Each year, the Bluegrass Area Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agents come together to plan “Leader Lessons” for members to bring back to their individual clubs. Traditionally, agents would divide the lessons amongst each other and travel to each county during their selected month to facilitate a workshop on the topic chosen by the KEHA members. Due to the pandemic and staff shortages in the Bluegrass area this described traditional method became increasingly difficult to facilitate. The group pivoted their style of face-to-face workshops to more experimental virtual lesson opportunities. 

Each agent would choose a month to be a facilitator for the corresponding lesson. Instead of doing a live session like in previous years, agents would record a 15–20-minute video and share the link amongst the other agents in the area. In addition to the recorded video, agents would include a facilitator guide, supporting documents, marketing materials, surveys, and optional activities to accompany their lesson. This new format would allow for more flexibility and interaction with participants. This format also allowed for more meaningful data to be collected for evaluation. 

Adjusting to prerecorded videos with an in-person facilitator allowed agents to team of with community partners as a guest speaker, provided more opportunity to build relationships with KEHA members, and remove the barrier of limited internet access for many clients. 

Over 1,400 individuals were reached through these leader trainings and printed materials. Once trained, members take what they had learned back to their respective groups to teach them what they had learned, spreading the educational network of hundreds. Many counties reported an increase in participation and members are pleased that the lessons are now more accessible, convenient, and consistent. 

Continuing with this updated virtual format will allow the Bluegrass Area to grow our reach. The agents will persist in developing partnership within our communities, other Extension colleagues, and/or multi-state collaboration. 

To recognize the efforts of the group, the Powell County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences suggested the group submit a team application for the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Awards Ceremony. The Powell County and Scott County Extension Agents worked together to complete the application for the Innovative Programming Award.