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IN THIS ISSUE... ...Word from the
Associate Director - Extension and Applied Research WORD FROM THE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH Congrats to all who have been involved! The catalog has 77 listing as of 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 24, 2007.!! I am referring to the Professional Development Catalog . When you log in to this website, it is behind your eID and password. And, remember, for increased security purposes you must put your eID as "ad\dbuchhol," rather than simply "dbuchhol." Congratulations to the several program focus teams and their co-leaders in identifying training needs and opportunities, and getting them posted to the catalog for everyone within the system to see and potentially benefit. With only a couple weeks before August 1, our target for getting training offerings for 2008 posted onto the catalog, I note some program focus areas that are making progress and doing quite well in getting offerings posted, including:
For the remaining program focus teams, I trust the planning has been done, and it is merely a matter of getting the proposals submitted. If you have responsibility to provide an extension training for an internal audience in the next 18 months, I hope you will take the initiative to get it submitted to the Professional Development Catalog. If you are noting an omission, I hope you will make contact with the person(s) who should be giving leadership to that training, or to getting it posted. The success of this catalog system depends on leadership within each program focus area to see that it contains a comprehensive list of the educational offerings in each of the program focus areas for extension professionals. Extension agents will want to make use of this system in identifying the educational training opportunities in which they will want to participate in 2008. If you are unsure of who to contact, program focus team co-chairs and administrative advisors are given on the professional development website at Program Focus Teams . Make a contact with your questions to any of them. Margaret Phillips, margaret@ksu.edu , is also available to help answer any questions you might have on completing a training proposal. Individual commitment to continuous improvement in both subject matter competency and the core competencies of being an extension professional is needed for a strong, healthy K-State Research and Extension. --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu LAST CALL FOR 2008 KANSAS 4-H WHEAT VARIETY PLOT ENROLLMENT This is the last call for Kansas 4-H members to re-enroll or new members to enroll for the 2008 Kansas 4-H Wheat Variety Plot program. The program begins fall of 2007 and goes through September 2008. The enrollment form is currently available on the Kansas State 4-H Website, www.kansas4-H.org under "What's Hot." Members must contact their local Extension office immediately for information with enrollments due to the Northwest Area Extension Office preferably by July 25, 2007. --Deryl Waldren, 785-462-6281, or dwaldren@ksu.edu .
LAST CALL FOR 2007 KANSAS STATE 4-H &
FFA WHEAT SHOW For a description of the classes, see the July Kansas 4-H Tip Sheet. There is no registration cost. Pre-registration is required and is now open to ensure an accurate meal count and for tour divisions by August 1st on the Kansas 4-H website registration system, www.kansas4-h.org . Click on “Register for 4-H Events, and Kansas State 4-H & FFA Wheat Show.” For those with no computer connections, contact Greg McClure for food count by August 1st at 785-537-6350. General information about the wheat show is available under “What’s Hot” on the Kansas 4-H home page or visit http://4-h.k-state.edu/Events/WheatShow/Default.htm . --Deryl Waldren dwaldren@ksu.edu
UPCOMING EVENTS Olathe 2007 Field Day- Saturday, July 28
Small Fruit and Vegetable Production Field Day - Monday, July 30
Turfgrass Field Day - Thursday, August 2
K-STATE IPM
2007 MINI-GRANT CALL FOR PROPOSALS DEADLINE APPROACHING These are small grant awards for small research projects, IPM implementation, research or other IPM related work ideas. There is a maximum of $8,000 which can be applied for. All applicants must have a tie to K-State as the PI contact. If you have any questions regarding this grant program, please contact Sharon Dobesh at 785-532-4748 or sdobesh@ksu.edu . --Sharon Dobesh
MARIE'S PICKS OF THE WEEK When Diane asked what action(s) participants in the Basic Money Management program planned to take in the future, their responses were: 53% - Set one or more specific written financial goals; 53% - Draft/update a will; 47% - Calculate net worth; 40% - Determine marginal tax bracket; and 27% - Start/increase emergency savings fund and review investment asset allocation/diversity. Michael reported that 952 soil samples were taken for agricultural purposes representing 40,465 crop acres and valued at $406,450. These were increases from 559 and 17,020, respectively, more than the previous year. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
DIVERSITY PROGRAMS OFFICE UPDATE On July 27th, the 2007 KSRE Multicultural Summer Research Program will come to an end and on that date our student interns will present their research from their summer experience. You are all invited! This event will take place in Waters Hall, Room 137, at 11 a.m.. As a reminder, our program started on June 4, 2007 and concludes after the student presentations. The 2007 summer interns are: Khadine Haye, Prairie View A&M University Alexander McGowan, Alabama A&M University Ian Smith, Purdue University M. Antonio Silas, Tennessee State University Finally, please join me as we bid farewell to our graduate assistant, Melissa Becking, as she take a job at the University of Nebraska, Athletic Department. Melissa has made many positive contributions to our diversity efforts and we thank her! Her last day is July 26. As usual if you need any information as per our diversity efforts, do not hesitate to contact our office at 785-532-5793. Best wishes as you complete the summer! --Zelia Z. Wiley zwh@ksu.edu
NEW EXTENSION AGENTS Michelle Koenig, 4-H Youth Development Agent in Lyon County
