The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service

  
Vol. 12, No. 19  March 21, 2006

IN THIS ISSUE...

...Word from the Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research
...Leadership and Diversity - Special Opportunity! - It's Not Too Late!
...Bridges Out of Poverty
...Mike Bradshaw Receives Award
...FCS Scholarship for Professional Development Announced
...Thank You from David Coltrain
...Operation Military Kids - Ready, Set, Go Training
..."The Stuff You Need to Know" 4-H Promotional Posters
...Master Schedule

...Tuesday Letter Archives

WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
I hope and pray everyone is safe and secure through this late winter storm and associated family travels that are happening with spring break at many schools this week!

At the recent Extension administrative retreat, we devoted some time to a review of the newly released monograph, "Good to Great and the Social Sectors" by Jim Collins. This is an excellent addition to the original, "Good to Great" by the same author. It delves into seeking answers to the questions of "do the principles and measures that lead to greatness in business hold within social sector organizations?", and "how does one weigh in on those critical principles and their relative importance for a non-business/social sector organization?" Collins points out that "non-business" organizations include sectors like "education, health care, churches, the arts, social services, cause-driven non-profits, police, governmental agencies, and military units." If you are interested in further study, check out http://www.jimcollins.com . Additionally, both books are available in most bookstores and on-line through various popular bookstore sources. I'll admit that the monograph has value in and by itself, but have to believe that it is much easier to understand concepts, principles, and terminology if you have already been through the original, "Good to Great ."

Collins looks into five issues of social sector organizations that present differences from the business sector. Those include, measures of success within an organization, common diffuse power structures, constraints in getting the right people working for the organization (paid and volunteer staff), rethinking the economic engine when profit isn't a motive, and building the brand as a means of creating momentum.

While one might suggest that such a book is written for the leadership of a business, in the diffuse structure of an organization like K-State Research and Extension, everyone can gain from understanding and working towards well researched principles. In the coming weeks, I will take a look at what Collins has to say about each of the previously mentioned issues and offer some thoughts with respect to K-State Research and Extension and how we might continue on our path from good to great. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu

LEADERSHIP AND DIVERSITY - SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY! - IT'S NOT TOO LATE!
The registration deadline for the Leadership and Diversity workshop in Garden City has been extended to Friday, March 27. As you recall, "Dimensions of Diversity: Leadership and Inclusion in Kansas," will be hosted at the K-State Research and Extension, Southwest Area office in Garden City on April 4-5, 2006. Sponsors include K-State Research and Extension, the Kansas Health Foundation, Kansas Leadership Forum, the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development, and the Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance.

Featured speakers include our own Debra Bolton, SW Area FCS Specialist; Gloria Davis, Superintendent of Schools in Dodge City; Janie Perkins, Mayor of Garden City and a member of the Kansas Board of Regents; and Dennis Mesa, Regional Director for Senator Sam Brownback.

The program is designed to enhance the capacity of 21st Century leaders and those working with leadership programs to deal with diversity issues. Those attending will have a special opportunity to engage in an immersion experience, where teams of participants will be sent into the community to interact with diversity firsthand. This activity was tested at an earlier workshop and was very highly rated, so you won't want to miss out. Come gain ideas about how to enrich our programming through diversity.

For more information or to register, go to www.kansasleadershipforum.com , and click on 2006 Dimensions of Diversity workshop. --Ron Wilson rwilson@oznet.ksu.edu

BRIDGES OUT OF POVERTY|
March 3 is the registration deadline for the two day seminar, Bridges Out of Poverty. The workshop will be held Tuesday, April 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, April 12, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center in Wichita. The first day of the workshop will focus on working with people of poverty, with a deeper understanding of their challenges and strengths. It is designed to help you partner with them to create opportunities of success. Day two will focus on identifying and building assists to strengthen your work.

Registration for this workshop is on the 4-H website at http://Kansas4-H.org . Registration is $40 for Tuesday only and $50 for the full conference. More information about the workshop can be found by clicking on the green register button on the 4-H website. --Carol Fink cfink@oznet.ksu.edu

MIKE BRADSHAW RECEIVES AWARD
The College of Human Ecology has honored Dr. Mike Bradshaw with the Faculty Extension Excellence Award. Dr. Bradshaw, Extension Health Specialist and Associate Professor in Family Studies and Human Services, also affectionately known to some as "Mr. Walk Kansas," received the award consisting of an engraved plaque and a $2500 honorarium for his support and coordination of this popular extension program.

Congratulations to Mike!! --Paula Peters peters@humec.ksu.edu

FCS SCHOLARSHIP FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCED
The Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Scholarship for Professional Development has been awarded to two well-deserving FCS Agents who are currently working on their Master's Degrees. Robin Eubank, Seward County; and Denise Dias, Sedgwick County; will each receive $500 to put toward their degree programs. Congratulations to both of them!! --Paula Peters peters@humec.ksu.edu

THANK YOU FROM DAVID COLTRAIN
Thank you for your thoughts, cards and e-mails following the loss of my mother. The Extension family is greatly appreciated. --David Coltrain coltrain@oznet.ksu.edu

OPERATION MILITARY KIDS - READY, SET, GO TRAINING
The dates, sites and registration information for the Ready, Set, Go Training is now on the web. Go to the Extension home page, click on 4-H Youth Development, and you will see the training listed under What's Hot.

This training is designed for those of you who have a passion for helping kids. The suddenly military kids have unique challenges that you as a community can address. --Ann Domsch adomsch@ksu.edu

"THE STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW" 4-H PROMOTIONAL POSTERS
All local Extension Offices will receive a free set of 17" X 22" promotional posters in celebration of the 4-H Centennial. This set of five "The Stuff You Need to Know" 4-H promotional posters highlights five different project areas. These color posters, developed by the 4-H Marketing Action Team, are designed to help you promote 4-H in your local community. This free set of posters will be distributed at Discovery Days.

If you wish to order a smaller set, the posters are listed on the June 2006 New Publication Order Form -"4H-934 -`The Stuff You Need to Know´ - 4-H Promotional Posters. This set of 11" x 17" color, promotional posters highlights five different project areas."

Cost per set is $4. --Diane Mack dmack@oznet.ksu.edu

VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS. 

Tuesday, April 4, through Wednesday, April 5
.... Dimensions of Diversity: Leadership and Inclusion in Kansas, Garden City (SW Area Office), Statewide, Ron Wilson rwilson@oznet.ksu.edu

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