N.C. Cooperative Extension, Swain County Center welcomes two new agents. Amber Johnston is the new 4-H agent, and Shannon Royce is the new family and consumer science agent. Both are looking forward to connecting with the community.

Extension agents are a source of information and offer a variety of free programs that help build helpful life skills. Johnston’s work will focus on 4-H agricultural and life skills programs for area youth, and Royce’s work will focus primarily on adult health through fitness, nutrition and other programs.

Amber Johnston is well versed in education and 4-H. She spent 21 years working in higher education across campus services from student organizations to academic advising and teaching.

“I’ve taught classes all over the country, including Western Carolina University, Texas A&M, Commerce, Indiana University and Mount Olive in Raleigh.”

As a youth growing up in Indiana, 4-H was a formative part of life.

“I myself am a third generation 4-H’er,” she said. “I grew up with it. To my mother’s demise, I learned how to walk at the fair.”

As a youth in 4-H, she started showing sheep and in the sewing club and then went on to more projects from there.

She and her husband, Eddie, and twin boys who attend West Elementary have been in Bryson City for 2½ years.

“The boys are involved now, and I wanted something different to do that I could be involved with the whole family spend more time with my children and get to know more people within the community and give back more,” Johnston shared. “Volunteering is in my blood, it’s in my heart.”

When it comes to programming, Johnston said she looks forward to learning what the community is interested in, continuing programs the youth already love and introducing new ones.

“I hope to become another piece in the village that helps raise the children, teaching leadership, life skills, volunteering, understanding community and being all-around good people,” she said.

After working online from home the past 2 ½ years, she’s ready to jump right in and meet people.

“I want to be able to help instill the passion of 4-H that I was given and be able to pass that along,” she said.

Parents and youth be on the lookout of the next upcoming project, the annual holiday card contest.

Shannon Royce is a familiar face to many in the community, having owned and operated her own Training the Older Adult fitness studio in town the past few years. She’s been in Bryson City for 18 years and is married to Chris and has a daughter who attends Swain High School.

“I am excited about the programs and resources available to address the community on a number of levels like mental health, financial health, physical health and nutritional health, and using the research-based programming to address those issues and be able to reach a broader audience,” Royce said.

She was already teaching a handful of fitness classes at the Swain County Senior Center as a volunteer when she learned about the opening for her new position. The great news is she will continue programming like Tai Chi for balance, a fall prevention class called A Matter of Balance and Drum Fit, plus be adding new programs, like 10-week strength training programs Lift and Bing Size.

She will also be starting a program called Med, which teaches the many benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

“I’m excited to expand my knowledge base and learn more about nutrition and things like canning and sewing, some of the more home ec skills going outside of my wheelhouse,” she said of her new job.

She’s also looking forward to expanding her audience and offering programs like financial and nutritional health to teenagers and young adults.

Currently scheduled ongoing programs include Drum Fit at 10 a.m. Mondays at the Senior Center.

“I still get to do all the things I love and learn about new stuff, and it’s all part of my job!” Royce said with a broad smile.

Written by: Jessica Webb editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com