4-H Veterinary Science Program in Brazoria County

In support of the Administrative Priority to Target Outreach and Expansion the 4-H Veterinary Science Program was implemented in Brazoria County. The 4-H Veterinary Science Program is a 5-year curriculum with 100 lessons and 50 activities. The program is career-oriented and job-training so students can determine if this is a career field they would like to pursue. Students who participate in this program will work with a licensed veterinarian at their practice. By doing this hands-on training they learn the knowledge and skills that are expected of a veterinary assistant.

In preparation for implementing this program, CEA Miles and two 4-H leaders attended a 4-H Veterinary Science Project Seminar in Montgomery conducted by Floron Faries, DVM. 4-H Club Manager training and aid in promoting and forming a new 4-H Vet Science Club was provided by CEA Miles.

At the introductory meeting of the new group, 27 prospective youth members attended with their parents. In addition to all participants receiving program information and resources, older youth who will not have time to finish the 5-year standard course of study were identified for “fast-track”status to accelerate their educational opportunities. Fifteen students were identified as accelerated students.

From the earliest days of program inception, contacts by youth and adult volunteers yielded ten county veterinary clinics into cooperative status with the program. These participating clinics are located county-wide and additional contacts are being made to increase the number of cooperating veterinary clinics. A group order of scrub tops (maroon of course) were ordered and made available to students for their clinical hours.

The Brazoria County Vet Science program began in August, 2009 with only a few students interested in studying for their Veterinary Assistant certification. By November, 2009, the club had grown to 40 members: 37 Jr. High or High School aged students and 3 adult volunteers. As of November, most of the students had been placed in local veterinary clinics to work toward the program requirement of gaining approximately 2400 work hours in small animal and large animal vet clinics. All students work as volunteers, however, by November the first student had been offered full-time, permanent employment.

Upon completion of the program, students will be considered Veterinary Assistants, and after the age of 16, they may test for three levels of certification to become Certified Veterinary Assistants. Students may also then complete a Veterinary Technologist course at a local Jr. College and become a Registered Vet Tech upon successful completion of the exam, with the ultimate goal of gaining admission to a Veterinary Medicine program at the university level.

This program will continue to provide an avenue for 4-H members to learn about veterinary science and consider a career as a Veterinary Assistant or Technologist.

Content for this article was provided by Dale A. Fritz, Ph.D., District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Money Smart Program in Brazos County

In support of the Administrative Priority to Target Outreach and Expansion the Money Smart Program was planned and implemented to reach limited resource families. Many families face the constant challenge of managing limited resources to meet everyday expenses. The increasing complexity of the financial system and the lack of formal financial literacy education further burdens families who are trying to make ends meet, particularly low income families.

Money Smart is a financial management program developed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). While targeted at adults outside the financial mainstream, this curriculum can be used with adults who have low financial knowledge and skills to help them build financial knowledge, develop financial confidence, and use banking services effectively. The Money Smart program includes 10 modules, exercises, and participant guides. Each module includes an evaluation instrument that measures participant’s knowledge of the concepts taught before and after the class.

In 2009, Money Smart was used by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service to increase the financial literacy of a variety of Brazos County residents, including the general public, adult probationers and participants of United Way’s Individual Development Account (IDA) program.

Money Smart topics included:

• Introduction to Banking Services
• Your Rights as a Consumer
• Credit and Credit Cards
• How Your Credit History Affects Your Credit Future
• How to Choose and Keep a Checking Account
• How to Keep Track of Your Money
• What Home Ownership Is All about
• Loans
• Saving for the Future
  

In Brazos County, 47 educational contacts were made by conducting 30 educational sessions using the Money Smart curriculum. The CEA-FCS taught Money Smart Classes for adult probationers at the Brazos County Adult Probation Department in two lunch and learn series. An evening class was also conducted at the Brazos County Extension Office for families participating in the IDA program in partnership with United Way and Citibank as well as the general public. Participants were very position about this curriculum and improved their knowledge of financial management.

This program will continue to address its goal to increase financial literacy and reach out to limited resource families.