mkoenig@ksu.edu Welcome to these new K-State Research and Extension colleagues. --Stacey M. Warner swarner@ksu.edu GET IT - DO IT! PARTNERSHIPS FOR HEALTHIER KANSAS GRANT TRAININGS SCHEDULED Community PRIDE organizations, with local K-State Extension and youth partners, are invited to apply for grants to plan, implement and celebrate local intergenerational health promotion projects. Through the "Partnerships for Healthier Kansas" (PHK) project, PRIDE committees can apply for grants of up to $3,000 each to participate in a statewide initiative to implement intergenerational health promotion projects. Those projects could include trail development, physical activity promotion, establishing walking clubs or TV/screen-time reduction campaigns. PRIDE members and Extension partners interested in applying for the PHK grants are encouraged to attend one of the "Get It - Do It!" training sessions for PHK grant submission:
August 30, 1 - 3 p.m. - K-State Alumni
Center, Manhattan, KS
The request for grant proposals will be released August 24 with proposals due November 26, 2007. Not only will selected grantees receive funds to implement local projects, but there will be three trainings to help communities in their work. Those trainings will include information and techniques for effective community health promotion through youth and adult partnerships. "Partnerships for Healthier Kansas" (PHK) is a unique opportunity for PRIDE committees to inspire effective health improvements with the next generation of Kansas leaders. To register for one of the grant training sessions, contact: Elaine Johannes: 785-532-7720;
ejohanne@ksu.edu --Elaine Johannes
KSU CENTER FOR ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROCERY STORE
INITIATIVE To date, CECD has compiled a database of grocery stores in communities of population 2000 and less. CECD can provide a common forum for discussion of issues and to generate ideas to resolve common problems. CECD has also initiated a statewide survey to document “store best practices” and to learn of collaborative business models that are working for some stores. CECD has applied for a business development grant through the USDA office of Rural Development to work with several stores to do an area market assessment and business development planning. We anticipate the result of these activities will produce tools and resources that Extension community development professionals will be able to utilize across the state. If you would like to become involved in this project, please contact the Center at cecd@ksu.edu . --Dan Kahl dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu
MARKETING MINUTE: KANSANS RATE EMERGING WEB TECHNOLOGIES The survey, conducted in March, 2007 by K-State Research and Extension's Department of Communications, found that podcasts and RSS feeds represent the greatest opportunities for distributing information from K-State Research and Extension. On a five-point scale on which 3.0 is a neutral score, users reported their awareness of what an RSS feed is at a mean of 1.59. When given a definition of an RSS feed and how they can be used, the same users reported a mean of 3.45 for their likelihood to use RSS feeds in the future. Similarly for podcasts, users' awareness was 2.50, but was 2.90 when these users reported their likelihood to use a podcast in the future. Blogs, while useful, had an opposite trend, though minimal. Users' awareness was reported at 3.13, but dropped to 3.01 when users were asked to rate their likelihood to use a blog in the future. K-State Research and Extension's new CMS software will help to make these technologies more easily available to all offices statewide. If you need more information, please contact Linda Sleichter at 785-532-5804, or e-mail lsleicht@ksu.edu . --Pat Melgares melgares@ksu.edu
In the Spring semester of 2007, Extension PRIDE worked with four KSU
students in the Agricultural Communications department to gain ideas
of how to better tell the story of the PRIDE program. In
addition to providing advice on improving our marketing materials, the
students took it upon themselves to survey Extension to gain a sense
of program awareness and involvement. Many of the survey questions
centered around the Extension Agents’ role in working with local PRIDE
groups. Here are some of the comments that were returned that were
very insightful about working with community PRIDE groups:
“Having the right people in the right place at the right time can
greatly aid in program growth and success."
“Agents can equip local leaders with the tools that they will need
to make necessary changes in their communities. These volunteers just
need some guidance and support from their agents, and to be pointed in
the right direction for the change that the community needs.”
“Make sure that you have a couple of key leaders from the community
in your group. People always want to be associated with the “movers
and the shakers.”
“As groups become active, others follow. The key is to find the
right leaders."
“Communities have to want to work together for the good of all.”
Current research in community development indicates that community sustainability is enhanced when a community has opportunities to be involved in leadership roles and community decision-making, (political capital) as well as opportunities to participate in social groups to work toward shared community goals (social capital). The comments above indicate a healthy understanding of the importance of building people and community, as well as the importance of knowing your role in the process. Extension can initiate and support PRIDE leadership without bearing the responsibility for the progress of the group.
Remember, for a good fire - find good tinder, light
it, and tend to it occasionally - you don’t need to BE the fuel!!
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey and for sharing
your insights and experiences. --Dan Kahl,
dkahl@oznet.ksu.edu
VIEW THE MASTER SCHEDULE OR ADD NEW ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS Submit corrections to previously submitted items to jzarger@ksu.edu . DATES TAKEN FROM THE MASTER SCHEDULE FOR AUGUST 1, 2007, THROUGH AUGUST 7, 2007: Wednesday, August 1, through Saturday, August 4 .... Rush County Fair, LaCrosse, NW Wednesday, August 1, through Sunday, August 5 Thursday, August 2 Thursday, August 2, through Saturday, August 4 Thursday, August 2, through Sunday, August 5 Thursday, August 2, through Monday, August 6 Thursday, August 2, through Tuesday, August 7 Friday, August 3, through Sunday, August 5 Saturday, August 4, through Sunday, August 5 Saturday, August 4, through Sunday, August 12 Monday, August 6, through Saturday, August 11 Tuesday, August 7, through Saturday, August 11
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