Scholarship program in Collin County is quite the buzz

The dying breed of beekeepers is being replenished in Collin County through a youth scholarship program. The Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association works with young men and women to not only teach them the hobby, but to educate them as well on the industry as a whole.

“We noticed a sharp decline in youth interest in beekeeping and started a scholarship program in 2002 that fostered involvement in young people in the county,” said Blake Shook, CCHBA president. “Only 8 percent of beekeepers are over 41 now in our organization.”

Children between the ages of 12 and 17 can apply for the program. All children are welcome; the main thing the association looks for is a sincere desire to learn about the hobby.

“We’ve had 60 to 70 kids go through the scholarship program since it began eight years ago,” Shook said. “And more than half of our association is very young, which is great for the continuation of the hobby because most people don’t realize the vital importance bees have on our food supply.”

The program provides all the equipment necessary for the kids to become a beekeeper. They are given books, get to participate in a class, have a mentor, and get to have their own hive to learn from and take care of during the process. The direct mentorship and close supervision last for one year, which is long enough to ensure the student has had enough time to be on their own in the hobby.

A scholarship recipient himself, Shook knows and appreciates the value and opportunity provided by the program.

Participants in the program, Matthew and James Masker of Nevada, are two of five siblings involved in the hobby. They are scholarship recipients and have been beekeeping now for three years.

“You get to learn firsthand from experienced beekeepers who help make sure your hive is healthy and producing honey,” said Matthew Mansker, 16. “Also, you get public speaking skills because during meetings, you give speeches about how your hive is doing and things you’ve learned your hive is doing and things you learn.”

His brother also enjoys keeping bees and also enjoys meeting new people in the industry.

“It is good to get to learn about how bees do their work and to work with other beekeepers,” said James Mansker, 20. “Plus, you’ll have something to fall back on if you lose your job.”

Another youth program teaching kids about beekeeping is the Honey Queen program. This program is for young women interested in the hobby who have an interest in becoming a spokesperson for the industry.

“The Texas Honey Queen is a young woman already well-versed in beekeeping. It is a polishing step for the participants to represent the beekeeping industry,” said Shirley Acevedo, chairperson for the Texas Honey Queens. “To be a Texas honey queen, you must first be involved on a local level. Not all associations have a honey queen program, though, so each beekeeping organization in the state who have youth participants selects one young lady to be considered as the Texas Honey Queen.”

Applicants are screened by a selection committee.

“They must be an experienced beekeeper, congenial, personable, have a pleasant appearance and be willing to travel for speaking engagements,” Acevedo said. “They do get a crown and sash as the queen, but it is something we want them to take seriously as well.”

Not a beauty pageant, the participants are given the opportunity to truly learn the business of beekeeping and get to perfect their speaking abilities at numerous engagements throughout the year. The title is for one year and goes from November to November each year.

“CCHBA's youth program is an excellent program to get young people involved in beekeeping. The young people who go through the program are excited and ready to be involved in bees. The program is very thorough and a perfect way to supply youth with the resources to get started,” said Kaylynn Mansker, 19, sister of James and Matthew and the 2010 Collin County Hobby Beekeepers Association Honey Queen. “The thing I most enjoy about being honey queen is my ability to go into schools and educate children on the importance of honeybees. It is wonderful to see the reactions and excitement when you teach children things like pollination and how bees pollinate over 90 different food crops. The kids just soak up the information.”

Like her brothers, she appreciates the benefits the youth program provides.

“I am learning so much about beekeeping myself, but I am also becoming more proficient in sharing that knowledge with others. I can educate others on the importance of preserving the bees and teach them practical ways to help beekeepers.  Also, beekeeping can generate a source of income; if you work the business, it will pay,” said Kaylynn.

She hopes to join the ranks of Allison Adams, 18, of Plano, who is the 2009-2010 Texas Honey Queen. Adams was a CCHBA Honey Queen prior to being selected as the Texas spokesperson.

She had an interest in natural things and was introduced to beekeeping through researching butterfly nectar sources and larval host plants and designing butterfly gardens as a science project.

“When I heard about keeping bees through the CCHBA youth scholarship program, it seemed like an excellent fit for me,” said Adams. “At some point in the future, I would like to design and build my own honey house where I could extract and bottle honey to sell, in addition to producing and selling beeswax candles, lotion bars, lip balms, and creams, honey bee-themed stationery, and perhaps baked goods. I am also interested in continuing to speak and teach about various aspects of beekeeping and bee-related arts, such as cooking with honey or using beeswax to produce batik fabric. There are just so many profitable business options for the beekeeper.”

Because many people do not understand the importance of bees in our lives, Adams appreciated learning about the connection to our food supply.

“Through beekeeping, I gained a deeper understanding of where my food came from and how it was produced. No, apples and almonds, oranges and cherries, blueberries and cranberries, pumpkins and watermelons really don’t come from the grocery store - they come from flowers which must be pollinated. Even cotton is pollinated by honeybees. In fact, honeybees pollinate almost one-third of the foods that we eat, and over 90 different crops in the United States alone.”

Adams considers the hobby an excellent opportunity for quality family time and personal growth.

“Beekeeping has been a wonderful project for our whole family,” Adams said. “As a youth scholarship recipient and honey queen, I have had the opportunity to interact with and learn from people of all ages. I have learned commitment, responsibility and patience - and the end product is truly worth the work and the wait.”

Anyone can be a beekeeper, according to Adams.

“Beekeeping is one of the experiences in my life I am most grateful for,” Adams said. The bees themselves provide a good example of industry, cooperation and self-sacrifice - I think we could learn much from them.”

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