eNEAFCS-July 2014
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July 2014

 

Table of Contents

President's Message

Welcome Event at the Kentucky Horse Park


NEAFCS Silent Auction supports the Awards Fund!  We Need Your Help!

Cooperative Extension—Celebrating 100 Years

Cooperative Extension's National Framework for Health & Wellness

Regional Directors Planning for Annual Session

Looking Back Before Looking Ahead to Next Year's PILD Conference


Meet the Board

 








Important Dates

Members-only Webinar • July 24
Using Social Media for NEAFCS

Members-only Webinar • Aug 21
Website Update

NEAFCS Annual Session • Sept 15-18
Hyatt Regency, Lexington, KY

Members-only Webinar Oct 15
Webinar on Webinars

View All Events...




 

 



National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science

20423 State Road 7
Suite F6-491
Boca Raton, FL 33498
(561) 477-8100
[email protected]

 

 

President's Message
Kathleen Olson (MN)

Are you a champion?

County and state fair season is upon us, a time of champions.  I was inspired by five factors that helped to create successful outcomes or champions, and will share them with you and how it can relate to our Association.

  1. Resilience: Be able to bounce back when something doesn’t go as we planned; let go of the past and focus on the future.  We need to celebrate the past, but also need to move forward with new strategies and new ideas for our work.
  2. Teamwork: Stay focused to be able to function as a unified system, whether it is a program team, office staff or our Association.
  3. Great coaching: A great coach inspires the team and provides a strategy to get the desired outcome. The players and coach need to be committed to each other for this to happen. How is this working on teams you are part of?
  4. Ability to stay fresh and change: Be able to stay current and change with the times, yet keep our approaches fresh. Be nimble.
  5. Humility: The entire team has a reputation of humility. Remember, “It takes a village”, and we do not accomplish great things alone.

    Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, says that good-to-great leaders never want to be put on a pedestal. They are seemingly ordinary people, quietly producing extra-ordinary results. Incorporating these five factors into your plan will generate winning results, whether in your office, with clientele, or state or national levels with NEAFCS.

In June, I participated in an FCS Alliance meeting, which was held during the AAFCS (American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) conference in St. Louis, MO. The FCS Alliance was created in 2006 when FCS associations that addressed the integrative nature of family and consumer sciences began meeting for the purpose of leveraging each individual group’s limited resources for maximum positive impact regarding the FCS field.  We met to collaborate and discuss the future and vision of the Family & Consumer Sciences profession. For those of you who have been following the proposal that the Alliance transition into The Academy of Family & Consumer Sciences, this issue has been put to rest and will not happen.  Instead, the Alliance will continue, but move forward with more purpose and action steps.  We had a lot of discussion about how we can combine our efforts to move our profession forward.  We will be working on several issues together, starting with:  1) communication – both internal and external, and 2) sharing resources.  This will be an ongoing discussion and as there are more developments, we’ll share them with you.

By the time you read this, the Early Bird registration deadline will have passed as we countdown to our Annual Session in Lexington, KY.  There is still time to register, but the cost increases as it gets closer to the conference.  If you have already registered for the conference, you can use your registration confirmation number to add a pre-conference, in-depth session or make changes to your registration.

I am excited to have the opportunity to interact with many of you at Annual Session in Kentucky. I look forward to talking with you and learning more about what is happening with Family & Consumer Sciences programming in your state.

 

Kathleen Olson

 

P.S.  Look for the magic wand embedded in an article in this newsletter. The first 3 members to email me at [email protected] with the exact location of the wand will qualify for a chance to be placed in a drawing to qualify for a free Annual Session registration, drawn in August; this contest runs October through August to increase newsletter readership.  HINT: The graphic below does not count.



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Welcome Event at the Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Affiliate

Kentucky FCS agents invite you to the “Land of Unbridled Spirit.” From horses and history to the scenic beauty of the Bluegrass State, your unbridled spirit is waiting to be discovered during the Annual Session Welcome Event at the Kentucky Horse Park on Monday, September 15, 2014.

The Kentucky Horse Park is Kentucky’s largest state-owned tourist attraction.  The park is dedicated to sharing the Commonwealth’s love of horses with the world.  It is a working horse farm and an educational theme park/equestrian facility on 1,244 acres.

Immediately following the opening session on Monday afternoon, members will board buses for the Welcome Event. Please come to the opening session dressed for the Welcome Event (business casual and good walking shoes—there is a lot of walking).

When you arrive at the Horse Park, you will receive a blue bandana that you may use as a ticket to return to the park on your own Friday, September 19.