Content for this article was provided by Dale A. Fritz, Ph.D., District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Enabling Garden in Brazoria County

In support of the Administrative Priority to Target Outreach and Expansion an Enabling Garden concept was established in Brazoria County. Gardening is known to be therapeutic for improving both physical and mental health. However, many of those who would benefit most from gardening are restricted by their disabilities or by their lack knowledge of alternative, enabling methods and tools. There are hundreds of individuals in Brazoria County with disabilities. Also, the aging of our population means that many avid gardeners will begin to experience limited mobility, strength and range of motion. To address this need, a Planning Group within the Brazoria County Master Gardeners Association was formed to develop plans and goals for an enabling garden at the Extension Education Center.

Four goals were identified for the enabling garden concept: 1) construct a model enabling garden with elements to include ADA approved paths, seating, garden beds and tools, propagation area and accessible composting area, 2) provide information on simplified gardening techniques that anyone can use, 3) construct a website where people can go to view the gardens and access information on how to construct beds, paths, ponds, etc.; where to obtain special tools, plant materials and other garden supplies; and resources for lesser-enabled individuals, 4) train volunteers to present the information to support organizations, assisted living communities, schools, and community officials. The ultimate goal for this project is to provide a model for other groups throughout Texas.

2009 was the year of construction and publicity. Drainage, wiring, sprinkler system and raised bed construction were completed. Blueprints for three enabling raised beds were developed and are available at the Extension Office for individuals and groups. The website, www.enablinggardens.com, is currently under construction and when completed will be a source of information to others. Articles on the various components of enabling gardens were prepared and have appeared in MSConnect, The Facts newspaper, and the Brazoria County Master Gardener newsletter. Master Gardener Jennifer Northrop has spoken about the gardens at two Multiple Sclerosis conventions and other Master Gardeners are being trained to present enabling garden information to other groups.

This program will continue to address its goals and reach out to disabled and limited mobility gardeners.

Content for this article was provided by Dale A. Fritz, Ph.D., District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Debriefing New Agents Following Extension Foundations

This week new County Extension Agents participated in Extension Foundations in College Station. This training venue provided these new agents with in-depth training that will enable them to be more effective earlier in their career. Some the the highlights to Extension Foundations include;

• 4-H Livestock 101 which provides agents with training to enable them to effectively manage a 4-H livestock program.
• 4-H Family and Consumer Science 101 which provide agents with training to enable them to effectively manage a 4-H Family and Consumer Science program.
• Program Development training that will enable new agents to have a working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Development Model.
• Evaluation training that will enable new agents to become familiar with evaluation methodology.
• Volunteer Management training that will enable new agent to have working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service volunteer management model.
• Extension accountability and TeXas System training that will enable new agent to have a working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service accountability system.

While this on-boarding component was conducted in College Station , it is important that District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors and Regional Program Directors recognize that they are the catalyst for all on-boarding functions in the Region. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should debrief new agents and reinforce principles covered during Extension Foundations. This debriefing can provide the opportunity for District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors to clarify any element that the new agent may not understand or may not understand how to operationalize these concepts as they begin their Extension career.

The following premises must be embraced if Texas AgriLife Extension Service's on-boarding system is going to be successful;

• All members of Regional Teams are responsible for new agent on-boarding.
• New agent on-boarding is a sequential learning process where one event establishes the knowledge base for future learning activities that provides progressively more complex training.
• All on-boarding experiences have specific teaching points that are designed to increase knowledge, develop skills, encourage adoption of best practices or lead to the refinement of best practices.
• All on-boarding experiences are designed to give agents "early wins"!
  

Other components that makes up the Texas AgriLife Extension Service on-boarding system includes...

• District Extension Administrator Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
• Regional Program Director Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points
• A On-boarding continuum that provides a roadmap for on-boarding new agents.
• Online learning modules that provides agents with a introduction of Extension program management topics.
• Excellence in Programming Academy that provides new agents with in-depth experiential learning experiences related to program planning, teaching effectiveness, program implementation, and evaluation and interpretation.
• The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Mentoring Program.
• First Step.
• Extension Fundamentals letter series designed to reinforce topics covered during orientations, face to face trainings and online modules .
• Revised New Agent Self -Study Guide.

Resources that will assist middle managers in the on-boarding process can be found at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, New Agent On-boarding Web Site. This web site includes...

