...Tuesday Letter Archives  

Lindsey George, from Uniontown, will be serving in Reno County. Lindsey is a K-State student and plans to graduate in May 2006 with a degree in Agriculture.

Macey Hedges, from Burden, will be serving in Leavenworth County. Macey is a student at Oklahoma State University and will graduate in May 2004 with a degree in Agricultural Communications.

Heather Hopper, from Leonardville, will be serving in Greenwood County. Heather is a K-State student and will be graduating May 2003 with a degree in Agriculture.

Beth Shanholtzer, from McCune, will be serving in Douglas County. Beth is a K-State student and will graduate in May 2004 with a degree in Animal Sciences.

Emily Walker, from Manhattan, will be serving in Wyandotte County. Emily is a K-State student and will be graduating in May 2003 with a degree in Human Nutrition. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@oznet.ksu.edu 

K-STATE RADIO NETWORK UPDATE
The K-State Radio Network continues to make progress in establishing radio outlets for K-State Research and Extension information. Since KKSU-AM left the air in November, the staff has been working with radio programmers around the state to determine the types of information they would be willing to air from K-State Research and Extension and the methods by which to deliver that information to them.

In January, KFRM-AM in Clay Center began airing a new daily "Agriculture Today" program, and once a new broadcast audio delivery system is in place, a station in northwest Kansas will also begin airing the show. That new delivery system is a digital audio satellite uplink, which will enable radio programming from K-State to be distributed directly to interconnected radio stations all over Kansas and across the country. It is anticipated that the uplink service will be operational around May 1, at which time two other radio stations (one in southwest Kansas and one in northeast Kansas) will begin airing a new daily radio program which will feature stories about agriculture, family and consumer sciences, news and public affairs, and more.

The K-State Radio Network staff continue to explore options for re-establishing a radio station in Manhattan to serve northeastern Kansas, but because of ownership and federal regulation complications, such an eventuality is long-term in nature.

As it has for decades, the staff continues to distribute to radio stations throughout Kansas a weekly set of agriculture, FACS, horticulture, and public affairs audio as the "K-State Radio Network." That audio is distributed to nearly 60 radio stations and networks via CD and the Internet.

All of the audio produced by the K-State Radio Network, including daily programs and weekly features, can be heard at http://www.kksu.com . --Larry Jackson ljackson@oznet.ksu.edu ; and Kris Boone kboone@oznet.ksu.edu 

KEAFCS COMMUNICATION AWARD WINNERS
Please join me in congratulating the following FACS agents. They are Kansas' 2003 Communication awards recipients:
Linda Walter (Finney County) Written news and Community Partnership
Donna Martinson (Geary County) Written news
Lisa Farmer (Wyandotte County) Newsletters & Television
Denise Sullivan (Leavenworth County) Newsletters

These agents will be recognized during Friendship Night at January's annual conference. Their entries have been submitted for area recognition now.

Congratulations, Linda, Donna, Lisa and Denise! --Patricia Gerhardt pgerhard@oznet.ksu.edu 

PLANNING FOR A BETTER COMMUNITY
The future of any community will either be the result of chance or purposeful planning.

In response to the request of enrolled Kansas PRIDE communities, the PRIDE staff will be facilitating community-planning workshops this April. Doug Reed, Community Capacity Building Program Coordinator at KDOCH, will be presenting at each of the workshops. The PRIDE communities hosting the workshops include:

Stockton, April 21 (Nova Theater, 7 - 8:30 p.m.)
Potwin, April 22 (Community House, 7 - 8:30 p.m.)
Melvern, April 29 (Community Center, 7 - 8:30 p.m.)
Westmoreland, May 6 (United Methodist Church Education Building, 7 - 8:30 p.m.)

Extension agents are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact Dan Kahl at: dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu . --Dan Kahl 

WORKERS NEEDED FOR RESEARCH AND EXTENSION BOOTH AT 3i Show
K-State Research and Extension will have a booth at the 3i Show in Garden City this year. The show takes place on the Finney County Fairgrounds, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, April 24, 25, and 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We will be in booth number I-145, located in Exhibit Hall A, which is the largest exhibit hall. If you come in the north door of the building, we will be about 10 booths to your right in the first aisle. There is no entrance or parking fee.

We would like to have help in the booth from both researchers and extension personnel. We are flexible on how long anyone would need to work, and certainly, the more volunteers the better. I will bring the display and handout materials from campus and will plan on being available during the entire show.

The 3i Show is a huge farm machinery show which also has some daily programming aimed at spouses. Our booth will have information from all Core Mission Themes, plus will feature some special information on canola production this year.