Kentucky agents will be dressed in blue throughout the park to answer questions and give directions as you explore at your leisure.

During Your Welcome Event Visit, You Will Experience:

Park Memorials & Statues

  • Man o’ War-unquestionably the most famous Thoroughbred who ever lived.
  • War Admiral-Triple Crown Winner and the son of Man o’ War.
  • Secretariat Memorial-Triple Crown Winner

Visitor’s Center

  • Film:  “Rein of Nobility”
  • Gift Shop—horse lovers dream

Courtyard Presentation with horses and jockeys (photo opportunity)

Kentucky Proud (location: Courtyard) beverages and “recipe tastes” from our Plate it Up! Kentucky Proud program.  Kentucky Proud indicates products grown, raised, or produced in Kentucky by Kentuckians, sponsored by Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Plate it Up! is a Consumer Education Partnership with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, UK Cooperative Extension Service and the UK School of Human Environmental Sciences.

International Museum of the Horse has a permanent collection of horse history and memorabilia, along with a rotating historical collection.

  • Legacy of the Horse
  • Thoroughbred in Kentucky
  • Draft Horse in America
  • Calumet Farm:  Five Decades of Champions
  • Affirmed:  The Making of a Champion (Last Triple Crown Winner)
  • Al-Marah Arabian Horse Galleries

Have the opportunity to learn about horse history in the largest of world’s horse museums, the International Museum of the Horse, an affiliate of the renowned Smithsonian Institution.

“Horses of the World” showcasing both common and rare horses from across the globe.  The horses are ridden in authentic costumes.  The Kentucky Horse Park honors horses of all breeds and types and there is no better place to meet some of these “stars of the park” than at the Horses of the World.

The Big Barn is one of the largest barns in North America and is a treasured piece of Kentucky history.  Draft horses as well as carriages and wagons are housed there.

Old Kentucky Night Program - Dinner   “Derby at the Park” & Entertainment - Enjoy a traditional derby meal at the Alltech Arena (indoor arena), host of the 2010 FEI World Equestrian Games.  The 2010 games marked the first time the games had been held outside of Europe.  In addition, the eight Olympic-level world championships had never been held together in a single location within Europe.

So get in the horsey spirit and make your way to Kentucky for the Welcome Event at the Kentucky Horse Park extravaganza.

Check your program book for exact details on times for each part of the Welcome Event.

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NEAFCS Silent Auction supports the Awards Fund!  We Need Your Help!
Roxie Price (GA), Vice President for Awards & Recognition

Roxie PriceThe NEAFCS Annual Session will be here soon!  One of the highlights of the conference is the Silent Auction that raises money for the NEAFCS Awards and Sponsorship Fund.  This event’s continued success is due to the wonderful help and donated items we receive from NEAFCS members and guests.

Bidding for the Silent Auction in Lexington will be held only one day - Wednesday,September 17, in the atrium of the Lexington Center just steps from the Exhibits and Posters.

We know many of you are very creative, so please consider contributing an item or two to make this year’s auction fun, entertaining, and once again successful!  We are requesting that each affiliate bring a minimum of one item to be auctioned and a maximum of five items. Some ideas for auction items include: commodity items from your state (nuts, fruit, jelly, etc.), handmade items, prints, quilted items, cookbooks, aprons, jewelry, trips and anything else unique that you may have.  Use your imagination and you will come up with wonderful auction items. Surprise us!  Remember, it is best to bring smaller items that are easy to pack as it is hard to ship or pack the larger baskets.  Tax receipts will be provided, if requested.

We hope your affiliate will help support the NEAFCS Awards and Recognition fund by bringing an item or two for the auction.  Check the conference schedule online for drop-off times and locations. Should you have any questions about the silent auction, please feel free to contact Roxie Price, 229-391-7980 or email: [email protected].

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Cooperative Extension—Celebrating 100 Years
Anna Mae Kobe, Ph.D. (MD), Life Member and Member of the NEAFCS Extension 100th Anniversary Committee

100 YearsMay 8, 2014, marked the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act which established the Cooperative Extension Service, a state-based national network of educators who extend university-based research and knowledge to the people.  Celebrations marking the anniversary of the signing of this historic legislation are taking place throughout the country during 2014.

NEAFCS will mark the anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act at the Annual Session September 15-18, in Lexington, Kentucky.  Family and Consumer Science educators have been a significant part of the 100-year history of the Cooperative Extension System.  Plan to be a part of celebrating 100 years of extending knowledge and changing lives.

