Month: June 2017

4-H, office professionals and ISUCEP

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John Lawrence’s message from June 26, 2017

Iowa State is interviewing candidates for the Associate Provost of Academic Programs. Think of it as the leader of undergraduate curriculum and success. Much of the discussion with the candidates is about how to embed soft skills development into the undergraduate experience. Although our Cyclones are strong in their disciplines and well-versed in technology, they may be weak in communication skills. They may choose to text – even if the recipient is across the hall – or struggle to make eye contact, carry on a conversation or talk on the phone. If only these students had been in 4-H!

This week nearly 800 teenagers will converge on campus for the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference. They’ll be here for three days of speakers, dancing, workshops, community service learning and a banquet. Yes, they’ll be having fun, but they’ll be learning too, likely far more than they realize. Did you know?

  • Brenda Allen’s research with youth who participated in the 2014 conference showed that the conference enhances current 4-H’ers’ skills and experiences as they become involved beyond the local club or county. Youth increased their leadership, citizenship, communication and learning skills whether they were new to 4-H or an advanced member.
  • The conference also serves as an entry point into 4-H for youth who haven’t been involved in our programs.
  • In addition, Brenda’s research showed that the conference provides an unbiased educational opportunity for all of Iowa’s youth regardless of gender, residence or membership in 4-H.

These results didn’t happen by accident. Our 4-H Youth Development staff and the teens on the Iowa 4-H State Council are very intentional when planning the conference each year. As Iowa 4-H focuses on reversing the brain drain, improving college and career readiness, and closing the educational achievement and opportunity gap, the Iowa 4-H Conference is an effective way to address the learning needs of Iowa’s young people.

About Professional Development

In addition to professional skills in our youth program, we also address the learning needs of our own faculty, staff and councils. We have invested in our Professional Development unit, which is listening to needs and offering learning opportunities across the state and online. For example, the ISU Extension and Outreach Office Professionals Conference is scheduled for Oct. 26, 2017, on campus in Ames. We are pleased to offer this professional development opportunity for office professionals in all areas of ISU Extension and Outreach. We encourage county extension councils and their staff to support their office professionals’ participation in the conference.

In other professional development news, the Iowa State University Council of Extension Professionals board voted to dissolve the association. They made the decision because of changes in ISU Extension and Outreach that have occurred in the years since ISUCEP was established, including the creation of our Professional Development unit; modifications in staffing patterns within our organization; and regional and multi-region meetings that include professional development, social activities and informal networking. We thank the board and all those who have supported ISUCEP efforts to foster professional development among ISU Extension and Outreach faculty and staff.

One more thing: Lyn Brodersen Cochran has been named the next president of Scott Community College in the Quad Cities. Lyn has served as assistant vice president for organizational development with ISU Extension and Outreach since 2013 and helped launch our Professional Development unit. Her last day with Iowa State will be July 7. She will begin her new position Aug. 1. Congratulations, Lyn!

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Interim Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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Essentials for a strong Iowa

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John Lawrence’s message from June 19, 2017

When we say ISU Extension and Outreach works with Iowans from cradle to grave, we hope there are many healthy years between those two points. One of the ways our human sciences faculty and staff educate Iowans across the lifespan is by providing training for child care providers.

Before September 2016, few Iowa child care providers had working knowledge of how to handle a child’s serious allergic reaction to food, store hazardous materials, manage infectious diseases, safely administer medicine or prepare their child care or preschool program for dealing with an intruder or weather-related emergency. Every year, children die in child care settings due to inappropriate sleep practices, accidental drowning or being shaken while crying. New state regulations now require all child care providers to have training that will protect the basic health and safety of children while in child care or preschool. Did you know?

