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EXTENSION UPDATE: An ongoing newsletter for staff and volunteers from John Pike, Dean & Director, regarding personnel, programs, finances and other Extension-related issues.
Fourteen afterschool programs in New Hampshire will receive mini-grants totaling $271,527 for 627 program slots from National 4-H Council for the 2008-09 school year. Funded by the JC Penney 4-H Afterschool Fund, these awards are designed to increase access for youth currently not in after-school programs, or on the verge of leaving after-school programs due to a lack of funds. A total of $1 million was available nationally to fund 2,000 slots for school-age children. New Hampshire’s awards are 27 percent of available funds and 31 percent of the projected slots.
In addition to the financial support, each youth supported by these awards will also receive a JC Penney gift card, courtesy of JC Penney Co, to use in purchasing back-to-school clothing and supplies. To be eligible, each program must be within 20 miles of a JC Penney store or unit, operate Monday-Friday throughout the school year, provide a 100 percent cash match, and partner with the county 4-H program.
This is the third year our county Extension Educators, 4-H Youth Development, have helped community programs receive these awards. This year’s awards are an increase of almost 10 percent in both number of youth to be served and dollar amount.
Programs receiving awards include Ossipee School’s Out in Carroll County, Gorham Family Resource Center in Coos County, and Plymouth A+PLUS in Grafton County. Also, Hillsboro-Deering KIDS IN GEAR in Hillsborough County, Newport Enrichment Team in Sullivan County, Seymour Osman Community Center in Strafford County, and Franklin Celebrates in Merrimack County.
Five Cheshire County programs will receive awards including Hinsdale HOPE, Winchester ACCESS, Keene MANY Options, Marl-Harris program serving Marlborough and Harrisville, and Monadnock MOSI serving Troy, Sullivan and Gilsum. Rockingham County programs include Epping Recreation Center and Seacoast Youth Services in Seabrook.
Do you think one of your colleagues is doing an amazing program this summer? Did someone in your office really make your day?
Don't wait until the next UNH Cooperative Extension annual conference to nominate these people for an award. You can do it right now.
The Recognition Team has put the nomination ballots for Performance Beyond Expectations, Professional Courtesy, Diversity and Pluralism, and Program of Distinction awards on our web site.
If you want to see one of your peers get recognized for their hard work and excellent efforts, then nominate one today. It just takes a few minutes to let someone know you recognize their accomplishments, and now you don't have to wait until spring.
You also can learn more about the awards on our Staff Recognition web page, or to see who received past awards.
One objective of the scheduled fall county/campus staff visits with the administrative team is to gather information from staff on organizational support issues as they relate to our ITDE, Staff Development, Program Development and Evaluation, Business Service Center, Volunteer Management and Communication offices.
This objective stems from UNH Cooperative Extension’s Strategic Plan Goal 2, which calls for Extension to provide effective outreach through high-quality programming. To help accomplish this, we want to clarify the roles and responsibilities of support units and teams so they can effectively communicate and collaborate with program staff to manage projects from conception through evaluation and reporting.
To assess successes and challenges as well as future needs for how we provide support to program staff (technical, staff development, etc.,), a staff questionnaire will be developed. We have a list of potential questions we would like you to consider. Prior to our scheduled campus/county visits, we would like you to prioritize the questions so we will be able to address the most important issues as they relate to your program needs.
The following questions have been submitted to date. Please take a moment to review, and send any additional questions for consideration, to Associate Director Jim Grady at jim.grady@unh.edu
The last of three regional meetings for UNH Cooperative Extension staff took place Thursday at the Memorial Union Building Thursday. Five topics, Civil Rights, a financial update, a communications and information technology update, a Strategic Planning Implementation Team update, and an afternoon session on the public value of Extension, were the focus of the day-long meetings.
With USDA planning a Civil Rights audit of UNH Cooperative Extension in August, Paul Bonaparte-Krogh asked staff to take a moment to do a Civil Rights compliance self-assessment tool and talked about the updated resources on our Civil Rights web page.
Hugh Christian provided staff with an update on Extension’s finances, and I took the opportunity to announce that the University has approved filling those positions vacated through the University’s Separation Incentive Plan.
David Foote showcased some new technology staff may find useful, such as the social bookmarking tool del.icio.us, as well as the current efforts to create a repository database and promotional efforts focused on our weekly radio spots with WTPL.
Mike Koski, a member of the Strategic Planning Implementation Team, provided an update, noting that the first round of Significant Issue Grants resulted in three awards. (Darrel Covell and Charlene Baxter presented this information at the previous two regional meetings.) As part of the update on the Strategic Plan, an issues identification/prioritization process for staff is in the implementation stage.