For additional information on the Cooperative Extension System and the centennial celebration you can follow Extension100Years on social media at facebook.com/Extension100Years, twitter.com/#ext100years, or pinterest.com/ext100years/pins.  Or visit the website Extension100Years.net.

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Cooperative Extension's National Framework for Health and Wellness 
Sonja Koukel, PhD (NM), Vice-President for Professional Development

Sonja KoukelIn most communities, Cooperative Extension’s work in health and wellness is common knowledge. At the county and community levels, Extension professionals are a trusted source of information, education and advice that develop into long-lasting skills and knowledge. However, at the national level, Cooperative Extension is limited by a lack of mission mandate and an inability to provide a system-wide approach and focused leadership to strengthen its capacity to address national health issues. Given the national trends in health, and the current assets of Extension, including the ability to be responsive to emerging needs, it is a critical time to create a new or expanded programmatic focus.

To this end, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP, the governing committee for the Cooperative Extension System), established the Health Task Force (2012, December). Members* were charged with three goals:

  1. Identify priorities for Cooperative Extension health programs for the next 3-5 years.
  2. Identify outcome indicators for each priority; and
  3. Identify potential partners, public and private, including non-traditional partners, to be engaged in resource development, program implementation, and outcomes reporting.

The task force aligned Extension health priorities with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ National Prevention Strategy: Strategic Directions.  Using the Social-Ecological model (Bronfenbrenner) as its theoretical base, the task force developed the Cooperative Extension National Framework for Health and Wellness.

 

Health & Wellness

In March 2014, members of the Health Task Force presented their findings and recommendations to the National Extension Directors and Administrators and ECOP meetings in Sacramento. The National Framework was unanimously approved.  

Currently, task force members are working to publicize, promote and encourage utilization of the Framework. Webinars are being conducted and articles are being published. There is great interest in this movement. Close to 120 participants, representing Extension, including 4-H, health coordinators, health extension officers, clinical translational sciences funded out of NIH, registered dieticians, health insurance counselors and more participated in an interactive introductory webinar sponsored by the eXtension Creating Healthy Communities Community of Practice.

To access the Cooperative Extension Framework for Health & Wellness webinar recording from June 26, 2014, visit https://learn.extension.org/events/1651#.U61ih7Hr6f8 and click on ‘watch recording’. Note: Be sure to click "watched recording" or "attended" -- The ‘system’ keeps track of the events you attend and you can then print it out at the end of the year and use it as a record of your online Professional Development.

To implement the framework, a National Health Outreach Conference was conceived to broaden the former Priester Health Conference to include new and existing partners from both the private and pubic sections. It is scheduled for May 6-8, 2015, in Atlanta, GA. Theme: Promoting Connections to Create Healthy Individuals, Families and Communities. Watch for a Save the Date promotion and Call for Proposals within the year.

Being an active participant in this very exciting national movement provides personal professional development. It is also “…one arena where there can be a positive future for our nationwide network and the people we serve by ‘extending knowledge and changing lives’” (ECOP, 2014). The health and wellness program can help position Extension for our second century.

NEAFCS is confirming a day/time to present a members-only webinar to further explore interest in this opportunity. Contact me for more information: Sonja Koukel, [email protected]

Resources:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ National Prevention Strategy http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/prevstrategies.aspx

National Prevention Strategy: Strategic Directions and Priorities http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/initiatives/prevention/strategy/intro-strategic-directions-priorities.pdf

Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Wellness (2014, March) https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5134

* Task Force members: Bonnie Braun, Karen Bruns, Linda Cronk,  Linda Kirk Fox, Sonja Koukel, Suzanne Le Menestrel, Lily Monroe Lord, Cindy Reeves, Roger Rennekamp, Carol Rice, Michelle Rodgers, Javiette Samuel, Ann Vail, Tamara Warren.

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Regional Directors Preparing for Annual Session
Nancy Stehulak (OH), Central Region Director

Nancy StehulakWe are getting excited about our trip to Lexington in September.  As you walk through the downtown hotels, you will be delighted by the celebration of horses!  I know I was!

Your four Regional Directors, Sandra Grenci (East), Cindy Davies (West), Susan Routh (South) and me will be planning for the annual business meeting as well as our regional meetings.  These meetings are OUR meetings, and they are designed to encourage our growth as a professional group!

We are aware, on the NEAFCS Board, that we are having some members who have signed up for committees, who have never been contacted by the chair or provided information or assignments. We are working on this problem.  But, if you hear of a member who has been overlooked, please refer them to their Regional Directors.

