The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
(Vol. 16 No. 16)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
"Scholarship of Extension," a 2001 K-State Research & Extension white paper by Olsen and Mengel, identifies six key points in gaining excellence in Extension. Those points are 1) clarity and relevance of goals; 2) mastery of existing knowledge; 3) appropriate use of methodologies and resources; 4) effectiveness of communication; 5) significance of results; and 6) consistently ethical behavior. I challenge each of you to "keep your eye on the big things" and "doing the things which will count,' as per The Extension Workers Code.
Going back to Partnership meetings and our focus on being RELEVANT, VALUED, and SUSTAINABLE, leads me to think about assembling the evidence. Excellence in Extension is only achieved once the evidence is assembled that leads to that conclusion, not by you, but by others. I am thus reminded of a quote from the book, Good To Great and the Social Sectors by Jim Collins, where he says:
"It doesn't really matter whether you can quantify the results. What matters is that you rigorously assemble the evidence' quantitative or qualitative' to track your progress. If the evidence is primarily qualitative, think like a trial lawyer assembling the combined body of evidence. If the evidence is primarily quantitative, then think of yourself as a laboratory scientist assembling and assessing the data."
His point being that for a great organization with a mission like that of Extension, we have got to be serious and rigorous in creating the evidence that supports our programs being RELEVANT, VALUED, and SUSTAINABLE. And, according to Olsen and Mengel, working towards those six key points will help us to create the evidence that can then be collected!
Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
IT’S KANSAS SAVES WEEK! START SMALL. THINK BIG
Saving more money and reducing worrisome debt are popular resolutions. Make 2010 your year to turn those resolutions into financial action! Kansas Saves Week, February 21-28, is a reminder to take a hard look at your finances during this tax season and look for ways to improve your financial future - and perhaps peace of mind.
See a brief overview of some savings basics at http://bit.ly/Jan10eWealth tips to jumpstart savings during tax season at http://bit.ly/fe10eWealth or the web version of the Fall-Winter quarterly American Saver Newsletter at http://bit.ly/AmerSaver .
Kansas Saves collaborates with the America Saves Campaign sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America, financial institutions, universities, agencies and other partners nationwide. Pledge to be a Kansas Saver at www.KansasSaver.org. --Family Resource Management PFT
KEAFCS AWARDS
KEAFCS awards applications are due March 1st. Please send them to the following Committee Chairs.
- Professional Development Awards (Including DSA and Continued Excellence) - Mary Sullivan, Grant County (Remember you nominate a peer for DSA or Continued Excellence by submitting a letter, instead of completing the online application.)
- Communications Awards - Melinda Daily, Sunflower District
- Program Awards - Jan Stephens, Greenwood County Office
- Scholarships, First Timers, & Friend of FCS - Jodi Drake, Pratt County (These are due May 3.)
For more information, reference e-mail sent on February 16 or contact Robin Eubank, reubank@ksu.edu, VP of Awards and Recognition. --Robin Eubank
DISCOVERY DAYS 2010: ARE YOU READY?
The following article is ready to copy and paste into your local 4-H newsletter:
Discovery Days 2010 will be held June 1st - 4th at Kansas State University in Manhattan. This university experience is open to youth 13-19 and features workshops, service activities, dances, and free time on the beautiful K-State campus. The exciting schedule of events includes an ice cream social, a fiesta, keynote speaker Josh Shipp, and much more!
With a fourth class session this year, there are several classes, tours, and community service opportunities to fit your interests. You can also audition to perform in the Talent Show, host a class, decorate for the dances, or lead a U-Teach session! You'll meet hundreds of other youth from across Kansas, gain new life skills, and have an amazing experience at Discovery Days! For more information visit http://www.Kansas4-H.org/Discoverydays. The registration cost is $160. Online registration opens March 1st and closes April 15th. Discovery Days 2010: Are you Ready? -- Justin Wiebers jwiebers@ksu.edu
CONDUCTING A GPS SCAVENGER HUNT WORKSHOP
Learn how you can confidently and
successfully use GPS as part of your next educational program. A GPS
Scavenger Hunt, often called geocaching, serves as a great way to get youth and
adults physically active, thinking and having fun all at the same time. Find this tool useful from day camps to Walk Kansas. The following
training dates and locations will be offered:
March 16 - Lawrence, KS
March 23 - Garden City, KS
March 25 - McPherson, KS
Complete details are on the geoscience page at: http://www.kansas4-h.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=303.
Registration will be available online at www.kansas4h.org and will be due by Friday, March 12,
2010. Registration is $12 which includes materials and lunch. --Beth Hecht bhecht@ksu.edu
MARIE'S PICKS ...
"This week my picks (outcomes and impact (what the
clientele have done [NOT the agent'i.e., NOT "I offered / I
provided / I taught . . . "], success stories, and public value [benefit
to non-participants]) were reported by Tom Maxwell, Central Kansas District #3;
Jan Stephens, Southeast Area Office.
** As a result of the information generated from the 2009
CKD3 soybean, grain sorghum, corn and double cropped sunflower Variety/Hybrid
Demonstration plots, local farmers are better able to make decisions regarding
seed selection for the coming year. Hybrids and varieties that yield better
than a farmers currently grown hybrids/varieties can increase profitability
without any increase in input costs. Yield results from the corn, grain
sorghum, and soybean plots showed a yield difference between the high and low
yielding entries of 77, 42, 12 and bu/acre respectively. At today's prices, the
difference in gross income is significant between the high yielding and low
yielding hybrids/varieties. As a result of the CKD3 variety and hybrid
demonstration plots, farmers are making better seed selection decisions that
have resulted in increased farm profitability.