  • Human Sciences Extension and Outreach and Healthy Child Care Iowa developed the Essentials Child Care Preservice Program to help child care providers meet new state requirements and learn basic health and safety “essentials” for child care and preschool programs.
  • Essentials Online is free, self-paced and available 24/7, making it ideal for rural child care providers and teachers who have limited hours available for professional development. In the eight months since the program’s inception, more than 15,000 child care providers, center directors and preschool teachers have enrolled in the 12-hour, online course.
  • The Essentials Program also is available in onsite workshops taught by Healthy Child Care Iowa and Child Care Resource and Referral.

While this program addresses child safety and health, it also supports economic development across the state. Yes, it provides training for child care providers so they can be employed or have a business, but it is more than the jobs created in child care. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2014), Iowa ranks first in the nation for the percentage of young children with employed parents. When their kids are receiving quality care, Iowa moms and dads can enter the workforce and are better able to focus on their work, which makes a difference for the state’s economy. The Essentials Child Care Preservice Program is essential for healthy children, a stable workforce and a strong Iowa.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Interim Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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Aware and prepared

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John Lawrence’s message from June 12, 2017

When I took on this interim role, I inherited a top notch leadership team. We’ve been working together for the last few years and I feel very comfortable with them. Last week we had our spring leadership retreat at a park in Story City. But unlike the park’s colorful carousel, we were not going round in circles. We focused on keeping ISU Extension and Outreach moving forward.

We spent the majority of our time on our ISU Extension and Outreach strategic plan and determining what changes we want and how to have it fit with the new university strategy plan. The ISU strategic plan embraces the Land Grant ideals of higher education open to all, providing practical learning and sharing knowledge and discoveries. The mission statement is direct and to the point: Create, share and apply knowledge to make Iowa and the world a better place. That is in our wheelhouse and a mission we can support.

The university plan calls on ISU Extension and Outreach specifically in Goal 3: Improve the quality of life for all Iowans through services and programs dedicated to economic development and the promotion of healthy communities, people and environments. We will share this responsibility with the office of Economic Development and Industry Relations, and there are specific sub goals we will address and indicators to track. It is what we do and I am excited to showcase our activities and impacts.

Another part of the university strategic plan is Goal 4: Continue to enhance and cultivate the ISU Experience where faculty, staff, students and visitors are safe, and feel welcomed, supported, included and valued by the university and each other. ISU Extension and Outreach is a people organization and our success depends on having great people working in a supportive environment to develop and deliver programming for people of Iowa and beyond. Our strategic plan will address Goal 4 as well.

Speaking of great people doing amazing things, I rely on the leadership team to make sure I am well informed about what’s happening throughout our organization. In particular, the program directors give me monthly updates so I have a ready supply of current program information and statistics to share with stakeholders, partners and decision makers. I want to share these updates with all of you as well, and I’ll start with Community and Economic Development. Did you know?

  • In his new publication “What Drives Quality of Life in Iowa Small Towns?” David Peters, associate professor and extension rural sociologist, discusses what towns can do to attract new residents, as well as what pushes people away.
  • The data on quality of life and social conditions are from the Sigma Study, a long-term USDA-funded research effort in Iowa. Residents of 99 small towns (population between 500 and 6,000) were surveyed in 1994, 2004 and 2014 and were asked to subjectively rank their community on things like overall quality of life, jobs, medical services, schools, housing, child and senior services, retail and entertainment.
  • Peters found that the strongest drivers of quality of life were social capital and civic measures – whether residents participate in the community and whether the community provides social supports. These factors are within a community’s control and don’t cost a lot of money. The degree to which people participate in the community and feel safe, supported and trusted, is something a community can take action on.

To see the rest of this month’s updates from the program directors, check the June 2017 Program Update on my Did You Know blog. Each month we’ll post these updates on the blog and I’ll let you know when they’re available.

It’s good for all of us to be aware of what’s going on elsewhere in our organization, so we’re prepared. For example, a farm couple may contact a county extension office concerned about weeds in their fields or their cattle not performing properly. But after talking with the couple, an extension professional may discover they’re also dealing with financial concerns, family stress, problems at school or issues in the community – and can connect them to whatever extension assistance they need.