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Looking Back Before Looking Ahead to Next Year's PILD Conference
Theresa C. Mayhew (NY), Vice President for Public Affairs

Theresa Mayhew

Next month I’ll be traveling to Washington, DC to help plan next year’s Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference, which is set for April 12-15. As our planning committee gets started we’ll be looking at the evaluations from this year’s proceedings and looking ahead to what we think will be hot burner issues in the coming year. One thing that will hopefully stay the same is the favorable reaction that participants will come away with, especially first time attendees. Here are some more reflections that this year’s group of first timers prepared as part of their scholarship requirements.

“The PILD conference was a wonderful experience. The conference speakers emphasized many important pieces of information that helped us on our visit to Capitol Hill and will also help us in the future when advocating for Extension. It was also great hearing from some of the NIFA leaders and what they are currently working on. The opportunity to network with colleagues from across the country was also a great benefit. It is very helpful to understand how Extension works in other states and to hear about programming they are involved with. The visit to Capitol Hill was very rewarding. We always hear about the importance of communicating with legislators, but to be able to do it in that capacity was a great experience.”  ~ Bethany Bachmann, University of Missouri

“The conference was so purposefully planned to teach Extension Educators what they needed to know before their visits to the Hill, I was impressed. I found (the national) leaders to be accessible and eager to share. I was proud that FCS had impact statements to give to constituents. It was worthwhile to see fellow NEAFCS members outside our group environment to see how we all fit into the big picture. After attending, I feel more interested in national service to this organization and to my state’s, as well.”  ~ Melanie Hart, Ohio State University

“Attending JCEP’s PILD conference during the centennial year celebration of Cooperative Extension’s establishment provide me a wonderful opportunity. Reviewing Cooperative Extension’s history gave me a deeper appreciation for the work of early extension agents. Looking ahead to how our methods may change as we continue to strive to effectively distribute research-based information reminds me of the need to keep up with changes in technology while still retaining a rapport with our clientele. Meeting with legislators and their staff members increased my understanding of their role and responsibilities.  Experiencing all of this in the splendor of Washington, DC increased the significance of the event for me.” ~Sharon Jeffrey, Michigan State University

“As I drove around the Beltway toward Washington, DC I could barely contain my excitement. Living in the Potomac Highlands of West Virginia, DC is a hop and a skip away. The city is full of memories and moments that have developed into a love for the buzz in the Beltway. Having the opportunity to represent Extension on a new level provided a renewed outlook in my endeavors. In early May, I completed my second year working for the WVU Extension Service. The conference was very complimentary to the experiences that I have had thus far. PILD provided an opportunity to expand my knowledge, build relationships outside of WV and FCS, and become more familiar with those that support us at USDA. For those who have never experienced DC or a visit to Capitol Hill, I encourage you to make this a priority for Extension, your state, and your own personal and professional development.”  ~ Elizabeth “Liz” Metheny, West Virginia University

“In my 35 years of Extension, I had never thought of visiting a legislator or providing information to one. The process of developing skills to do this and the visits on Capitol Hill were very rewarding. PILD was an opportunity to meet colleagues from other states and to work with educators from my state for this very purpose! The speakers were great and the subsequent NEAFCS meeting, too. I was able to bring back grant and other information that will lead to team building at our university. The presentations related to the history of Extension provided various views of our past history and future prospects. Thank you for this opportunity!”  ~ Jan Scholl, Pennsylvania State University

Note:  Some recipients’ comments had to be slightly edited and/or shortened due to space constraints.

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Meet the Board
Susan Cosgrove, MS, VP for Member Resources

Susan CosgroveMy Extension career began in the Mississippi Delta…I worked in Coahoma and Tunica Counties along the Mississippi River for almost two years before returning to the red clay hills in east central Mississippi where I was born.

I have held several positions from Extension Home Economist to Area EFNEP Agent to County Director to Area Extension Agent for Financial Management. I became an Area Agent in 2002 for ten counties. In 2006, County Director was added to my responsibility. Since 2013, I am back to only Area Agent for Financial Management, but now I cover twenty-one counties. I really enjoy working with diverse groups of clientele in southeast MS as well as the Extension Agents and other partners in the counties.

I have a B.S. in Home Economics and a Masters of Business Administration from Mississippi State University. I have been very active in NEAFCS since 1993. I have held numerous offices with the MS Affiliate. I love NEAFCS because it has opened so many doors to professional development. The 2014 Annual Session will be the 16th Annual Session that I have attended, including each Galaxy.

Serving on the NEAFCS Board the past two years has been a great privilege. I hope to see many of you in Lexington in September!

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