Extension Update: September 2007 Archives

New Hampshire Partners in Education, a nonprofit organization promoting the efforts of volunteers and outside groups that work with schools, has honored UNH Cooperative Extension's Awilda Muniz with one of its 2007 Gold Circle awards.

Muniz, Hillsborough County program associate with the Nutrition Connections program, was recognized for her nutrition education work with third graders at the Ledge Street School in Nashua. Assistant Principal Pilar Peigh nominated Muniz for the award.

Ledge School teacher Bonnie Blaisdell said, "Awilda's classes were always so motivating to the students. She used hands-on and fun materials. The students enjoyed all the healthy snacks she made with them. She stressed the importance of eating healthy food, and I’ve noticed this starting to make a difference in their choice of snacks. All of Awilda’s lessons really involved the students. She made learning about nutrition and taking care of our bodies fun. We are looking forward to working with her again." Congratulations, Awilda!

UNH Cooperative Extension has participated in a nation-wide program called Operation Military Kids (OMK) the past three years. When National Guard, Army Reserve and other military families living in civilian communities become mobilized, their children become kids with unique needs for special support and services, even though they still “look the same” to their friends and the community.

The OMK program works with local and state partners to provide sustainable support services to youth in military families before, during, and after family members are deployed. This is done by creating support networks and raising community awareness about the issues Guard and Reserve families face.

During June, July and August, we reached 170 people with five “Ready Set Go!” presentations designed to offer insight into military culture and the deployment cycle, as well as suggest ways others can help meet the needs of military kids. Additional awareness was created with a radio show and an OMK display at a county fair reaching approximately 7,800.

Additional youth-focused programs encompassing a variety of different types of OMK events for military kids and their families were held across New Hampshire. These programs provide opportunities to get together, have fun and offer support to one another in an informal environment. Some programs included a fishing derby, family camp weekend, Healthy Choices Day Camp, military reservation tours, Children’s Museum of Portsmouth event, “We Share the Same Sky” program at the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, Healthy Choices Overnight camp, Family Fun Day at Stonewall Farm, and OMK Camp at Bear Hill 4-H Camp. As a result, we had 460 contacts with military youth, and many events also reached adult family members.

The Speak Out for Military Kids program (SOMK) program is a youth-led, adult supported activity that gives voice to, and educate others about what it’s like to be a military kid. Four youth received SOMK training and are involved with this leadership program. They reached 270 individuals with their message including Extension staff, 4-H Youth and volunteers and 4-H Campers. They also used our Mobile Technology Lab to design, direct and produce a new DVD about issues military kids face. This DVD, along with a previously created one, can be borrowed and shared at various events.

Many organizations helped with Hero Packs, backpacks filled with fun and useful items given to thank children for the sacrifices their families have made. Those involved included a Girl Scout troop, the UNH Circle K Club, Manchester High School Key Club, Concord Contemporary Club, the Seymour Osman Community Center, The Works Family Health and Fitness Center, Sullivan County 4-H, South Church-the Unitarian Universalist Church of Portsmouth, and the Keene Emblem Club. Hero Packs were presented to 112 youth.

UNH Manchester and UNH Cooperative Extension recently entered into a partnership to collaborate and build on the already successful community outreach work each organization does in the city of Manchester.

As of September 1, Trece Mettauer, UNHM faculty in Communication Arts, began a 40 percent Extension appointment in community outreach with the goal of working with UNH Manchester faculty and Extension staff to develop service learning and community engagement opportunities around issues critical to urban areas such as economic development, land use, and community and civic engagement.

In addition, the UNH office of the Associate Vice President for Research and Outreach Scholarship has announced an initiative to encourage and support collaborative efforts through a competitive funding process available only to UNHM faculty and Extension specialists/educators. You will find a request for proposals (RFP) to fund collaborative outreach scholarship projects between UNHM, UNH Cooperative Extension, and an external partner.

Proposals should address issues in Manchester and the Merrimack Valley region in three important focus areas:

• Community Development: Projects that strengthen and engage communities, increase social capital, or enhance economic development.
• Diversity Issues: Projects that engage diverse audiences.
• Curriculum Development: Innovative new courses that incorporate outreach scholarship and community involvement in a meaningful way.

Proposals will be reviewed by a panel of faculty and Extension staff and members of the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research and Outreach Scholarship. The deadline for receipt of all proposal material is November 5, 2007. Awards will be announced on or before November 19, and funds will be available December 3. Please refer to the RFP for details about types of projects, proposal formats and funding. We strongly encourage all potential applicants attend an information session on Sept. 26, from 3:30 to 5 pm on the UNHM campus in room 264 of the University Center.

Please feel free to contact Lisa Townson or Trece Mettauer if you have questions or need assistance in connecting to faculty at UNHM.

Gov. John Lynch visited the Whole Village Center in Plymouth Friday, touring the different agencies located there. Robin Peters, Food and Nutrition Educational Program Coordinator, discussed her role with UNH Cooperative Extension. Robin thanked Gov. Lynch for his continued support of Extension's programming efforts, and provided him with a packet of information as well as the latest Extension newsletters for senior citizens and regular food stamp participants.

French was involved in the early part of the process before the group decided to take the route of drafting the legislation. He has since rejoined the group, primarily to serve the role as technical assistance provider.

Managing growth at the municipal level has created conflicting pressures for local leaders, protecting the area's natural resources and character, while meeting the housing needs of current and future residents.

"The grants will help municipalities plan for local workforce housing while conserving natural resources and preserving historic structures," said Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, a key proponent of the bill. "As young professionals, firefighters, teachers, and health care workers make longer commutes from outside of town to find suitable housing, we lose them as part of our community fabric. Existing development patterns are also threatening natural and historic resources."

The Growth and Development Roundtable, a broad coalition of business, conservation, housing, municipal, and planning interests, advocated for this incentive-based program to give communities the ability to plan for housing and conservation through a unified planning strategy.

"The unrelenting pressures of growth on communities make it very hard for local leaders to protect a community's natural resources and character, while meeting the needs for affordable housing. This Roundtable found immediate common ground in the belief that our state cannot sustain its growth rate and maintain its character by doing more of what worked in the past," said Lew Feldstein, president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.