If you would like to work in our booth during the 3i Show, please e-mail Cassie Mitchell, cmitchel@oznet.ksu.edu , or call 785-532-5729 by Friday, April 18, to sign up. We appreciate your assistance. --Steven Graham sgraham@oznet.ksu.edu 

YOUTHWORKS - SELF STUDY GUIDES AVAILABLE
Before retiring, Marcia McFarland, 4-H Youth Development Specialist, helped write a self study manual of the "Moving Ahead - Preparing the Youth Development Professional Training." Many of you may have seen the copy I had at Spring Action Conference.

YouthWorks, self study modules, are designed to better prepare staff who work with youth in our out of school settings to plan and deliver appropriate and effective programs. They contain:

*Five individual study guides
*Four interactive CD ROM experiences that support the learning activities in the guides
*Facilitators guide that outlines the most effective methods for using the material

If you have not been able to attend "Moving Ahead," you could take this self study course yourself, and share it with 4-H volunteers or other staff who work with youth. This manual can be used many times by copying the worksheets for each participant.

To order, send a check to the State 4-H Office for $100, made payable to the Kansas 4-H Foundation. If you would like a brochure, contact the State 4-H Office. --Diane Mack dmack@oznet.ksu.edu 

LEADERSHIP ASSET MAPPING
Have you ever considered what gives a person influence in a given situation or with a particular crowd? Have you ever considered what influence various organizations or institutions in a community might lend to an effort? Four area workshops will focus on individual and community leadership capacity building this April and May. 

"Mapping Our Assets: A New Approach to Community Leadership" will explore leadership as an influence relationship. The workshop will explore how personal influence can be focused to improve the effectiveness of group work. Mapping and utilizing influence assets both on the individual and community level will enhance the work success of extension agents, community leaders, or anyone in a leadership role. 

Workshop Locations are:
Nova Theater, Stockton - April 21
Holiday Inn Express, Pratt - April 28
Art of the Prairie Gallery, Sedan - April 29
Pottorf Hall, Manhattan - May 6

For registration information, visit: http://www.kansasprideprogram.ksu.edu/PRIDE/spg03workshop.PDF . For more information, contact Dan Kahl at dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu . --Dan Kahl

WHEN AND WHERE IS THE NEXT STATE 4-H CONTEST?
This is among the most frequently asked questions these days. Hopefully, the following list will help you keep up with the changes. Please refer to the 4-H Tip Sheet Calendar for additional events and contacts. 

Kansas State Fair Related 4-H Activities to be held in 2003:

  1. June 5 - Kansas 4-H Livestock Skillathon, KSU, Julie Voge
  2. June 5 - 4-H Family and Consumer Sciences Quiz Bowl, KSU, Margaret Phillips
  3. June 24 - State 4-H Horse Judging Contest, KSU, Ann Domsch
  4. August 15 - State 4-H Dairy Cattle Judging Contest, Salina, Carl Garten
  5. August 15 - State 4-H Dairy Cattle Quiz Bowl Contest, Salina, Pam Van Horn
  6. Mid-August - State 4-H Meats Judging Contest, TBA by Dave Schafer
  7. Aug. 30 - State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, KSU, Julie Voge
  8. September 6 - 1 p.m. - State 4-H Crops ID Contest, KSF 4-H Encampment Building, Gene Algrim
  9. Sept. 13 - 4-H Fashion Revue Judging, Stringer Fine Arts Center, Hutchinson, Beth Hinshaw
10. Sept. 13 - 1:30 pm - State 4-H Poultry Judging Contest, KSF 4-H Encampment Building, Scott Beyer
11. Sept. 13 - 4:pm - 4-H Construction Fashion Revue, KSF 4-H Encampment Building, Beth Hinshaw
12. Sept. 13 - 5:pm - 4-H Buymanship Fashion Revue, KSF 4-H Encampment Building, Beth Hinshaw
13. Sept. 14 - 8:am 4-H/FFA Rabbit Showmanship & Evaluation Contest, KSF Rabbit Building, Gary Gerhard

Kansas State Fair Related 4-H Activities postponed for 2003:

1. Demonstrations at KSF
2. Photo Fun Day at KSF
3. Kansas 4-H Showcase and Mini Style Show at KSF
4. Family and Consumer Sciences Judging Contest at KSF

Discontinued Kansas State Fair Related 4-H Activities:

1. Bee Science Exhibits at KSF and Bee Science Essay Contest
2. Beef and Sheep Quiz Bowls
--Jim Adams jadams@oznet.ksu.edu 