The Public Values workshop in the afternoon, led by Paul Bonaparte-Krogh with assistance from Charlene Baxter, Jim Grady and David Foote, looked at how Extension can explain the value of its program to direct participants and to those who don't directly benefit from the programs. (George Morse, retired Minnesota Extension associate dean, presented this workshop at the previous two regional meetings.) Further public value training will take place later this year.
Our Forestry and Wildlife Program staff is busy getting the word out on habitats identified as critical to species at risk as defined by the NH Wildlife Action Plan. Grasslands are one such critical habitat on the decline in New Hampshire.
Whether we call them hayfields, pastures or grasslands, open fields in New Hampshire are becoming increasingly rare. The most common grassland habitats in New Hampshire are agricultural fields. Without farmers using these lands for agricultural purposes, they would quickly revert to forest.
Grassland habitats are featured in our Habitat Stewardship Brochure series, extremely popular with landowners and municipal officials. The Hayfields as Habitat workshop builds on the information in the brochure. The workshop targets farmers, landowners and land managers who work with open fields and are already acting to maintain this important resource.
Participants will learn to recognize wildlife that depend on fields, discuss the challenges of balancing agriculture and wildlife habitat management, and learn about cost-share programs available to farmers and landowners to help pay for management practices beneficial to wildlife, such as mowing.
The workshop is offered twice, on July 16 at the Rockingham County Farm in Brentwood or July 18 at Prescott Farm, Audubon Center in Laconia. The workshop cost is $10. Pre-registration is required. New Hampshire licensed foresters will receive one CEU for attending. The registration brochure and workshop information is available on the Forestry and Wildlife Program web site.
The workshop is co-sponsored by NRCS, NH Fish and Game and NH Audubon Society.
Through two programs, the Community Profiles and Master Plan Visioning, UNH Cooperative Extension's community assistance program works with a limited number of communities to help them organize, facilitate community planning and hold public visioning forums.
Applicants for either program are selected based on the community's readiness to start working on public involvement activities and a willingness of local decision-makers to participate. Application deadlines are August 15, 2008 and January 15, 2009.
The fee structure is based on population and is as follows:
Town/city population of 2,499 or less: $500
Town/city population of 2,500-24,999: $750
Town/city population of 25,000 or more: $1,000
Fees will cover technical assistance from UNH Cooperative Extension to:
- help form the community-based steering committee that manages all details of the event,
- facilitate the event,
- train community facilitators to manage small group work at the event, and
- provide follow-up, for up to one year, to the project/action groups formed as a result of the event, including follow-up meetings and a one-year celebration to determine success.
The American Tree Farm System recognized six UNH Cooperative Extension educators for their significant contributions toward sustainable forestry on private lands.
Extension Educator Phil Auger received the Tree Farm Silver Hard Hat award for his certification of 50 new Tree Farms.
Receiving the Tree Farm Bronze Hard Hat award for certification of 25 new Tree Farms were Extension Educators Jon Nute, Sam Stoddard and Nory Parr, and Extension Specialists Matt Tarr and Karen Bennett.
Private landowners now own 57 percent of this nation’s forests. In New Hampshire, 75 percent of our landscape is privately owned. Nationally, the 80,000 private landowners who are certified in the American Tree Farm System are managing their forestlands for wood, water, wildlife and recreation. New Hampshire has 1,600 Tree Farmers managing more than 800,000 acres.
These Tree Farmers are contributing every day to the timber production we need to help meet the increasing demand for forest products, and doing so while caring for our wildlife, water and recreational resources. Learn more about the New Hampshire Tree Farm Program.
Congratulations to these staff who help make this program such a success in New Hampshire!
Seacoast Youth Services in Seabrook was the site Monday for the Rockingham County Conversation. Everyone attending was greeted by the youth who attend the after-school and other programs available to them at the site.
They led the visitors to the various presentations they had set up for the county conversation, showcasing how they are involved in the Seacoast Youth Leadership Project at Seacoast Youth Services. Their presentations showcased food and fitness that emphasize healthy lifestyles through exercise and good nutrition (and a first place win in the firefighters’ annual Chili Fest), leadership, team building, and a Techno-Team, which explores various computer, remote control, rocketry and photo/video technologies.
Following the tours, Susan Turner, chair, Rockingham County Advisory Council, welcomed the over 50 county advisory council members, public officials, representatives from partnering organizations, and volunteers attending. UNH President Mark Huddleston addressed the group, complimenting the youth giving the tours as “very professional young men and women.”
The program, “Strengthening Lower Seacoast Youth and Families,” was facilitated by Extension Specialist Paula Gregory, who set the stage for the group of speakers, including 4-H Youth Development Educator Rick Alleva, Vic Maloney, executive director of Seacoast Youth Services, Stephanie Charron, UNH graduate and program coordinator for Seacoast Youth Services, and Dr. J. Eric Vance, chief consulting psychiatrist, NH Division of Juvenile Justice.
