Author: Travella Free
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
According to the U. S. Department of Commerce, STEM occupations are growing at 17%, while other occupations are growing at 9.8%. STEM degree holders have a higher income even in non-STEM careers. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics workers play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy, and are a critical component to helping the U.S. win the future. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of in
Author: Joanne Bankston
The Kentucky State University Family Economics Specialist conducted two MoneyPower workshop sessions at each school with high School juniors and seniors at Central High School (48) and Seneca High School (8) in Louisville KY. She also conducted a single session with high school seniors enrolled in the Lincoln Foundation Fellows program (27) for students who will receive scholarships and attend college in the upcoming year. The workshop materials and presentation consists of informati
Author: Jerusha Lay
Major Program: Small Ruminants
Small Ruminant WorkshopsState wide the number of haired sheep producers has been steadily increasing with katahdin being the predominant breed. Many of these producers are new to small ruminants/sheep. In the region of Breckinridge County many of these new farms were searching for knowledge and expertise. The Kentucky State University county agent contacted state specialist Jerusha Lay.The first of a series of workshops was scheduled and held at the extension office in Breckinridge County. 12 pr
Author: Gidgett Sweazy
Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)
As our SNAP-Ed Program Assistants continue to build community relationships, it is clear that the work to be done in our service area is tremendous. One area of focus for our team is recovery centers. The opiod (and other substances) epidemic in Kentucky places our state in the top 3 states for illegal drug use in the United States according to a recent KET Documentary, Journey To Recovery.We serve a residential center in Montgomery County and learned quickly that the center didn’t have an
Author: Lawrence Caudle
Major Program: Summer Residential Camps
Summer is the time where all of the scholastic worries come to an end for the majority of school age youth. To a number of kids, summer represents freedom, fun, and exploration. To a number of parents, it means enrolling their child in a summer program so that the child may experience making new relationships, experience new things, and build skills not yet honed, and this is what Jefferson County 4-H Camp aims to do. This year, Jefferson County 4-H took 322 adults, teen leaders and campers to L
Author: Patrice Thompson
Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum
Americana Blossoms! Last year, while working with an environmental science club: “the green team”. I noticed many of our kiddos were a bit rude, talkative, and needing constant redirection. I often wondered if this had anything to do with comprehension or learning disabilities but after speaking with KSU volunteer Jennifer and A.C.C. Director Lauren, we determined that this was a cultural boundary. Not only because of where they come from but because of different f
Western has had a grand total of 52 school suspensions for the 2017-2018 school year with 41 of those suspensions being from the African-American population. Western Middle is known for performing arts and has a unique school culture. Rooted in District 4 of Jefferson County, Western serves the school district as a magnet school for visual and performing arts. Western is also a Title 1 school thus making the dynamics of the student population very diverse in its need. Many of the students excel
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Cooking can be a daunting task, especially for youth who have little to no experience in the kitchen. Learning the different cooking utensils, safe cooking temperatures, safe storage duration, and reading a nutrition label can be overwhelming to a child, but the Super Star Chef Program takes the angst out of the cooking process. The Super Star Chef Program is a 3 day program that teaches youth ages 9-12 the importance of nutrition, but also the safety skills that go along with being in the kitch
Author: Erica LaCour-Thompson
Level: Long Term: The Hopkinsville Kentucky Boys and Girls Club works to give all young children a chance to learn about the value of being caring, responsible, and productive youth to serve in the Hopkinsville community. Working with the children to implement our Kentucky State University mission to enhancing society, and impacting individuals by providing quality teaching with a foundation in studies & research were able to exemplify our ability to share in public
Author: Andrea Munoz
This summer, I chatted with a six-grader girl that attended my Rookie Cooking Camp last year. Rookie Cooking Camp is a signature program of Kentucky State University. It is a 3 to 5-day program that goes to schools or places where kids are for summer time and teaches them skills such as knife skills, meal planning, label reading, meal etiquette, utilizing farmers market, and shopping skills Each day, participants prepare their own meals. We often have a field trip such as Kroger, Moonlight Meat
Author: Stephen Lewis
Major Program: Master Gardener
The Master Gardener Program was created by extension to help answer horticulture questions from home gardeners but it has blossomed into a vital resource for urban garden communities. The 2019 Master Gardener class lasted 14 weeks and covered several topics from organic gardening to entomology taught by university professors, industry specialists, and master gardeners. The class of 41 completed their final exam and graduated to the level of interns where they must complete 40 volunteer hours to
Author: Louis Milligan
Major Program: Science, Engineering and Technology 4-H Core Curriculum
A Family Youth Resource Center Coordinator at Mcferran Preparatory Academy contacted Agent and requested information about possible Robotics program being offered to students at her school. Historically youth especially minority male and females students are represented in STEM fields and often do not have access to STEM relates programs and activities. Establishing a Robotics program would inspire youth participation in science and technology and to get exposure to the field while also discover
Author: William Rogers
Major Program: KSU Small Farm Program
The Farmer in the area that I work in have been face with the problem for many years. How to keep their plants for getting to much water from the weather. The farmer come to ask me if I could help them solve this problem. So I help them with putting plastic mulch in their fields to plant in. the plastic mulch help by raising the plant out of the water and letting some of the water run off of the plant. This will increase the product of the plant so that they will have more product to sell.Elsevi
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Bates Community Development Corp (BCDC) is a nonprofit that provides social services to the community for the purpose of combating blight and deterioration in Louisville. They have several programs to “compassionately meet human needs”, one of which is a Dare to Care food program. Recently BCDC was the recipient of a high tunnel greenhouse through the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) with the intention of using it to grow food and teaching children gardening skills durin
Having volunteers are a critical component to the effectiveness of county agents. They significantly increase an agent’s ability to reach target audiences and affect change in the community. Volunteers often come from the same areas they work in and see extension agents as a resource to provide education and opportunities that they otherwise may not have access. Technical training and research-based information from University extension programs can provide skill and experience that volunt
Author: Louis "Jenie" Carter
Major Program: Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
One Person Can Make a DifferenceLouisville, Kentucky like other cities and communities is trying to address the opioid and addiction crisis. Mayor Greg Fisher in a statement said “the opioid crisis is a vital concern to public safety in this community”. Community groups and organizations are doing what they can to help.One agency, Volunteers of America Mid-States, Inc. (VOA) is making a major impact in the lives of the people they serve, especially pregnant women who are fighting add
The How to festival is an event put on by the Louisville Free Public library where the community can come out and learn 50 different topics in 5 hours. Presenters and experts from various local organizations and businesses share their expertise freely with the public in 45-minute workshops. Master Gardener volunteers had a significant presence at this event. The Jefferson County Master Gardener Association is a volunteer group that works closely with extension to provide agricultural educa
Author: Laura Rogers
“Most citizens today are three generations removed from the farm — they don’t know where their food comes from, and they don’t understand the importance of agriculture. . .” Stated John Campbell, director of Mississippi’s Bureau of Plant Industry at a national meeting of state departments of agriculture.Basic beekeeping classes on “How Honeybee Sees - Not like you or me!” and “Honey-How is made and the different types of honey” presente
