The Tuesday Letter
Agricultural Experiment Station & Cooperative Extension Service
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
(Vol. 19 No. 32)
IN THIS ISSUE...
AUGUST 15 DEADLINE FOR ESP RECOGNITION APPLICATIONS/NOMINATIONS
August 15 is the deadline to recognize the outstanding Extension work you and your colleagues are doing. Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) members may make nominations/application for ESP recognition.
Alpha Rho chapter recognition is aligned with national ESP requirements, qualifying our recipients to be eligible for national awards as well. The form and full details, including recognition category descriptions, are available on the ESP/Alpha Rho website, www.ksre.ksu.edu/esp-AlphaRho, or use this link to go directly to the descriptions, http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/esp-AlphaRho/doc13790.ashx.
Charts that outline which recognition areas members are eligible for when one of the criteria is years in extension are located on the ESP Website at http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/esp-alpharho/p.aspx?tabid=11. One chart is organized in alphabetical order and the other by years in extension.
The 12 recognition categories are listed below:
Administrative Leadership
Horizon: County/District (2), Area (1), State (1)
Early Career
Mid-Career
Visionary Leadership
Meritorious Service: County/District (2), Area (1), State (1)
Distinguished Service
Distinguished Team
International Service
Diversity Multicultural: Individual, Team
Retiree Service
Friend of Extension
To be eligible for recognition, individuals must be current members of ESP and meet the guidelines for the recognition category. Email the completed form to the ESP Recognition Chair, Cheryl Boyer crboyer@ksu.edu, by the August 15 deadline. --Margaret Phillips margaret@ksu.edu
KANSAS YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM INSTRUCTORS NEEDED
We are recruiting proposals for workshop session instructors/presenters
for Saturday, November 23, for the 13th Annual Kansas Youth Leadership Forum.
Topics should center on some aspect of leadership. Some ideas might include,
but are not limited to: community service, citizenship, communications, conflict
management, ethics, motivation, decision making, leading by example, time
management, international citizenship, diversity,
business etiquette and getting involved after high school. The Kansas State 4-H
Youth Council members hope that you will be interested in sharing your
expertise or talent with this 14-18 year old group of young people.
The letter and proposal submission information are both on the State 4-H
Website, on the KYLF page. Proposals
are due by July 1, and will be submitted online. Questions can be
directed to Beth Hinshaw, bhinshaw@ksu.edu.
--Beth Hinshaw
DEADLINES FOR PREPARING ACTION PLANS, REPORTS, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The K-State Research and Extension programming cycle continues each year, and now is a good time for some review of upcoming dates.
The cycle is posted on the Programming Website, http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/, under the drop down menu of Program Planning heading. You can link directly to the Programming Cycle by clicking here: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/programming/doc9406.ashx.
Important due dates include:
August 1 - PFT deadlines
- PFT Action Plans for 2013-14
This may be found at KSRE OnLine, https://online.ksre.ksu.edu/planningandreporting/Default.aspx?ProgYear=2012-2013
- Professional Development Opportunities
These may be entered through KSRE Online, https://online.ksre.ksu.edu/Professionaldevelopment.
October 1 - Agent deadlines
- Agent Impact/Outcome reports for 2012-13
- Agent Action Plans for 2013-14
These may be found at KSRE OnLine, https://online.ksre.ksu.edu/planningandreporting/Default.aspx?ProgYear=2012-2013.
- Agent Professional Development Plan
These may be found through KSRE Online, https://online.ksre.ksu.edu/Professionaldevelopment.
November 1 - PFT Deadline
- PFT Impact/Outcome reports for 2012-13
This may be found at KSRE OnLine, https://online.ksre.ksu.edu/planningandreporting/Default.aspx?ProgYear=2012-2013
When updating existing plans, first copy the 2012-13 plan to 2013-14. This may be done by clicking Copy to 2013-14 next to the plan you want to update. This applies to PFT Plans as well as Agent Plans. The plan will open in the edit mode. Save it and begin updating. To find it again you may need to select the year + or year – buttons at the top of your home page in Planning and Reporting.