• On-boarding flowcharts and time-lines.
• District Extension Administrator and County Extension Director Orientation Agendas.
• 4-H Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• 4-H Specialist Orientation Agenda.
• Agriculture and Natural Resource Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• Family and Consumer Science Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• District Extension Administrator and County Extension Director Task Check List.
• First Step Journal.
• New Agent Study Guide.
• New Agent Note Pages.
• Mentoring In Extension Guidelines.
• Extension Fundamentals educational letter series.

These resources can be obtained at;http://extensiononboarding.tamu.edu/. These systematic trainings are designed to provide the sequential learning experience that will enable new agents to...

• Gain knowledge of the organization.
• Gain knowledge of organizational procsses.
• Develop skills.
• Adopt best practices.
• Refine best practices.

Quality time in effectively on-boarding new agents that could potentially result in increased retention should be viewed as an investment in the future of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should plan on visiting with agents who attended Extension Foundations this week when they return to their county to reinforce principles covered during this on-boarding activity. Remember, District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors and Regional Program Directors are the catalyst for all on-boarding functions in the Region.

Program Excellence Academy Critical Component to New Agent On-boarding

Professional development for County Extension agents is essential to Texas Agrilife Extension Service's County Programs administrative priorities related to improving recruitment and retention. It has been historically recognized that professional development is essential to the success of Extension. Prawl, Medlin, and Gross (1984) reported that Extension faculty training and development is critical because the effectiveness of educational programmatic outreach efforts is linked to the abilities of the Extension agent.

Program excellence is predicated on the fundamental principle that agents have the capacity to effectively identify issues, prioritize these issues, develop sequential learning experienced designed to address these issues, evaluate program efforts and utilize the results of these evaluations to refocus and redirect programming efforts to ensure program relevance.

In order to more effectively equip agents to implement the program development process that is paramount to effective programming, an innovative professional development activity will be implemented statewide entitled the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Excellence Academy. The first session will be held on April 26-30 at the Texas 4-H Conference Center in Brownwood. This professional development course focuses on principles, theories, techniques, and applications for program development within educational programmatic environments. Program development strategies, focusing educational programming in relation to issues identified by clientele, and program planning to assist people and organizations succeed will be the focus of this course.

It is expected that by the time a county Extension agent has completed the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Excellence Academy, the agent will be able to...

• Define and use terminology associated with Extension Program Development.
• Demonstrate the core competencies critical for agents as they are related to the program development process.
• Understand the importance and necessity of planning and program development within programmatic environments.
• Use planning and program development principles, theories, techniques, and applications to assist Texas Agrilife Extension Service achieve strategic objectives.

The topics for this Session will include the following;

• Overview of Program Development Model.
• Getting to Know Your County.
• The Importance of Relevance.
• Group Presentations of County Assignments.
• Who are Your Stakeholders?
• Creating Your Visibility.
• Reaching Diverse Audiences.
• Identifying and Recruiting Planning Group Members.
• Training LAB and PAC Members.
• Effective Meeting Management.
• Identifying, Prioritizing, Analyzing and Describing Issues.
• Target Audience.
• Outcome Indicators/Objectives (Outcome vs. Output, Accountability).
• Educational Design.
• Volunteer Management.
• Facilitation Skills.
• Program Area Committee Simulation.
  

The basic premise of this academy will be to take the Texas Agrilife Extension Service Program Development Model and break it down into manageable components. A variety of teaching delivery methods are being utilized to prepare new agents for this Academy including online self directed lessons and assignments designed to add value to agents county programs.

Reference

Prawl, W., Medlin, R., & Gross, J. (1984). Adult and continuing education through the Cooperative Extension Service. Extension Division, University of Missouri, Columbia.

Meeting Provisions of Fair Labor Standard Act with Unpaid Internships

In the summer of 2010, Texas AgriLife Extension will host a number college interns. These unpaid interns are a tremendous value to Texas AgriLife Extension Service but there are several factors that must be met in order for these students to be classified as interns rather than employees. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has developed six factors below to evaluate whether a worker is a trainee (intern) or an employee for purposes of the Fair Labor Standards Act;

1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to what would be given in a vocational school or academic educational instruction;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees;
3. The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under their close observation;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion the employer’s operations may actually be impeded;
5. The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the training period; and
6. The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.
   

