The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
(Vol. 16 No. 26)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
Last week I had the great fortune to participate in the National Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference organized by the Joint Council of Extension Professionals in Washington DC. Others attending from K-State Research and Extension included Joann Paschal, Extension FCS Agent, Russell County; John Beckman, Extension ANR Agent, Scott County; Bernie Unruh, Extension 4-H Agent, Barton County; Diane Mack, Extension Specialist - 4-H YD, Northeast Area; Trudy Rice, Extension Associate - PRIDE Program; and, Chris Onstad, Area Extension Director - Northwest.
We also had 4 individuals from our State Extension Advisory Council attending: Carolyn Harms, Sedgwick County; Jay Weseloh, Woodson County; Bryan Brauer, Ford County; and Gary Price, Douglas County.
Educational presentations ranged from keynote speaker Mr. Robert Egger from the DC Central Kitchen, talking about “health, hunger, and renewed interest in what we eat,” to “Building New Partnerships: Success story and ideas for the future” which focused on the work with our military audiences. Several sessions were devoted to becoming better advocates for Cooperative Extension. And, additional sessions created awareness to national resources available to Cooperative Extension.
On Wednesday, this team of Kansas Cooperative Extension volunteer and workforce leaders made a trip to each of our Congressional offices to talk with staffers, to thank them for the work they do in supporting K-State Research and Extension, to seek their support to the Smith-Lever funding request, and to talk with them about some impacts that K-State Research and Extension is having for the people in their voting districts.
The PILD Conference was a huge success in bringing together leaders from the Cooperative Extension workforce and volunteer delegates to network, dialog, and learn more about what is happening across the country through Cooperative Extension! It was a great week.
Have a great week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
6TH ANNUAL EXTENSION HEALTHFEST! 2010 A HIT!
Over 60 youth and adults participated in the 6th Annual Extension HealthFest! held at Rock Springs 4-H Center, April 16-17. The Leavenworth GPS/GIS team kicked off HealthFest with the “game of Life” geochacing. Dr. Diane Vigna, University of Nebraska, and colleague Nancy Eberle, introduced the “EntrepreneurShip Investigation” curriculum to adults from PRIDE communities, Ft. Riley Extension, Ellis and Atchison Counties.
Youth learned how to implement the NIH “Media Smart” curriculum and include stress management activities from the 4-H intermediate “Health Rocks” program.
At the close of HealthFest, youth-adult teams determined how they would use information and activities they learned at HealthFest back in their communities. Ideas included using Media Smart during Mt. Hope’s “Fridays at City Park” program, to follow-up the 5th grade DARE class with Health Rocks for the 6-7 grades in Glasco and to kick-off the new school year in Atchison with physical activity games.
One ESI participant wrote that “It (HealthFest) produced so many great ideas to use with youth in our community to get them motivated and to not be hesitant to be with adults. I’m excited to share the knowledge with our PRIDE group and kids.”
K-State Extension professionals participating in HealthFest 2010 included: Diane Nielson, Denise Sullivan, Tranda Watts, Deb Wood, Abbie Schoenhofer, Susan Schlichting, Sara Mietzner and Dan Kahl.
In addition to Dr. Vigna and Ms. Eberle, HealthFest trainers included: Beth Hinshaw, Beth Hecht, Robin Eubanks and Barber county youth, Trudy Rice, Michelle Hill, Nikki Ramsey and Elaine Johannes.
Reserve April 15-16, 2011 on your calendars now for the 7th Annual Extension HealthFest!
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu. --Elaine Johannes
FNP FALL FOOD GARDENING WITH YOUTH WORKSHOPS
Through food garden programs kids can learn how to
make the
‘plant to plate’ connection. Fall is an excellent time for food
gardening
activities. Two FNP youth gardening workshops will be offered this
summer to help extension educators and volunteers gain skills in
planning,
developing and executing youth gardening programs. The workshops will
focus on:
- how to establish and utilize a food
garden
- how to incorporate a food garden into
a nutrition program
- how to select food crops suitable for
a fall garden
- the nutritional benefits of food
gardening
Dates and locations for the workshops are:
- Monday, June 28, 4-H Hall “B”, Sedgwick
County Extension
Education Center,
7001 W. 21st Street North,
Wichita, KS
- Wednesday, June 30, Extension Meeting
Room, City/County Building, 9th and Ash, Salina,
KS
Workshops will begin with registration at 9:30 am. Opening remarks will begin at
10:00 am. The workshop will
conclude at 3:00 pm. The
$25 registration fee includes lunch
and materials. (Please make us aware of any dietary restrictions.) Make
checks
payable to The Kansas 4-H Foundation. Your FNP account can be billed
upon
request. Registration deadline for the workshop is June 14.
Please register through the Kansas
4-H website, www.kansas4-H.org.
Click
on the green 4-H Events Registration button. For more information, contact Evelyn Neier, Kansas JMG
Coordinator, at 316-722-0932
or eneier@ksu.edu. --Evelyn Neier
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