Author: Lee Ann McCuiston
Major Program: Camping
The IssueThe interactions offered in a residential camp/group living setting are so important to youth, especially considering the isolation brought on by social media. The time we spend with youth in the camp setting offers opportunities for those youth to feel a sense of belonging, to have meaningful conversations with caring adults, to practice generosity, group decision-making, they experience new activities they typically do not have access to at home, and they
Author: Tyler Miller
Major Program: Beef
Describe the Issue or Situation.Kentucky is the largest beef cattle producing state east of the mississippi river and Lincoln County is the fith largest beef producing county in KY. That means one thing, we have a lot of beef cattle producers and those producers need certain trainings. Thats where i step in. I held a BQCA training for those beef producers that were in need. I worked with the local livestock market and utilized their facilties and cattle they had on hand so we could offer a hands
Author: Chuck Flowers
Major Program: Agriculture and Extension Leadership Development
Describe the Issue or Situation.With a staggering $1 billion impact and $359,967,000 in products sold across 960 farms, WAVE AG Day 2024 once again spotlighted the vital role of agriculture in Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman Counties. Held for the seventh year, the event took place on August 1 at Columbus Belmont State Park, running from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM. The familiar theme, "Let’s Grow With It," continued to inspire the agricultural community.Describe the Outreach or E
Author: Judy Vaughn
Major Program: Emergency Disaster Preparedness - FCS
Kentuckians have experienced firsthand how natural disasters can occur any time and often with little warning. Disasters take many forms, and we can feel their impacts across most areas of family life. Because there is no “one-size-fits-all” disaster model, planning community outreach can be challenging, and Cooperative Extension is often involved in disaster preparation and response at the local level. As a result of local needs, the County Extension Agent for Family and
Author: Matthew Chadwick
Major Program: Chemical Management
Describe the Issue or Situation.Murray State University changed their policies concerning student workers that would be applying pesticides, or entering areas where pesticides had been applied. The new requirement forced the student workers to attend a pesticide training class and obtain a private applicator's card as a term of their employment. Currently all trainings area only offered in the late winter, this proved problematic for summer and fall semester workers. Describe the Outrea
Author: Shannon Farrell
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
4-H LifeSmarts is the ultimate consumer challenge for 4-Her’s in 6th-12th grades. Like academic style competition, team members are quizzed in topics of technology, consumer rights, health and safety, environment, and finance. Harrison County’s 4-H Varsity team competed in the 2024 state competition (online contest) in January. As the highest placing varsity team in the state, Harrison County was honored to represent Kentucky at the National LifeSmarts competition held in San Diego,
Author: Amy Stooksbury
Major Program: Super Star Chef
SuperStar Chef is a 3-day hands on cooking and nutrition program designed to empower limited-resource youths with basic cooking skills which lay the foundation for healthy eating habits. Cooking is also a life skill that supports math, science, language, social emotional development, physical development (fine motor skills) and cognitive development.The Todd County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant and the Todd County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education par
Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together
According to the 2023 America’s Health Rankings, Kentucky ranked 41st for health, 46th for Adverse Childhood Experiences, and showed an increase in adult diabetes of 40% between 2013 and 2022. The Kentucky Nutrition Education Program (KYNEP) offers programs that lead to improved health and well-being. The Todd County Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant partnered with Todd County Family Resource Youth Service Center (FRYSC) and offered limited-resource families &ldq
Author: Carla Carter
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Research shows when people understand their purpose, they are more likely to engage deeply in their personal activities, such as being an Extension Homemaker. Whether you joined a homemaker club recently, or have been a member for years, now is the perfect time to refresh your perspective on what it means to be an Extension Homemaker. The Fort Harrod Area Family and Consumer Sciences Agents recognized there was a need within the area to give our Extension Homemakers a renewed since of self.The F
Major Program: Economic and Business Development - CED
The newly installed solar panels at the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office. Photo Credits: The State Journal, 7/16/2024.The Franklin County Extension District Board voted to take advantage of the Solarize Frankfort process and federal government rebates to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery back-up system to supply nearly 100% of the office’s net annual electricity needs. The 45 kilowatt (AC) project will use 164 solar PV panels and four Tesla Powerwall batteries. The
Author: Megan Gullett
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
In a time when the demand for healthier, cost-effective food options is on the rise, a series of workshops on sourdough bread-making has sparked a growing interest across five counties. These workshops, which attracted a total of 95 participants, provided comprehensive training on the ancient art of sourdough baking, focusing on creating and maintaining a sourdough starter, the essentials of bread-baking, and critical food safety precautions.The workshops began by teaching participants how to cr
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
Empowering Communities Through Homesteading SkillsIn a time when sustainable living and self-sufficiency have become more important than ever, a dedicated group of community educators in Russell County has taken on the mission of teaching essential homesteading skills. Their goal is to empower individuals and families to live more sustainably and independently, while also emphasizing the importance of food safety and nutrition. This initiative brought together 65 participants, including 15 men,
In August, a Homesteading series aimed at fostering self-sufficiency in Russell County attracted 65 participants, including 15 men. With homesteading growing in popularity locally as residents seek sustainable and efficient ways to manage their homes and farms, the need for practical knowledge is more pressing than ever. The series offered hands-on classes in making breakfast sausage, starting sourdough, building rain barrels, canning meat, and container/herb gardening. Survey results revealed a
Author: Kenna Knight
Major Program: Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Impact Statement: Recycling Program EnhancementThe Pendleton County Extension Office offered an enhanced recycling program educational effort and drive aimed to encourage more frequent recycling of new items and promote additional sustainable practices within the community.Quantitative results in a follow evaluation and through observation led to our recycling bin having to double it’s service to empty. 99 % of participants have recycling new items. 25 % just started to partici
Author: Casey Townsend
Major Program: Science, Engineering, and Technology
McClean County and Carlisle, Kentucky are both rural populations with a large farming community. With them being agricultural areas computer science is not a priority in preparing for future careers. 4-H Agents Nolan Petit and Cole Bell assessed the needs for clubs outside of the traditional model to start STEM clubs in their respective counties. The results were overwhelming with the clubs becoming full. Due to the high interest in STEM clubs, the 4-H agents requested a SPIKE
Author: Michele Moore
The CDC’s 2021 dietary and physical behaviors survey among high school students concluded that certain students are not engaging healthy dietary behaviors post covid 19 pandemic. “These findings are particularly concerning because of the association between poor dietary behaviors and insufficient physical activity and numerous chronic health conditions and poor mental health. Understanding current dietary and physical activity behaviors among students and comparing them to prepandemi
Author: Amy Lawrence
According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 24.0% of youth ages 10 to 17 have obesity in Kentucky, giving Kentucky a ranking of 50 among the 50 states and D.C. (“stateofchildhoodobesity.org”). In correlation, as reported by the National Institute of Health, “obese children are at higher risk of elevated fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), atherosclerosis and cardiova
Feeding America.org gives us a glimpse into what food insecurity looks like in America. According to their data Butler County Kentucky has a 17.7 percent food insecurity rate. The Butler County Nutrition Education Program Assistant taught the series Healthy Choices for Every Body at a local food pantry, The Morgantown Mission. The goal was to equip participants with knowledge to help them overcome barriers to food insecurity and acquisition of healthy meals.Nine participants completed the seven