The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
(Vol. 17 No. 49)
IN THIS ISSUE...
WORD FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR - EXTENSION AND APPLIED RESEARCH
How about that Wildcat football team? Doubt many would have predicted being 5 and 0 in 2011! Let's hope they can keep the momentum as they head back out on the road for the next couple weeks.
Next week is KSRE Annual Conference. Highlights and updates are given in several of the messages below. If you haven't yet registered, the Annual Conference website is still open for registration.
My special thanks to Stacey Warner and her work with Deb Pryor in developing a series of videos designed as recruiting tools. The video series promotes the work of Extension agents to individuals who might have interest in applying for a position. You can see the first of the series below. Thanks to each Extension agent featured in the video.
Last week Paula Peters and I participated in a meeting in Albuquerque, NM to discuss the potential for developing a partnership with the medical community in strengthening "health education" in our communities. Representatives from medical schools and land grant university Extension Services were present from Kentucky, New Mexico, Oregon, Illinois, and Kansas. David Cook, Josh Freeman, Michael Kennedy, and Tony Wellever from the University of Kansas School of Medicine were participating. We all hope there will be more to come in creating an even stronger partnership among Extension and the health services community in bringing true health improvement to Kansas communities.
During that meeting, we were reminded of the difference between "outreach" and "engagement." Roger Rennekamp, Associate Dean of Public Health and Human Sciences at Oregon State University, offered this quote, "Outreach begins with the answer, while engagement ends with the answer." True Extension work never begins with the answer, but rather first seeks understanding and truth around the issue or problem (engaging with community) and ultimately discovers the answer. Universities are sometimes referred to as "ivory towers." I think that happens when there is too much outreach and not enough engagement.
Looking forward to seeing everyone next week! --Daryl Buchholz dbuchhol@ksu.edu
VIDEOS FEATURING EXTENSION AGENTS
A series of four new videos featuring Kansas extension agents can now be found on You Tube. These videos are designed for individuals who might be interested in applying for extension agent positions. However, KSRE faculty may find these to be of value in working with other audiences.
The videos were produced by Deb Pryor, in the Department of Communications and feature the following agents - Scott Gordon, Amy Jordan, Chuck Otte, Kathy McEwan, Chris Petty, Dan Lekie, Kara Mayer, Liz Brunscheen-Cartagena, Denise Dias, Tonya Bronleewe, Josh Morris, Janae McNally, Amy Sollock, Nozella Brown, Ginny Barnard, Aliesa Woods and Rhonda Gordon.
A different video will be featured in the Tuesday Letter today and the next three weeks. Today's featured video is "Preparing to be an Extension Agent."
--Stacey Warner swarner@ksu.edu
REMINDER: LAPTOP PIT STOP AT KSRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Don't forget, KSRE Tech Support will be hosting a Laptop Pit Stop at Annual Conference. Our support staff will be available 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Tuesday (October 18) and Wednesday (October 19), and 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Thursday (October 20), to answer any technology questions you have. In addition, feel free to drop off your laptop for a quick update and tune-up. We will make sure all your software is up to date, turn off any unneeded programs that are slowing you down, and get you connected to K-State's new wireless network. Please plan to bring your laptops as early as possible in order to give us enough time to make sure everyone gets fully updated. We can also answer any questions about mobile devices and help connect them to K-State's Zimbra Webmail if requested.
If your computer needs major help or you would like to schedule some one-on-one time with our support staff to discuss in-depth technology questions, please email support@ksre.ksu.edu or call us at 785-532-6270 before the conference so we can get you on our schedule.
Due to our commitments at Annual Conference, our Tech Support office will not be fully staffed while the Laptop Pit Stop is open. If you need assistance during that time, you can still email support@ksre.ksu.edu or call us at 785-532-6270 as always and the first available person will help you with any problems you have. --Russ Feldhausen russfeld@ksu.edu
KANSAS VOLUNTEER FORUM
The October 17 registration deadline, for the annual 4-H Volunteer Forum (November 18 - 20)is fast approaching. Please help the Kansas Association of 4-H Volunteers promote the Forum. The Forum will include many outstanding learning opportunities. Some of these are the following workshops: Rock Springs Tour, Generational Insight, Conducting a GPS Scavenger Hunt, Social Media, Let the Journey Begin (Opportunities for Volunteers), Kansas 4-H Recruiting Plan, Storytelling with Photo Maps and Bringing the World to Kansas. Two other highlights of Forum will be the KYLF Keynote Speaker, Joe Richards, sharing his message: “Bring Yourself to Every Moment” and time with Dr. Barbara Stone, our new State 4-H Leader.