If all of the factors listed above are met, then the worker is a “trainee”, an employment relationship does not exist under the FLSA, and the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the worker. Because the FLSA’s definition of “employee” is broad, the excluded category of “trainee” is necessarily quite narrow. Moreover, the fact that an employer labels a worker as a trainee and the worker’s activities as training and/or a state unemployment compensation program develops what it calls a training program and describes the unemployed workers who participate as trainees does not make the worker a trainee for purposes of the FLSA unless the six factors are met.

The following are some websites where needed forms related to internships can be retrieved;

• Fact Sheet #40: Federal Youth Employment Laws in Farm Jobs- http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs40.pdf
• Intern/Volunteer Waiver- http://www.tamus.edu/offices/hr/forms/205.pdf
• Waiver of Liability and Hold Harmless Agreement- http://agservices.tamu.edu/forms/liawaiv.pdf

District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should ensure that host/mentor agents are trained regarding these provisions and that all interns complete appropriate forms before any internship begins.

Content for this article was provided by Jennifer M Humphries, Texas A&M AgriLife Human Resources.

Preparing to Host Unpaid Interns

In a recent employer survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 82.5% said they offer internship and/or co-op programs. Not surprisingly, the same NACE study found that 22% of new hires were from employers' own internship programs. In today's competitive labor market, offering such programs can be a significant way to attract talented prospects. In addition, student interns can meet short-term needs for extra assistance and infuse enthusiasm into a County Extension Office.

In the summer of 2010, Texas AgriLife Extension will host a number college interns regardless to the fact that all these interns will be unpaid. Research indicates that providing college students with meaningful internship opportunities with employers increases the chance that they will stay in that career field after graduation.

It is important that Extension take the time to carefully plan an effective internship program, even if the internship is unpaid. Listed below are several key elements that are crucial to a successful internship program;

• Effective Supervision- Due to the training nature of an internship, it is imperative that interns are provided with sufficient supervision. Considerable time investment will be needed, especially on the front-end, to plan for and implement necessary training. It is also recommended that the host/mentor agent plan ongoing weekly meetings to stay up-to-date with the intern's progress. Use care in identifying a seasoned staff member who "buys in" to the importance of utilizing interns. The host/mentor agent should realize that the purpose of an internship is two-fold. Interns will provide some useful assistance for Texas AgriLife Extension Service while also gaining on-the-job training that will assist them with their future career(hopefully as a County Extension Agent).
  
• Meaningful Assignments- Gone are the days of using interns as simple "go-fers". Students are seeking opportunities that will stimulate them and provide real experience. A good internship program will ensure the assignment of challenging projects and tasks. Effective assignments are coupled with adequate supervision so as to provide an information resource and to ensure interns are keeping pace. Host/Mentor agents should be sure to have some additional projects available in case an intern successfully completes a project ahead of schedule. Whenever possible, interns should participate in events such as staff meetings and should be provided opportunities for networking and informational interviewing with key personnel such as Agents, District Extension Administers, County Extension Directors, Regional Program Directors and Specialists .
• Appropriate Documentation- Documentation is very important for effective learning to take place. It is strongly advisable that an host/mentor agent and intern create mutually agreed upon learning objectives. Well documented learning objectives provide clear direction and targeted goals for the intern. This ensures both parties envision the same experience and reduces the possibility of misunderstanding and disappointment. Effective learning objectives are concise and measurable.
• Ensure Interns Feel Welcome- Just as you would a new full-time employee, it is very important that interns be provided with a warm introduction to Texas AgriLife Extension Service. Not only are interns new to Extension, in many cases, they are new to the professional world of work. Once interns start, they should review necessary policies. Acquaint them to their work space and environment by introducing them to co-workers. Interns should become familiar with Extension's communication process and chain of accountability. You may even want to plan lunch activities with various staff members for the first week. Many organizations plan intern group outings and special events to recognize interns’ accomplishments.
• Evaluation- An internship can only be a true learning experience if constructive feedback is provided. An effective evaluation will focus on the interns’ learning objectives that were identified at the start of the internship. Supervisors should take time to evaluate both a students positive accomplishments and weaknesses. If an intern was unable to meet their learning objectives, suggestions for improvement should be given.
  

Utilizing interns in Texas AgriLife Extension Service can result in many benefits. It is important that District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors who are supervising internships in their District or County work with host/mentor agents to ensure that the agency realizes benefits from our summer internship program. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should also be sure to continue recruiting from this pool of interns when vacancies occur in their respective Districts or Counties.

