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Abby Dingman is Jefferson County ISU Extension’s County Youth Coordinator
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FAIRFIELD – Abby Dingman is the new County Youth Coordinator for Jefferson County ISU Extension and Outreach.
Dingman began her role in August, a few months after graduating from Iowa State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Though she’s fresh out of college, Dingman already has a wealth of experience with ISU Extension, having interned at both the extension office in her native Lee County and the one in Story County while she was a student in Ames.
As County Youth Coordinator, Dingman is in charge of the extension office’s programming for kids, which includes summer camps and day camps at the extension office as well as leading lessons in the classroom. She also coordinates the county’s 4-H programming, which includes overseeing six 4-H clubs and four Clover Kids clubs. Clover Kids is for youth in grades kindergarten through third grade, while 4-H is for those in grades fourth through 12th.
Dingman is herself a veteran of 4-H. She grew up on a farm in Lee County and attended Holy Trinity Catholic Schools, graduating in 2020. While in the Busy Workers 4-H club, Dingman showed pigs and sheep, and created static exhibits such as a scrapbook and a gumball machine. When she wasn’t in school or attending to her animals, Dingman was active in volleyball, soccer, dance team, National Honor Society, and in the school’s spring musicals.
After high school, Dingman attended Southeastern Community College in West Burlington for one year before transferring to Iowa State. She chose to study Human Development and Family Studies because she’s always enjoyed working with kids.
“I originally thought I wanted to be a teacher,” Dingman said. “My mom was a teacher. I really liked the sound of some of the courses that were part of the [Human Development] major, and once I learned more about it, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s what I want to do.’”
Dingman already had her eye on working for ISU Extension after college. Between her sophomore and junior years, she worked as a summer intern for Lee County ISU Extension. During her final semester of college in the spring of 2024, Dingman worked as an intern at Story County ISU Extension, which was a unique experience from her earlier internship because Story County is much larger with about 500-600 4-H’ers, and had a special program for Spanish speakers.
Those internships are not Dingman’s only work experience. On two different stints, Dingman went to work at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida through the company’s college program. During her first time in the fall of 2022, Dingman ran a rollercoaster in the Magic Kingdom theme park. The ride had a Seven Dwarves Mine Train theme, and was the newest ride in the park at that time, so it was very busy every day.
Dingman went back to work at Disney World a second time just after graduating from Iowa State in May 2024. This time, she worked in the kitchen of a quick-service restaurant in Pinocchio’s Village Haus.
“It’s really fast-paced. You’re getting the food out as soon as you can,” Dingman said.
Dingman said she enjoyed the chance to learn new culinary skills, but she preferred her first job where she got to interact with the public more, and especially with kids.
Upon her return to Iowa, Dingman learned that Jefferson County Extension was looking for a new County Youth Coordinator. Her former 4-H leader in Lee County encouraged her to apply.
“She was like, ‘You need to apply because I know this is what you want to do,’” Dingman said.
Since she began her role, Dingman has had a chance to familiarize herself with the many facets of 4-H, including those she didn’t know about before. She’s working on preparing a number of upcoming programs, including developing a wildlife habitat education program with assistance from Jefferson County Naturalist Austin Roe. Some of the extension office’s upcoming programs include a Lorax Day Camp on March 19, a seed starting workshop on March 20, a lambing workshop on April 12 and many more.
Dingman said one of the things she’s looking forward to this summer is helping with the Greater Jefferson County Fair.
“I haven't been to this fair yet, so I'm really excited,” she said.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