The Seacoast Youth Leadership Project provides New Hampshire's lower Seacoast towns with positive youth development and a special effort is made to involve young people who could benefit most from, but are least likely to attend, positive youth development activities.
While Alleva talked about mobilizing the resources to forge a partnership with Seacoast Youth Services, Maloney praised Extension for its support. Charron talked about her positive experience of first being a UNH intern at the site and was a positive “journey” it had been for her. Dr. Vance noted that Seacoast Youth Services had become a community resource.
Several parents whose children attend the programs also were on hand with positive testimony about how these programs have helped their children.
In the top left photo, UNH President Mark Huddleston takes part in the tour, while in the top right photo, he and 4-H Youth Development Program Leader Wendy Brock taste the award-winning chili.
Extension Specialist Ken La Valley is the recipient of a $48,000 grant to develop an automated fixed gear marking technology to help the National Marine Fisheries Service increase its understanding of fishing gear and whale interactions with the goal of reducing entanglements.
The proposed system will use micro-chip and GPS technology to track fishing efforts in real time and allow scientists to pinpoint the specific locations where whale entanglements occur. Ken will be collaborating with Blue Water Concepts, Inc., a marine consulting from Kittery, Maine. The funds will be awarded through a joint project of the International Foundation for Animal Welfare and the National Marine Fisheries Service.
The national board of directors of the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy recently recognized the achievements of the New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition and expressed appreciation to its many volunteers. UNH Cooperative Extension has been involved with New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition since its inception.
Laura Levine, executive director of the Jump$tart Coaltion for Personal Financial Literacy and member of the President's Advisory Council on Financial Literacy with the U.S. Dept. of Treasury, said, "New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition has been a model coalition for years, with successful and innovative programs, including their annual Financial Fitness Fair, MoneySmarts Teacher Conference, and Investment Simulation, as well as participation in Financial Football and LifeSmarts competitions."
Dan Hebert, president of the New Hampshire Jump$tart Coalition accepted the award. The coalition is a statewide, all volunteer, non-profit association dedicated to improving the personal financial literacy of children in the Granite State. Suzann Enzian Knight currently serves as vice chair of the Board of Directors and chairs the Education Committee, and Kathe Fredette is a member of the Education Committee. In 2007, UNH Cooperative Extension was awarded the NH Jump$tart Coalition Volunteer Service Award.
A power outage didn’t stop a full day of activities as Cooperative Extension staff from throughout the state came to UNH’s Memorial Union Building Monday to attend our annual professional development conference.
Highlights included the awarding of the sixth Maynard & Audrey Heckel Extension Educator Fellowship to Paula Gregory, an introduction of new staff and a great keynote address by Gary Hirshberg, chair, president and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm. He was introduced by UNH President Mark Huddleston, who also welcomed the Extension staff from throughout the state to the UNH campus.
Hirshberg, who told staff Extension was the "bridge between the planet and consumer," received a round of applause when he announced that Stonyfield Yogurt had awarded a $2,500 grant to Bear Hill 4-H Camp in Allenstown for solar water heater panels for the dining hall.
The 2008 "Friend of Extension" award was presented to Jack Sherburne of Deerfield, a retired New Hampshire legislator who served on the Rockingham County Advisory Council, for his many years of support and commitment to Extension. (In the photo to the left, Jack Sherburne is shown receiving the "Friend of Extension" award from me. Left to right are 2007 "Friend of Extension" recipient Joe Stone, Jack Sherburne, John Pike and USNH Trustee Merle Schotanus.)
Another highlight of the day was the presentation of several awards, including the Professional Courtesy Award to Deb Anderson, Support Staff, Forestry & Wildlife, Sharon Blake, Administrative Assistant, Dean’s Office, Ann Hamilton, Extension Educator, Family & Consumer Resources, and Judie Harvey, Business Service Center.
Four innovative programs received our Program of Distinction award this year, including Karyn Blass, Project C.A.S.H., Malin Clyde, NH Coverts Project, Mary Tebo, Green Roof Project, and Seth Wilner, Holistic Farming Project.
Three staff members received the Performance Beyond Expectations award: Karen Bennett, Extension Specialist, Forestry, Peg Boyles, Staff Writer/Editor, and Becky Grube, Extension Specialist, Sustainable Horticulture Production.
The Diversity and Pluralism award went to three recipients this year: Rick Alleva, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Chris Conlon, Jody Jackson and Paula Gregory - 4-H Camps, and Sarah Smith, Extension Specialist, Forest Industry.