Resources:

Employers use experiential education to combat recruiting blues. [3 paragraphs]. National Association of Colleges and Employers: Job Outlook 2000 Online Version [Website]. Available: http://www.jobweb.org/JobOutlook/exp_ed.html

Internships, co-op programs gain popularity. [3 paragraphs]. National Association of Colleges and Employers: Job Outlook '99 Online Version [Website]. Available: http://www.jobweb.org/pubs/joboutlook99/intern.htm

Internships: Tips for employers on starting an internship program. [10 paragraphs]. National Association of Colleges and Employers: Jobweb, HR/Staffing Professional's Desktop, Tools and Publications [Website]. Available: http://www.jobweb.org/hr/interntips.htm

Patterson, V. (1997). The employers' guide: Successful intern/co-op programs. Journal of Career Planning and Employment, Winter, 30-34, 55-56, 58-59.

Extension Foundations Critical Component in Agent Development

There is no argument that there is a direct correlation between quality of on-boarding and agent retention. “Effective onboarding is one of the keys to employee retention,” says Dr. Michael Wesson, Department of Management, Mays Business School, at Texas A&M University. Dr. Wesson emphasized that, “The more quickly employees adapt to your culture and become fully productive, the better chance you have that they will become long-term employees.”

During the week of April 19, 2010 new County Extension Agents will participate in Extension Foundations in College Station. This training venue will provide these new agents with in-depth training that will enable them to be more effective earlier in their career. Some the the highlights to Extension Foundations include;

• 4-H Livestock 101 which provides agents with training to enable them to effectively manage a 4-H livestock program.
• 4-H Family and Consumer Science 101 which provide agents with training to enable them to effectively manage a 4-H Family and Consumer Science program.
• Program Development training that will enable new agents to have a working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Development Model.
• Evaluation training that will enable new agents to become familiar with evaluation methodology.
• Volunteer Management training that will enable new agent to have working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service volunteer management model.
• Extension accountability and TeXas System training that will enable new agent to have a working knowledge of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service accountability system.
  

Other learning components that collectively makes up the Texas AgriLife Extension Service on-boarding system includes...

• District Extension Administrator Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
• Regional Program Director Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
• A On-boarding continuum that provides a roadmap for on-boarding new agents.
• Online learning modules that provides agents with a introduction of Extension program management topics.
  
• Excellence in Programming Academy that provides new agents with in-depth experiential learning experiences related to program planning, teaching effectiveness, program implementation, and evaluation and interpretation.
  
• The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Mentoring Program.
  
• First Step.
• Extension Fundamentals letter series designed to reinforce topics covered during orientations, face to face trainings and online modules .
• Revised New Agent Self -Study Guide.

Resources that will assist middle managers in the on-boarding process can be found at the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, New Agent On-boarding Web Site. This web site includes...

• On-boarding flowcharts and time-lines.
  
• District Extension Administrator and County Extension Director Orientation Agendas.
• 4-H Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• 4-H Specialist Orientation Agenda
• Agriculture and Natural Resource Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• Family and Consumer Science Regional Program Director Orientation Agenda.
• District Extension Administrator and County Extension Director Task Check List.
• First Step Journal.
• New Agent Study Guide.
• New Agent Note Pages.
• Mentoring In Extension Guidelines.
• Extension Fundamentals educational letter series.
  

These resources can be obtained at;

http://extensiononboarding.tamu.edu

These systematic trainings are designed to provide the sequential learning experience that will enable new agents to...

1. Gain knowledge of the organization.
2. Gain knowledge of organizational processes.
3. Develop skills.
4. Adopt best practices.
5. Refine best practices.
   

Quality time in effectively on-boarding new agents that could potentially result in increased retention should be viewed as an investment in the future of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should plan on visiting with agents who are attending Extension Foundations next week when they return to their county to reinforce principles covered during this on-boarding activity. Remember, District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors and Regional Program Directors are the catalyst for all on-boarding functions in the Region.