WALK KANSAS
The new Walk Kansas web site has apparently survived eID and password changes. Many of the county agents who are offering Walk Kansas have their teams and miles on the web site. As of 4/7/03 there are 1,609 teams and 9,609 participants posted. Check out team progress on the web site: www.oznet.ksu.edu/walk . Click on team progress for your county and then click on a team name to see how far they have walked. Some counties are starting Walk Kansas later in the spring. A special thank you to Pat Hackenberg, Susan Bale, Gamage Dissanayake, Will Baldwin and Kyle Moore for putting the web site together. --Mike Bradshaw bradshaw@humec.ksu.edu 

REMINDER: AT-LARGE NATIONAL 4-H CONGRESS OPPORTUNITY
This is a follow-up to Steve Fisher's February 10, 2003, letter to all Extension Agents with 4-H responsibilities. Counties that wish to honor an outstanding 4-H participant may do so again this year with a trip to National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia, November 28-December 2. Fifteen counties took advantage of this very special recognition opportunity during 4-H's National Centenniel Year in 2002.

Participating counties in 2003 will need to notify the State 4-H Office by May 15, with a $100 deposit and the name of the delegate on the form provided with the February 10 letter. The cost for the At-Large delegates will be the full amount, approximately $800 (no registration grant is offered). At-Large Delegates will not be invited to the Emerald Circle Banquet on June 5, as it is reserved for state project and scholarship winners only.

It is up to the county to determine how they will select their delegate, should they choose to participate. To be eligible, delegates must:

* be enrolled in Kansas 4-H, 
* have reached their 14th, but not their 19th birthday, by January 1, 2003,
* not have previously attended EITHER National 4-H Congress or National 4-H Conference, and 
* agree to follow the prescribed code of conduct, realizing failure to do so may result in the loss of privileges during the event and/or in the future.

If you have additional questions, you may contact me or Lori Hutchins in the State 4-H Office. --Gary W. Gerhard ggerhard@oznet.ksu.edu 

LIVESTOCK JUDGING AND ORAL REASONS CAMPS
The Livestock Judging and Oral Reasons Camps will be held June 2-4, June 11-13, June 17-19, June 21-23 and July 1-3 in Weber Arena.

These camps have been designed for 4-H and FFA members (ages 14-18) who are seriously interested in enhancing their livestock judging and oral communication skills. Species covered will include beef cattle, swine and sheep. The camp will focus primarily on the proper format, terminology and presentation of oral reasons. Camp participants will also be exposed to livestock evaluation skills and the use of performance records in breeding livestock. The registration fee is $170 and will cover housing, meals, a T-shirt, and a livestock judging manual.

We are also offering a beginning camp on June 14. This one-day camp is designed for youth of all ages who have had little or no training in livestock judging. Participants will learn the fundamentals of swine, cattle and sheep evaluation and will be exposed to proper note taking and terminology used to describe livestock. The camp will focus on developing a reasons format and presenting oral reasons. The objective of this camp is to equip each participant with the necessary information to become more confident with livestock judging and oral reasons. The registration fee for this camp will be $45 and will cover lunch, a T-shirt, and a livestock judging manual.

Make checks payable to KSU Judging Camp and send them to Dr. Scott Schaake, Kansas State University, Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, 134B Weber Hall, Manhattan KS 66506-0201 by May 9. To request a brochure or additional information, please contact Scott Schaake at 785-532-1242. --Scott Schaake

HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION GRANT AVAILABLE
Earth Awareness Researchers for Tomorrow's Habitat (E.A.R.T.H.) is an award winning (NAE4-HA National Communicator and EPA Pollution Prevention Awards), hands-on middle school environmental science curriculum. This grant-funded program is a partnership of the Sedgwick County E.A.R.T.H community coalition, KDHE's EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Grant, and KCARE.

This year, KDHE has set aside $10,000 in grant funding to bring the E.A.R.T.H. program to five new locations in Kansas. Counties or groups of counties that choose to participate in an E.A.R.T.H. pilot program will receive $2,000 in grant funding, technical support from the Sedgwick County E.A.R.T.H. Steering Committee, and a multidisciplinary program that usually fits well into most agents' outcomes and priorities.

The Sedgwick County E.A.R.T.H. Steering Committee would like to invite those who are interested in starting an E.A.R.T.H. program in their county or groups of counties to attend the 2003 E.A.R.T.H. Workshop on April 29 or 30 at 10 a.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Office, 7001 W. 21^st Street N. in Wichita. Come see what 1,300 students have learned about the environment this year as a result of participating in the E.A.R.T.H. program!

Please RSVP by April 22, 2003 to Nancy Larson, VIP Committee Chairperson, at 316-722-7721, Ext. 254, or nlarson@oznet.ksu.edu  If you are unable to attend but would like to receive more information about E.A.R.T.H., please contact Tonya Bronleewe at 316-722-7721, Ext. 229 or tonyab@oznet.ksu.edu . --Tonya Bronleewe