Key Insights to Leading an Urban Extension Program

The 4th edition Next Generation Extension - Learning for Leaders, entitled Key Insights to Leading an Urban Extension Program, is released! ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd says, "Washington State University's Dr. Brad Gaolach offers Extension Administrators and Directors interesting insights to bridge the world of academia with community-based applications in urban communities." Gaolach's Urban Extension story and the dialogue with Leaders across the nation is available on video at https://youtu.be/sUUxDbutNtM. Direct comments and questions to ecopblog@gmail.com. Hold the date for the #5 Cooperative Extension Section web conference, Friday, April 6, 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The electronic invitation for all 76 Directors and Administrators to participate will be released soon.


Celebrating Diversity in Extension - “Attitudes for Success” Youth Leadership Program received the 2017 National Extension Diversity Award "for the success and longevity of the coalition-model youth development program and for how the curriculum and evaluation tools can be expanded to other states" (Contact: Patricia Dodson, Extension Agent, 541-278-5403, Oregon State University, patricia.dawson@oregonstate.edu). In addition to this great work, other examples representing the range of educational programming taking place across the country are featured below, each serving diverse audiences with the transformative power of Cooperative Extension.

• Helping Standing Rock Youth Succeed – establishing an embroidery and silkscreen business at a local high school has built business skills among students in Sioux County of North Dakota, improved the economy of the county, and increased graduation rates. (Contact: Sue Isbell, Extension Agent/Sioux County, North Dakota State University Extension, sue.isbell@ndsu.edu) 
• Culturally-based Youth Leadership Accelerators – developed to more effectively serve the one in five school age (K-12) youth of color in Iowa (Contact: John-Paul Chaisson-Cárdenas, State 4-H Youth Development Program Leader, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 515-294-6772, jcardena@iastate.edu) 
• Unidos Se Puede, formerly Juntos – a culturally appropriate substance abuse prevention program for 300 Latino immigrant families in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Contact: Leilana McKindra, Communications Specialist, Agricultural Communications Services, Oklahoma State University; 405.744.6792; leilana.mckindra@okstate.edu) 
• Texas 4-H Mission Possible Camp – a co-educational, inclusive program that provides a residential summer camp experience for youth with medically-diagnosed disabilities, bringing youth together to improve their abilities and to learn from each other. (Contact: B. Darlene Locke, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist, (979) 845-6535, dlocke@ag.tamu.edu) 

Nominations for the 2018 National Extension Diversity Award are being accepted now through May 1, 2018. Nominees can be an individual Cooperative Extension professional or a team fundamentally composed of professionals. New nominations and those nominated in previous years that did not receive this award are welcome and encouraged. Go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards for full details. Contact: ECOP Program Assistant Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org.

PILD Pre-conference Webinar - A Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) orientation and preparation webinar is scheduled for Thursday, March 8th at 2:00pm Eastern Time. To register for the webinar click this link: https://extension.zoom.us/j/640784884. Those attending PILD, especially for the first time, are encouraged to participate in the webinar. It will cover what you need to know in advance of coming to Washington DC, including how to make appointments and prepare for Hill visits, and what you can expect while at PILD. Details on the post conference workshop “Civil Dialogue in the Public Arena” will also be shared. New this year is an optional opportunity to coordinate Hill visits and state’s night out activities with the youth and adults attending National 4-H Conference. On Tuesday afternoon April 10th the PILD and 4-H Conference delegations will meet jointly by institution to share plans and messages. It may also be helpful to view the “Making Hill Visits” webinar held for 4-H Conference delegates which is archived at: https://go.umd.edu/prepare_hill_visits_recording.


Behavioral Health Impact Collaborative - Behavioral Health (including opioid abuse) was identified by ECOP and Extension Directors as a high priority and was chosen as one of the focus areas for the 2018 eXtension Impact Collaborative (along with Food Systems and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion). Jami Dellifield, The Ohio State University and Courtney Cuthbertson, Michigan State University have been named Program Fellows for the Behavioral Health Impact Collaborative. They are currently identifying potential organizing committee members as well as participants. Directors and administrators with an interest in this area should reach out to Jami dellifield.2@osu.edu and Courtney cuthbe16@anr.msu.edu and encourage their extension faculty/staff in this topic area to contact them. CLICK HERE to learn more about the fellows.