Reference

Executive Education-onboarding for employee retention. Smart Business. retrieved at http://www.sbnonline.com/Local/Article/12074/73/5
/Onboarding_for_employee_retention.aspx

“Mr. Etouffee” - Agriculture Awareness in Southeast Texas

In support of the Administrative Priority to Target Outreach and Expansion the "Mr. Etouffee" Agriculture Awareness Program was conducted to introduce students to agriculture and the origin of their food. The geography and specialized agriculture in far Southeast Texas was highlighted through a local dish (crawfish etouffee) that included the commodities of the area. Thus, the agents in Jefferson County introduced “Mr. Etouffee” to 348 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders and 15 teachers at Lee Elementary in Port Arthur. This program received an AgriLife Extension grant for Urban Program Projects.

Each agent focused on an ingredient within the recipe to provide information about the ingredient and to introduce the importance of agriculture to the students. The Agriculture Agent focused on rice. Horticulture focused on herbs and spices. Crawfish production was covered by the Coastal and Marine Agent. The 4-H Agent concentrated on dairy production, specifically cream and butter. The Family and Consumer Sciences Agent focused on how the agriculture based ingredients blend together to make this local dish and the nutritional content of that dish. The Economic Development Agent discussed the economics of the various agriculture commodities to our area.

This educational activity included six sessions of 20 minute rotations to present their assigned topic. Many methods were used including lectures, discussion, PowerPoint presentations, displays, and hands-on activities. At the end of the six sessions the students and teachers were treated to Crawfish Etouffee on rice!

Three weeks prior to the “Mr. Etouffee” Day, the teachers developed curriculum and incorporated information about rice and crawfish into the students’ English, Math and Science classes. The students did journals which chronicled the information they gained and learned. They also researched the local commodities and agriculture. The journals generated knowledge and excitement for “Mr. Etouffee” Day.

To evaluate the program, the students were given a pre and post-test. The test consisted of twenty questions covering general information about the commodities and agriculture. The primary objectives were for the students to understand that farmers and ranchers produce our food and to gain awareness and knowledge of the importance of the products and agriculture to our lives. Based on scores on the pre and post-test, the “Mr. Etouffee” program did help students achieve these objectives.

This program was an exciting new twist on agriculture awareness efforts.

Content for this article was provided by Dale A. Fritz, Ph.D., District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Program Area Committee and Leadership Advisory Board Centra Trainings Scheduled

A series Centra trainings for County Extension Agents have been planned that relate to working with Program Area Committees and Leadership Advisory Boards. These trainings are appropriate for new County Extension Agents as well as those with several years of experience. District Extension Administrators should promote this with Agents could benefit from this type of training. Do NOT encourage those Agents who are participating in the upcoming Program Excellence Academy, as most of the topics will be covered fully at the Academy. Details of the four scheduled Centra's are outlined below:

May 3-2010, 10:00 Central Time (US & Canada);

• Selection, Rotation and Training of PAC Members- (HFS153187) Event ID: HFS153187

June 21-2010, 10:00 AM Central Time (US & Canada);

• Selection, Rotation and Training of LAB Members(PPN497890) Event ID: PPN497890

July 12 2010, 10:00 AM Central Time (US & Canada);

• Identifying Issues with the Leadership Advisory Board (HKT149078) Event ID: HKT149078

August 9 2010, 10:00 AM Central Time (US & Canada);

• Engaging Planning Groups in Program Development (JDH030125) Event ID: JDH030125
  

In order for agents to enroll in these sessions, participants need to go to the Centra site at : http://webconference.tamus.edu/main/tce and search for the Event ID for the session they choose to attend. All of these are public events and are located in the event folder "Program Development -2010". It is important that all District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors work with agents who need this type of training and ensure that they participate.

Content for this article was provided by Dr. Jeff Ripley, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Extension Can't Afford to Cut Corners on Training During Economically Challenging Times

Research by elearning and advanced content solutions provider, IMC (UK) Learning (Thissen, 2008), reported that 88% of the Human Resource professionals surveyed believe properly planned training can play a significant role in addressing challenges created by economic challenges. However, 57% of those questioned indicated that training is one of the first budget to be cut during economically challenging times (Thissen, 2008). Thissen (2008) concluded, that during economically challenging times more than ever it is essential to have a competent, skilled workforce.

Brady (2008) reported that the most progressive law firms recognize the while cutting training programs appears to be a quick, easy way to save money, not training associates will ultimately have a greater negative impact on a firm's bottom line. In the legal field failure to training associates results in client dissatisfaction because attorneys are ill equipped to effectively represent their clients (Brady, 2008). Brady (2008) reported that while it may appear to be counter intuitive, during difficult economic times, investing in training programs is more important than ever.