Full information about the Forum is at: http://www.kansas4-h.org/p.aspx?tabid=47. The site also has links to the two scholarships available to participants. All KA4-HV members, including new members, are eligible for an automatic $25 scholarship, just use the coupon code (member) when registering. The registration link is: https://4hyp-ts.oznet.ksu.edu/wconnect/ace/home.htm. Thank you for sharing this with the 4-H Volunteers you work with. If you have any questions, please contact the Forum Chair, Mary Bernhardt, mary_bernhardt@cox.net or myself, rbuchele@ksu.edu. --Rod Buchele
INTRODUCTION TO CONFLICT COACHING REGISTRATION OPEN
Register now for the one-day “Introduction to Conflict Coaching” training, October 21, from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Webster Conference Center in Salina, Kansas. Terrie R. McCants, Program Coordinator of the K-State Conflict Resolution Studies Program and Art Thompson, Dispute Resolution Coordinator for the State of Kansas will conduct the training, sponsored by Heartland Mediators Association.
Conflict Coaching is a flexible mentoring (educational) process designed to increase conflict competencies. Mediation or facilitation training is not required. Conflict coaching can be a benefit to anyone facing an important workplace or personal conflict. It can also be useful for those adapting to a new organizational setting or developing as leaders. This seminar is for anyone (in, out, or on the edge of conflict) interested in replacing counterproductive behaviors with constructive skills and approaches.
The main objectives of Conflict Coaching are to coach participants to:
* identify their goals for managing conflict effectively
* determine and take the required steps to attain those goals
* consider how to change their habitual behaviors that contribute to conflict
* reflect on the improved ways they react to and manage conflict
* shift unhelpful reactions to conflict to constructive responses
* improve language and communication skills in order to interact and address conflictual situations more effectively
* reduce the harmful impact of conflict on themselves and others
Cost for Heartland Mediators Association members is $75; Non-HMA members is $125. This training is open to the public and to non-mediators. Registration is available through the HMA web site: http://www.heartlandmediators.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70&Itemid=75. If you are paying by credit card, after filling out the registration form, click “submit” and credit card payment options will be presented. Contact Janet Lhuillier at 913-956-7620 if you have any trouble or questions regarding the registration process.
For more information, contact Janet Lhuillier, HMA Executive Director, HMAOrganization@everestkc.net; or Becky O’Donnell, Kansas Agricultural Mediation Services, bodonnel@ksu.edu. --Becky O'Donnell
KSRE GRANT WRITERS TRAINING AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER 16 IN OTTAWA
The current economy, budget concerns and calls for expanded
services are creating demand for local grant writing skills.
To meet this demand, attend the Grant Writing training built exclusively for
K-State Extension professionals and partners. The one-day (9:30 a.m.-3:00
p.m.) training will be offered November 16, (Wednesday) at the Recreation Center, Ottawa.
For $35 you will receive instruction, materials, refreshments, lunch and a copy
of the Grantsmanship Center's Program Planning & Proposal Writing- Expanded
Version guide (what a deal!).
Training objectives include:
* Increase awareness and knowledge of grant resources for youth-family-community programs.
* Learn grant writing techniques.
* Increase understanding of the fit between grants, program planning and
program management.
* Build a K-State Extension team that supports each other in grant
writing and management!
Registration is available at: KSRE Grant Writers 2011.
Complete and submit the registration form seven days prior to the training date. Your
$35 registration fee, made payable to "Kansas State University" is to
be mailed to: Paula Seele, Kansas State University, 343 Justin Hall, Manhattan,
KS 66506.
For more information, contact Elaine Johannes, ejohanne@ksu.edu,
785-532-7720 --Elaine Johannes
MARIE'S PICKS . . .
This week my picks are outcomes and a success story submitted by Kylie Ludwig about results from an e-waste project she and Keith Martin are having in Wildcat District:
Outcomes:
Companies and organizations involved included K-State Research and
Extension, City of Parsons, KU Life Span, SEK Recycling, WCA Corporation
(the transfer station
parent company), Parsons Rotary, and Higher Calling Technologies, LLC.
Labette County businesses and organizations have been very
supportive and are seeking ways to help keep the program of the e-waste
collections going. The location of the drives travels around the county to reach everyone. Organizations are participating, as well as youth in our communities.
Nearly 125 individuals,
schools, churches, and businesses brought out electronics for our
collection in August.
Success Stories
Labette County
has filled 10 semi-trailers of electronic waste since we started recycling e-waste. The project was originally funded by a grant through Kansas Department
of Health and Environment to encourage e-waste collections. Since the grant has
run out our e-waste committee chose to move forward by collecting donations.
Through on-site donations and corporate sponsors we have raised enough money to
host three more collections.
Five counties participated in the last collection by
bringing some type of e-waste, which came from 18 different communities.
Labette County,
in the last collection diverted more than 20,000 pounds of electronics from the
landfill to an e-steward certified recycling center in Arkansas.
The electronics are disassembled and scrapped for metals, plastics, and glass to
be used again. Those two shipments brought our overall total to more than 100
tons of waste from our landfill and our communities. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
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