That’s always been one of our strengths. Even those early short courses that R.K. Bliss wrote about in his history book included agriculture, home economics (which became human sciences), youth programming and community development. From the beginning we were doing comprehensive, integrated, education and outreach. Whether we’re serving farmers or families, kids or communities, being aware and prepared with a comprehensive approach is our niche.

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Interim Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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June 2017 program update

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Updates from the ISU Extension and Outreach program directors

Agriculture and Natural Resources

  • Agronomy in the Field is a series of workshops for women designed to improve agronomic skills and increase knowledge for decision-making. The program is in its third year bringing together women landowners, farmers and ag retailers to learn about Iowa crop production. The goals of this series are to strengthen agronomic skills for women that allow for better decision-making; provide a better understanding of inputs for crop production; see and understand different conservation practices; and increase confidence in communication with their spouse, farming partner, ag retailer or tenant. Meetings are held in central Iowa, west central Iowa, east central Iowa, southeast Iowa and south central Iowa. During the spring program, more than 40 women attended the hands-on sessions.
  • Transitioning to Organic Agriculture, a 16-week course taught by Kathleen Delate in the spring semester, had 44 participants, including Iowa State graduate and undergraduate students and interested farmers. The course, focusing on the transition to organic farming, included online and classroom sessions. With Iowa ranking 10th in the nation in total organic sales and the state’s 800 farms producing $103 million toward the farm economy, interest in organic farming is on the rise. A regional conference is scheduled for the fall.
  • Field days and workshops have been scheduled for this summer at Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms. Topics include crops and soils, nitrogen and water, Forecast and Assessment of Cropping sysTemS (FACTS) and demonstration gardens. Most events are free and open to the public. A complete schedule of events is online.

Community and Economic Development

  • In his new publication “What Drives Quality of Life in Iowa Small Towns?” David Peters, associate professor and extension rural sociologist, discusses what towns can do to attract new residents, as well as what pushes people away. The data on quality of life and social conditions are from the Sigma Study, a long-term USDA-funded research effort in Iowa. Residents of 99 small towns (population between 500 and 6,000) were surveyed in 1994, 2004 and 2014 and were asked to subjectively rank their community on things like overall quality of life, jobs, medical services, schools, housing, child and senior services, retail and entertainment. Peters found that the strongest drivers of quality of life were social capital and civic measures – whether residents participate in the community and whether the community provides social supports. These factors are within a community’s control and don’t cost a lot of money. The degree to which people participate in the community and feel safe, supported and trusted, is something a community can take action on.
  • 2017 retail trade analysis reports are available from the Iowa Community Indicators Program. The reports provide taxable sales trends and related data. County and city reports are available for free download.

Human Sciences

  • This spring through SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education), Human Sciences Extension and Outreach has partnered with the Healthiest State Initiative to encourage Iowans shopping with SNAP (food assistance dollars) to visit farmers markets. Double Up Food Bucks is an incentive program available at select markets around the state. Through the program, shoppers using SNAP benefits can double the value of their SNAP dollars when shopping for locally grown fruits and vegetables at these markets. Human Sciences Extension and Outreach has collaborated with the Community Design Lab to create and distribute promotional materials for producers and consumers.
  • Spring time means AnswerLine gets calls about rhubarb safety. AnswerLine serves callers in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, and this spring, all three states dealt with a frost or freeze after the rhubarb began growing. Some media outlets advised consumers not to use rhubarb that had frozen, claiming the poison in the leaves would migrate down into the stalks. Some outlets incorrectly claimed that the entire planting should be destroyed. Beth Marrs from AnswerLine consulted with extension horiculturist Richard Jauron and shared an accurate horticulture article on AnswerLine’s Facebook page. In total, 11,412 people viewed and 85 people shared the post. AnswerLine also answered 68 calls on this same topic during May 2017.
  • On May 10, people gathered at the Fort Dodge Middle School to celebrate 15 years of supporting Fort Dodge families with the Strengthening Families Program for Parents and Youth 10-14 (SFP 10-14) through PROSPER (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience). This evidence-based delivery system features tested and proven programs with a successful track record for preventing risky behaviors in youth, promoting positive youth development and strengthening families. Former participants in the program provided testimonials, including young adults who attended the program as youth, couples who participated multiple times (with each child), and youth who are now in high school.