To add a brand new plan select Add a New Plan above the table where your existing plans are.
If you have questions you may contact assistant director for your Program Focus Team: Gregg Hadley ghadley@ksu.edu, Paula Peters ppeters@ksu.edu, and Barbara Stone bjstone@ksu.edu. You may also contact Margaret Phillips Margaret@ksu.edu and Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu. --Margaret Phillips
GET FINANCIALLY PREPARED: TAKE STEPS AHEAD OF DISASTER CHALLENGE UPDATE
Thank you and congratulations to the following individuals who participated in the Get Financially Prepared: Take Steps Ahead of Disaster Challenge: Josh Roe, Stacey Warner, Bernadette Trieb, Andrea Feldkamp, LuAnn Ward, Linda Mirt, Janice Jones, Jeanne Bristol, Susan Schoneweis, Sharon Erickson-Fryback, Valeria Edwards, Linda Beech, Jackie Cox, Debra Wood, Geneva Jahnke, Linda Gantz, Chelsea Richmond, Becky Reid, Debra Sellers, Amy Hartman, Cathy Sandoval, Nozella Brown, Diane Burnett, and Kerri Cole. We sincerely appreciate their involvement!
The comments and suggestions we got during and after the Challenge will be used as we further refine and improve it. Look for information about becoming involved in the next Get Financially Prepared Challenge in an upcoming issue of the Tuesday Letter. --Family Resource Management Program Focus Team - Jamie Rathbun jrathbun@ksu.edu & Elizabeth Kiss dekiss4@ksu.edu
EATING WITH THE SEASONS
 I love it that the Farmers Markets have opened! I have a garden at home, but we never seem to have it together to get those ‘early season’ vegetables in. Fresh lettuce, spinach, asparagus and radishes are some of the goodies that I have enjoyed so far. My favorite you-pick strawberry patch has just opened too and I hope to get there soon. So far, the weather has been very good for our garden at home, especially the tomatoes and tomatillos, that will help us make lots of salsa later on!
If you need some ‘fresh’ ideas for enjoying fruits and vegetables, try a recipe from the Fix it Fresh recipe book. The Fresh Fruity Spinach Salad on page 87 is one of my favorites.
To really mix things up, try flavored oils and/or vinegars, like these from one of my favorite stores in Leavenworth, First Taste Oil and Vinegar… they ship! I love shopping local! --Denise Sullivan dsulliva@ksu.edu
KANSAS 4-H ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP CAMP
In
the United States, children ages 6-11 spend about thirty hours a week
looking at a TV or computer monitor. 11-18 year olds spend 45 hours a
week plugged in. Let's unplug this summer and spend some quality time
outside! This camp aims to create awareness and understanding of
environmental issues that will lead to responsible individual and group
actions. Register for this camp and receive quality environmental
education from trained facilitator educators to study ecosystems,
conservation of natural resources, plant and animal diversity. Hear from
guest speakers, experts in the areas of raptors, forestry, wildlife and
aquatics, plus get to participate in the traditional camp activities of
archery, canoes, swimming and campfires. Meet new friends from all over
the state interested in natural resources and the environment and
complete a service project and learn how to start one in your own
community.
This camp is open to all youth, 10-14 years of age. Non 4-H'ers are encouraged to register.
This
camp would serve to benefit 4-H'ers involved in or wanting to learn
more about the following projects: wildlife, entomology, plant science,
Energy Management, Environmental Science, Citizenship and
Self-Determined.
When:
Monday, August 5, 2013 - Friday, August 9, 2013
9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Central Time
Where:
Rock Springs 4-H Center
1168 K-157 Highway
Junction City, Kansas 66441
For more Information including tentative schedule and cost go to:
http://www.cvent.com/events/kansas-4-h-environmental-leadership-camp/event-summary-90cee94a449b43d2ab26845f6f999f5c.aspx.