Thissen (2008) and Brady (2008) examined professional development from a general human resources standpoint and in the legal profession respectively. However, as middle managers and administrators of Texas AgriLife Extension Service it is imperative to determine if we can afford to cut corners on training during these economically challenging times. In order to determine if professional development should be targeted in cost cutting strategies middle managers and administrators the following questions;

• Is having well trained County Extension Agents more critical or less critical during economically challenging times?
  
• How will new agents become equipped to effectively identify issues, develop educational interventions to address these issues, evaluate these educational interventions and interpret the value of these interventions without a systematic training program?
• How will more tenured agents continually upgrade their skills to ensure that they have the capacity to be effective in a ever changing society?

If middle managers and administrators carefully reflect on these questions it will underscore the importance of nurturing the agencies most valuable asset-its human resources- which will have profound influence on the future overall health of Texas AgriLife Extension Service. If we cut corners on training some of the potential consequences include less effective programs. On August 31, 2009 District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors were trained to implement a new systematic on-board system that will be utilized to on-board new agents with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. As we operationalize this systematic more sequential on-boarding process it is critical that everyone who will be involved in on-boarding understand their role and focuses these efforts to ensure effectiveness during these economically challenging times. One of the advantages of this systematic approach is that it involves various Extension professionals in the on-boarding process. The involvement of District Extension Administrators, County Extension Directors, First-Step host agents, mentors, coworkers, Specialists and Regional Program Directors certainly has great advantages in terms of mobilizing resources to address on-boarding needs. However, there is one danger of having the involvement of this many people is that on-boarding becomes "everyone's job and no-one's job".

As Texas AgriLife Extension fully implements this new systematic on-boarding system it is important that our middle managers have ownership in this process. While the Extension Foundations (formerly NEO), New Employee online modules and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Program Excellence Academy are components of the on-boarding system that our Organizational Development Group provides leadership to, it is important that District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors and Regional Program Directors serve as the catalyst for all on-boarding functions in the Region. The following premises must be embraced if this new on-boarding system is going to be successful;

• All members of Regional Teams are responsible for new agent on-boarding.
  
• New agent on-boarding is a sequential learning process where one event establishes the knowledge base for future learning activities that provides progressively more complex training.
• All on-boarding experiences have specific teaching points that are designed to increase knowledge, develop skills, encourage adoption of best practices or lead to the refinement of best practices.
  
• All on-boarding experiences are designed to give agents "early wins"!
  

Some of the learning components that collectively makes up the Texas AgriLife Extension Service on-boarding system includes...

• District Extension Administrator Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
• Regional Program Director Orientation Agendas that provide core teaching points.
• An On-boarding continuum that provides a roadmap for on-boarding new agents.
• Online learning modules that provide agents with a introduction of Extension program management topics.
  
• Extension Foundations to replace New Employee Orientation that will provide experiential learning experience for new agents related to program development, subject matter program management, 4-H livestock project management, and reporting and accountability.
• Excellence in Programming Academy that provides new agents with in-depth experiential learning experiences related to program planning, teaching effectiveness, program implementation, and evaluation and interpretation.
  
• The Texas AgriLife Extension Service Mentoring Program.
  
• First Step.
• Extension Fundamentals letter series designed to reinforce topics covered during orientations, face to face trainings and online modules.
• Revised New Agent Self -Study Guide.

These systematic trainings are designed to provide the sequential learning experience that will enable new agents to...

1. Gain knowledge of the organization.
2. Gain knowledge of organizational processes.
3. Develop skills.
4. Adopt best practices.
5. Refine best practices.
   

Public or private organizations report that they spend as much as 150% of the employee's salary to hire another individual (Friedman, Galinsky, & Plowden, 1992). Dr. Galen Chandler (2005) estimated it could cost Extension from $7,185 to $30,000 to replace an agent who had an annual salary of $30,000. Therefore, quality time in effectively on-boarding new agents that could potentially result in increased retention should be viewed as an investment in the future of Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

References:

Brady, K. "Invest in training programs during tough economic times". The Complete Lawyer. May 17, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.thecompletelawyer.com/human-resources/invest-in-training-programs-during-tough-economic-times-3887.html

Chandler, G. D. (2005). Organizational and individual factors related to retention of county Extension agents employed by Texas Cooperative Extension. Dissertation Abstracts International, 65(12), 4432A. (UMI No. 3157047).