** Reflections
from former Extension participants often show appreciation for what they gained
in their experiences. Often those comments come from former 4-H members, now
adults, as they realized the influence the program had for their lives. It's
not unusual to hear those, and after Spring Action Conference--I've been more
attuned to them as 'long term outcomes.' Three examples are:
(1) - A successful dietitian, now in her early 30s, shared at Kansas Nutrition
Council - "I'm so glad I had the 4-H training in Greenwood
County
in foods and public speaking. It helps me so much with my job as a
dietitian."
(2) - In leadership positions with the County Historical Preservation
association, two former 4-H members, also now in their 30s, gave 4-H credit for
their successes. Both are active with the Eureka Foundation and at a recent
community meeting discussing grant preparations, presentations to
committees, and planning for community improvement made a point of saying
"4-H has helped us do this, thanks, Jan and Jeff."
(3) - A former 4-H member who is now doing PhD work at an out-of-state
university related that he was able to present a concise and relevant report
for his class assignment. His classmates especially appreciated it, as his was
the 17th report in a day-long class session. He credited his presentation to
knowing the introduction, body, and summary style of a 4-H presentation. -'Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
"
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR 14TH ANNUAL K-STATE LEADERSHIP SEMINAR
Make plans now to attend 'Adaptive Leadership: Leading in a Permanent Crisis,' the 14th Annual K-State Leadership Seminar on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the K-State Student Union on the Manhattan campus.
Adaptive Leadership grew out of the work of Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, who have spent more than 30 years researching and teaching the practice of leadership at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. It is the practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive. It is about being able, both individually and collectively, to take on the gradual but meaningful process of adaptation. Adaptive Leadership is for organizations, communities, and individuals who want to create a culture that is better able to deal with difficult issues of change more openly and effectively.
This year's seminar will feature three exceptional keynote speakers: Kristin von Donop, Principal, Cambridge Leadership Associates; Dr. Peter Cohen, Dean and Professor, College of Health Professions, Wichita State University; and Ed O'Malley, President and CEO, Kansas Leadership Center. K-State President Kirk Schulz will address participants during the luncheon, and K-State Provost and Senior Vice President Dr. April Mason will open the seminar.
Join us for a provocative and challenging seminar as we explore the concept of Adaptive Leadership. Gain insights from experienced practitioners, and engage with other participants in interactive breakout sessions to enhance your learning about the skills and tools utilized by Adaptive Leaders. The registration fee is $85 and includes lunch. The deadline to register is Friday, March 12. Seminar sponsors include the College of Agriculture, K-State Research and Extension, and the Department of Communications.
More information and online registration is available at www.k-state.edu/leadershipseminar.
VOLUNTEER WANTED FOR FARMER-TO-FARMER STINT IN KENYA
With funding from the United States Agency for International Development, CNFA, Inc. is seeking technical experts to volunteer in its Farmer-to-Farmer (FtF) program. Currently, CNFA's FtF program has a 2-3 week opening for an experienced seed breeder to assist an emerging seed company in Kenya. Recent droughts and changing weather patterns in Kenya have increased demand for improved varieties of corn seed, and the young company is seeking to meet this demand. The expert will be asked to train company staff and contract farmers on corn seed production technologies, good agronomic techniques, and farm management practices. The volunteer will also develop a set of criteria the company can use to identify contract farmers for seed production and help them create an overall strategy to improve their seed production. The ideal time frame for the assignment is March 2010 but this is flexible. Please contact Sapna Shah at sdshah@cnfa.org, or 202-296-3920, to discuss this opportunity or the Farmer-to-Farmer program more broadly.
Farmer-to-Farmer is funded by the United States Agency for International Development. CNFA uses the government funding to send Americans with agricultural knowledge to developing countries for 2-3 weeks to share their skills with client organizations and enterprises. These organizations typically would not be able to afford access to such expertise on their own. The consultancies are completed on a voluntary basis, and CNFA covers all expenses associated with the assignments though the work itself is not compensated. Volunteer assignments cover a range of topics: CNFA has assisted agribusinesses in Kenya on building effective corn storage spaces, and farmers on improved agronomic practices for corn, sorghum, and rice production. CNFA works with farmers and enterprises in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Moldova, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Georgia, Belarus and Ukraine, and works to support a variety of commodities.
Please visit www.cnfa.org to see a full list of current openings. --David E. Frey, International Project Development Coordinator, Department of Grain Science and Industry, defrey@ksu.edu
COMMUNICATION MINUTE: CAPITALIZE ON CO-BRANDING
K-State Research and Extension's strengths include the variety of programs we offer and the partnerships we develop. Partnerships can strengthen the marketing message for both groups by co-branding, which is a strategy to combine the strength of two or more brands for greater awareness and the overall good.
A national survey released February 17 indicates, however, that Land-Grant universities can do a better job of promoting partnerships. The survey includes interviews with more than 2,000 Americans, as well as 1,911 employees, 1,300 volunteers, and 1,260 current users of Extension services.
Two areas used as examples highlight the increasing need for all programs to associate their connection with K-State Research and Extension: - Of those that have knowledge of their state's 4-H program, only 9-percent knew that it is connected to the state's Extension service.
- Of those that have knowledge of their state's Master Gardener program, only 6-percent knew that it is connected to the state's Extension service.
The marketing group that conducted the study cited those two examples, but the message was clear that all Land-Grant universities and their associated Extension programs can benefit from greater recognition of its partnerships.
Always use the K-State Research and Extension logo when promoting your local program, services, and activities. Current versions of our logos, slogans and more are available online at www.ksre.ksu.edu/techweb (then select KSRE Image Gallery).
More information on branding always is available from K-State Research and Extension's marketing unit. Contact Pat Melgares at 785-532-1160. You can also read more and share your ideas on our blog, www.ksremarketingminute.blogspot.com.--Pat Melgares melgares@ksu.edu
|