4-H Youth Development

  • Almost a thousand teens from across the state will participate in the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference, June 27-29. They’ll converge on the Iowa State campus for three days of speakers, workshops (including Animal Science ROUND-UP), mixers, dances, a banquet, and community service activities. Youth do not have to be 4-H members to participate.
  • Iowa 4-H is part of the solution for closing the achievement gap (also called opportunity gap) – the differences between test scores and other performance indicators for distinct demographic groups. Iowa has identified three major and persistent gaps: low income, youth of color (especially Latino and African American) and English language learners. With more than 100,000 members, Iowa 4-H is the only non-school organization that works directly in partnership with youth and has the size, skill and resources to support Iowa schools in this effort. Studies suggest that youth in 4-H do better in school than their peers. Our “Do, Reflect, Apply” model is a community-based resource for today’s test-driven classrooms. It also is sustainable – the creation of local youth/adult learning communities and clubs has worked for more than 100 years. See the data by county.
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Solar cars, STEM and paradigms

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John Lawrence’s message from June 6, 2017

My first ride was a 1971 Ford half-ton pickup with a 360 V-8 and 4-speed. I think it had been in a wreck because it was a bargain and dog-tracked like a blood hound going down the road. It also was a gas guzzler and got about 12 miles to the gallon. With a tank full of gas I could travel, at most, 200 miles from home.

I thought about that old truck on Friday, as I witnessed the unveiling of Penumbra, Iowa State’s, and the world’s, first solar utility vehicle. The students of Team PrISUm designed and built this practical solar car because they want to change the paradigm of transportation. They also want to inspire future generations to pursue their passions through education. So they’re going on a #SunRun99. They’re going to crisscross the state with Penumbra to promote renewable energy and STEM education. By the time they finish at the end of June, they will have traveled through all 99 counties (with some extension county office stops along the way).

Their travel schedule may seem a little ambitious, but we appreciate their enthusiasm. We also share their commitment to educating young people about science, technology, engineering and math. Whether the topic is rabbits or rockets, cattle or chemistry, gilts or gadgets, 4-H Youth Development uses the experiential learning model – teaching youth to do, reflect and then apply. Did you know?

  • Our Iowa 4-H Clover Kids program includes a focus on STEM literacy. Sara Nelson, a postdoctoral scholar at Iowa State, is working with our state 4-H staff to ensure that all new Clover Kids kits and programing build the STEM skills of kindergartners through third graders in Clover Kids.
  • STEM 4-H projects cover content from aerospace and robotics to crops, livestock, the environment and the science in everyday living.
  • Three Iowa youth received third-place awards at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. They qualified for the international fair because they were finalists at the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, which ISU Extension and Outreach sponsors.
  • This spring 30 youth from Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Lee, Louisa and Washington counties explored the “STEMs of Crop Science.” The all-day field trip focused on crop production innovations at Monsanto and Mairet Farm. The youth participated in hands-on experiences with Monsanto technologies and local foods producers to further their knowledge and understanding of how technology effects our food supply and local economy. Before the trip 43 percent of the youth reported they understood how technology is used in agriculture, compared to 83 percent afterward. The youth also shared that they enjoyed the experiments, technology and chemical reactions that were highlighted.

Next fall the Iowa State students of Team PrISUm will haul Penumbra to Australia to compete in the 2017 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. And yes, they plan to drive it across the continent. The longest trip I ever took in my old gas guzzler was Iowa to Arkansas. Talk about a paradigm shift!

— John D. Lawrence
Iowa State University Interim Vice President for Extension and Outreach

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