Extension’s Hopkins wins national award

Kathryn Hopkins, University of Maine Extension educator in the Somerset Extension office in Skowhegan, received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents during the recent 2011 Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference in Overland Park, Kansas.

Hopkins was one of several honorees representing the top two percent of the membership selected by their peers and the director of Extension. The following is from Hopkins’ recognition citation:

“Serving Somerset County since 1997, Kathryn M. Hopkins works in agriculture and natural resources. Her core of work involves the maple producers of Maine. She established the International Maple Grading School in 2003 at which over 150 producers have been certified. In addition, Kathy developed a Master Gardener Program in the county in which she has trained an estimated 286 volunteers. Kathy played a key role in designing a Home Energy Conservation program for Maine.”

Sept. 9, 2011

Contact: Kathryn Hopkins at (207) 474-9622