• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association
Bluebonnet Master Gardener AssociationTexas AgriLife Extension Service

Members Only   Enter Hours

  • Menu
  • #5 (no title)
  • About
  • Calendar
  • Projects
  • Resources
  • News Blog
  • Training Class
  • Contact Us

BMGA Graduates 19 New Interns

May 12, 2020 by cmschweikhardt

Texas Master Gardener Logo

The Bluebonnet Master Gardener Association is proud to announce the graduation of 19 Master Gardener Interns who completed its 2020 Master Gardener Training Class.  Master Gardener training is tough any time, but this group of interns are a particularly hardy, dedicated, flexible and passionate group.  The class endured unique challenges due to the pandemic sending the last five training classes, a total of 20 hours, to online video conference sessions. Even the required intern presentations and the final exam moved to an online format.  All but one field trip was cancelled.

Congratulations to the 2020 BMGA intern graduates:

Bobby Bentke Linda Hufford
Mary Jane Berger Lillian Kwiatkowski
Rex Boyd Kathleen Lannou
Terri Burnham Mike Lannou
Deanna Butler Cindy McAllister
Cameron Carper Scarbrough, Carol
Michael Fromm Gary Scardino
Esther Hartman Stephanie Vickers
Randy Hegemeyer Bonnie Wills
Linda Hill

The class started out as one of change, including a new statewide Texas Master Gardener Handbook with new material to include in the program.  In addition, the class was held for the first time in Washington County, first steps were taken to revive the mentor program and at the start of the class, efforts were made to move some administrative components of the class online. Although bumps in the road were expected due to the changes, a pandemic shutting down in-person training halfway through the 15-week program was not anticipated.

However, with the work and guidance of Washington County Texas AgriLife Extension Agent Kara Matheney, the many professionals associated with Texas A&M University and the class participants’ eagerness to continue their training, classes moved online with Zoom video presentations from AgriLife Specialists and others to complete the course.   Although challenges persisted, the material and speakers were of the high quality required for Texas Master Gardener training.

The BMGA 2020 Training Class Committee gives a special “thank you” to all who presented to the class in-person or via video:

Kara Matheney –  Introduction to AgriLife
Dr. Jake Mowrer – Soil Characteristics & Soil Improvement
Elizabeth Wizzie Brown – Insects
Joseph Johnson – Tour of the Leach Teaching Gardens at Texas A&M
Charlene & B.R. Koehler – Plant Propagation
Randy Albers – Plant Propagation
Michael Potter – Landscape Design
Jayla Fry – Plant Development
Sheila McBride – Diseases
Joel Pigg – Water
Tim Hartman –  Earth-Kind Landscapes
Erfan Vafaie – Integrated Pest Management
Tim Hartman – Fruit Trees
Rebecca Bowling – Lawns & Weeds
Skip Richter  – Vegetable and Herbs and Organic Gardening

Filed Under: Other Tagged With: CertificationClass

Quick Search Tags

Advanced Training CertificationClass CEU Citrus Compost Disease Earth-Kind Education Fruit Fruit; Trees; CEU Greenhouses Herbs Irrigation Kids LandscapeDesign Lawns LunchandLearn Pests Pollinators Produce Propagation RainwaterHarvesting Roses Seminar TexasSuperstars Trees Vegetables Volunteer Webinar Wildflowers
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Texas A&M University System Member
  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information