Director & Contact: Mandy Kern
--Gary Gerhard ggerhard@ksu.edu and Mandy Kern mkern@rocksprings.net
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PROCESS FACT BOOK
For the past two years I have been working on a multi-lingual study to understand the health, well-being, and social connectedness of people who live in Finney County. The study, called Community Assessment Process, was led by the Finnup Foundation and K-State Southwest Research Extension Center. It’s the most comprehensive study done in Finney County in the past 20 years, and it’s certainly the first to reach respondents in four languages.
The project began in the spring of 2011. Its purpose was to quantify needs, identify health issues, look at well-being, and understand social connectedness in Finney County. We designed the survey instrument in the four languages so that respondents could complete surveys in their native tongues. Face-to-face interviews mostly were done in English and Spanish for qualitative data collection since Hispanics make up the majority of non-Angloethnic populations in the region. This study can be easily replicated for other parts of Southwest Kansas or other parts of the state with similar demographics. Of course no other region has three major population centers which are minority-majority.
On June 20, 2013 I, along with my co-researcher/author, Shannon Dick will present a workshop on how to use the Fact Book. We think this data will help anyone or any organization that needs to prioritize its services to families and/or who need data to support grant applications will want to come to this workshop. The workshop will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Classroom B at St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City.
Please note that the Fact Book is targeted for Finney County, but the process can be used to study other communities whether the population demographics are similar or not.
For more information, call Debra Bolton at the Southwest Research Extension Center, 620-275-9164. --Debra Bolton dbolton@ksu.edu
MARIE'S PICKS. . .
This week my picks are outcomes and
success stories from Barbara Ames, Wildcat District; Andrea Feldkamp, Extension
Nutrition Program; and Cheryl Boyer, Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources:
** Approximately 92 students learned about the parts
of plants we eat and tasted samples as we cut up and discussed 10 different
plants at Guthridge Elementary School. Students also chose from six
ingredients and made their own salsa snack which they enjoyed with tortilla
chips. When asked for a show of
hands from those who had tasted a new food and liked it, approximately 2/3 of
the hands went up in each class. Many of the students commented that black
beans were a new food that they liked and would try again, while others listed
raw sweet potatoes, and parsley. Several
commented that they learned it is good to try something new because after
being persuaded to try one nibble of a new food they thought they wouldn’t like…they
really did like it!
** Sixty-one 4-H Communication Program
Evaluations were collected after two county-wide organized speaking events: Gavel
Games and Club Day. These events occurred in January 2012 and February 2012.
Results included:
73% gained confidence each
time the speech was given.
24.3% volunteered to speak
or read more in class or in the community.
24.3% indicated that their
language arts/English class grade improved.
43.2% improved
relationship(s) with adult helper(s) who helped prepare the speech.
48.6% used communication
skills to become a leader in 4-H or other organization(s).
Youth comments shared on the short-term
evaluation instrument included:
- I learned how to make a
PowerPoint.
- Making the presentation
increased my confidence.
- I could talk in front of people
without being nervous.
- I learned better parliamentary
procedure.
- Practice is important!
- I learned what to do at the
meeting when something goes wrong.
- I can discuss more in my
classroom and with others.
**
NurseryWorks continues to be recognized as an award-winning conference for
nursery growers. I frequently receive requests for information regarding the
next conference. Some of the "new" social media techniques have been
presented at conferences where the ideas have sparked others to do similar
implementations in their own conferences. Also, as a result of my continued
relationship with Blueville Nursery, a multidisciplinary team of researchers
(Dr. Lauri Baker, Communications; Dr. Hikaru Peterson, Agricultural Economics;
and myself) was formed to conduct a social media study in the late Fall. We are
interested to see how social media advertising for a special event could affect
sales and new customer interaction. We look forward to building on what we
learned from the study. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu
|