant on January 16th. Jo Cee is originally from Royal, NE but has recently moved to Platte.

Jo Cee graduated from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, NE. Her degrees are in Animal Science and Livestock Management. During college, Jo Cee worked at a local dairy where she focused on maintaining herd health for almost 3000 cattle. After graduating from college, Jo Cee turned her focus to agronomy. Before taking her current position, she had worked as a scout for a local fertilizer plant for two years.

When asked why she became interested in this position with the Charles-Mix County 4-H, Jo Cee said that when she read about the open position, she thought that it would be right up her alley. Jo Cee grew up on a farm and it has instilled in her a passion for agriculture, so it was a natural fit for her to want to pursue it as a career. What she has enjoyed most about growing up on a farm is the work ethic that it has taught her and the importance of being a part of such a great community.

As an administrative assistant for the Charles-Mix County 4-H program Jo Cee will assist with event planning including County Achievement Days; assist with education programs; maintain and operate 4-H online and fair entry; maintain schedules and process mail; coordinate renting of the 4-H center; create, publish, and distribute the 4-H newsletter; maintain county 4-H files; maintain records of 4-H leaders meeting as well as Fair Board; make referrals to field specialist when clientele has questions regarding other extension content areas, work with clientele in person, over the phone and via email to address needs and resources; as well as provide applicator testing; and other extension needs.

Jo Cee is really looking forward to getting to work with the counties youth and being a part of the 4-H and Extension community. It is one of Jo Cee’s career goals to get more families involved in 4-H and Extension programming and to help grow the 4-H program throughout the country. Jo Cee enjoys working with the public, so being able to communicate the benefits and opportunities that 4-H and Extension programming offers has the potential to be an asset for her in her new position.

Living in South Dakota was something that Jo Cee has always known would be a part of her future. The countryside is so beautiful, and the hunting and fishing is great. Jo Cee has family in Platte and the Ree Heights/Highmore area, so she still has a little bit of home even though she is far away from home. There are a couple of differences from where Jo Cee great up in Nebraska in comparison to her new home in Platte. The Platte area does not have as many corn fields as her hometown area in Nebraska, nor does this part of South Dakota have sand. Surprisingly, Jo Cee said that South Dakota has less pot holes in the road as the area of Royal, NE. There are the similarities that both are rural communities that Since moving to Platte, Jo Cee has enjoyed her drive to work, getting to see the beautiful river hills in the morning. She has even been able to do a little bit of ice fishing when the ice was good. Most of all she is really enjoying getting to meet all the new people in the area and getting to know them and their stories. Since starting her job at the Charles-Mix County courthouse, Jo Cee has had a great experience and has met many wonderful people and co-workers.

When Jo Cee is not busy working, she enjoys cooking, fishing and hunting.

Welcome to the county, Jo Cee. We cannot wait to see what great things you will come up with to enhance the already excellent 4-H program that Charles-Mix has.