UNH Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Bruce Mallory also offered remarks. Special thanks to the Conference Planning Committee for their excellent work in designing this educational and fun-filled event. Members are Wendy Brock, co-chair, Sue Cagle, Darrel Covell, co-chair, Tim Fleury, Michele Gagne, Lynn Garland, Gail Ramsey, Thom Linehan, Deb Russell and Holly Young.
Here's the presentation in Flash or Powerpoint presented by Gary Hirshberg at our conference and a link to the movie he mentioned.
Here's Paula Gregory's Powerpoint for the Maynard and Audrey Heckel award.
UNH President Mark Huddleston has identified, in a letter released today to UNH faculty and staff, steps to address the University’s serious financial challenges projected for FY09's budget and beyond. These actions include a hiring freeze for all non-grant funded, benefits-eligible faculty and staff positions, including county-based positions. This freeze began as of last Thursday, May 8, 2008. You can review the criteria in the freeze announcement.
While the hiring freeze and other possible steps the University will take to address the financial challenges will have some impact on UNH Cooperative Extension, I want to let you know we remain committed to minimizing the programmatic impact of any cost reductions.
Please take a moment to review President Huddleston's letter. You may also want to review the April 24, 2008, letter from Dick Cannon, Vice President for Finance & Administration, and David Proulx, Assistant Vice President for Financial Planning and Budgeting, outlining UNH's financial status.
I will keep you apprised of our situation in the coming months. Please contact me or your Program Leader if you have further questions.
UNH Cooperative Extension recently received the following grants:
Shane Bradt, Extension Specialist, Geospatial Technologies, $11,000 from the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, for the project, "Application of On-Lake and Satellite Remote Sensing of Lake Water Quality as a Monitoring Tool." This project will develop and refine remote sensing algorithms to predict the abundance of chlorophyll and cyanobacteria in New England lakes, and apply them to aerial and satellite imagery.
Charlotte Cross, Extension Professor/Specialist, 4-H Youth Development, $50,000 from the National Military Family Association for "Operation Military Kids 2008." The Operation Military Kids State Team will continue to work with the Joint Family Support Assistance Program to support military youth and families in New Hampshire.
George Hamilton, Extension Educator, Agricultural Resources, is the recipient of several Integrated Pest Management grant awards from the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets and foods, including: Monitoring European Corn Borer - $4,957, Corn Earworm and Fall Armyworm - $4,998, Monitoring Oriental Fruit Moth - $4,976, and Farm Sprayer Calibration Demonstration - $4,959.
Suzann Knight, Extension Professor/Specialist, Family Resource Management, $1,200 in support of the NH Saves Campaign from the Consumer Federation of America, and $15,000 through the NH Charitable Foundation in support of the NH Earned Income Tax Credit Alliance and efforts to enhance program participation in the state.
Julia Steed Mawson, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, an additional $13,147 from the Education Development Center, for her continued work on the National Partnerships for After School Science program.
Mark Wiley, Extension Associate Professor/Specialist, Marine Science Education, $15,000 from the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, in support of the 2008 Nor'Easter Bowl.
Three UNH Cooperative Extension staff were among the 13 faculty members who graduated last Friday from the 2008 UNH Outreach Scholars Academy. The three UNH Cooperative Extension staff graduating were Rick Alleva, Extension Educator, 4-H Youth Development, Julia Peterson, Extension Professor/Specialist, Water Resources, and Malcolm Smith, Extension Professor/Specialist, Family Education and Policy. They were recognized for their successful completion of the academy, along with faculty from other departments and UNH Manchester.
The 2008 Outreach Scholars Academy is a faculty development program in its fourth year. It consists of several workshops, group discussions and projects designed to encourage outreach scholarship at UNH.
Provost Bruce Mallory, Associate Vice President, Research and Outreach Scholarship, Julie Williams, and Faculty Fellow, Sharyn Potter all spoke to the importance of keeping the university’s public service mission in the forefront by working with our community partners in mutually beneficial ways. They also stressed the importance of faculty being recognized and rewarded for this type of work. Malcolm Smith was one of two scholars chosen by the class to address the audience with reflections on the academy.
Rick, Julia, and Malcolm join 10 other Extension specialists/faculty who have now completed the Outreach Scholars Academy. Congratulations!
Co-investigators Ken La Valley, Extension Specialist, Commercial Fisheries, and Rich Langan, director of the Atlantic Marine Aquaculture Center, just received news of a grant award from the NOAA Marine Aquaculture Program.
The research team will receive $212,000 over two years. This project will conduct outreach to individuals and groups in the New England fishing industry to generate interest in offshore mussel farming, and to provide technical assistance for start-ups in all aspects of offshore farming, from site selection and permitting to operations and marketing.
The investigators anticipate this project will greatly improve the possibility for expansion of offshore mussel farming in the United States and contribute to the economic and social welfare of coastal communities.