Friedman, D., Galinsky, E., & Plowden, V. (1992). Parental leave and productivity: Current research. New York: Families and Work Institute.

Thissen, D. "Fight recession by training". Training Press Releases. November 7, 2008. Retrieved from http://www.trainingpressreleases.com/newsstory.asp?NewsID=4041

Taking the Utilization of Social Media to the Next Level

Texas AgriLife Extension recently launched an initiative to utilize Facebook as a recruiting tool to enhance our recruiting efforts. This effort has also evolved to utilizing Facebook to market Texas AgriLife Extension Service as an organization that provides a wide range of research based resources through community based educational programs.

Now that Texas AgriLife Extension Service has a presence in the social networking arena, the question is how we utilize this venue beyond recruiting and marketing. Christ (2005) predicted that social networking sites would force public relation professionals to rethink how they approach relationship development with their stakeholders. Research in the Public Relations Review (Waters, Burnett, Lamm & Lucas, 2009) reported that social networking sites can be an effective way to reach stakeholder groups if there is some understanding of how the stakeholders use the site. Waters, Burnett, Lamm and Lucas (2009) also reported that as social networking sites become more ingrained in daily life, they will soon see a more diverse audience in terms of age, culture, and socio-economic status. Waters, Burnett, Lamm and Lucas (2009) indicated that organizations will need to begin using more social networking applications to meet the growing needs and expectations of their stakeholders.

Here are a few facts about Facebook that is our motivation to explore this as a venue to recruit future employees, market Texas AgriLife Extension and interpret Texas AgriLife Extension (Facebook, 2010):

• Facebook has more than 400 million users.
• 50% of the active users log on to Facebook in any given day.
• More than 3 billion photos are uploaded to the site each month.
• More than 5 billion pieces of content (weblinks, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) is shared each week.
• More than 3.5 million events are created each month.
• More than 1.5 million local businesses have a active Page on Facebook.
• More than 20 million people become fans of Pages each day.
• Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans.
• Average user has 130 friends on the site.
• The average user sends 8 friend requests per month.
• Average user becomes a fan of 4 Pages each month.
• Average user is invited to 3 events per month.
• More than 70 translations available on the site.
• About 70% of Facebook users are outside the United States.
• There are more than 100 million active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devises.

Some specific demographics related to Texas AgriLife Extension Service's Facebook page is as follows:

• Texas AgriLife Extension Service's page has more than 1,800 fans.
• 64% of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service fans are female.
  
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service fans range in age from 13 years of age to over 55.
• 74% of fans are 18 to 44 years of age.
  
• There are 1,781 fans from the United States.
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service's page had 819 visits this past week.
  
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service page has fans from Canada, India, Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Spain, Greece, Indonesia, South Korea, Pakistan and Turkey.
  

As an agency, Texas AgriLife Extension Service has a challenge in terms of where do we go next related to the utilization of social networking. In a recent article that has been circulated among Extension professionals that examines a 2009 Journal of Extension article entitled "Extension: A Modern Day Pony Express?", the relevancy of Extension in the future was challenged in terms of Extension's capacity to evolve to meet the needs of a changing society. The following are some ideas that District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should consider related to how Texas AgriLife Extension Service can utilize social media to enhance program delivery, market educational programs, and interpret Extension programs to targeted stakeholders which will assist in ensuring that Texas AgriLife Extension Service remains a relevant educational agency;

• Utilization of blogs to deliver educational content which can be delivered to clientele's mobile devise.
  
• Utilization of social networking as a platform for interactive learning related to the management of diabetes.
• Utilization of social networking as a platform to provide leadership lessons to 4-H youth.
  
• Utilization of social media to interpret programs to legislative staffers who routinely use social media personally and professionally.
  
• Utilization of social media as a component of a systematic educational strategy which uses social media to introduce basic information followed by providing a link to a more in-depth online learning module followed by the utilization of both social media and on-line learning modules to announce a more comprehensive face to face educational event.

One of the new and innovative approaches utilizing a form of social networking to interpret programs and increasing Extension visibility is the utilization of short videos attached to an electronic post card that is sent to elected officials and elected officials staffers. This innovative interpretation methodology is currently being pioneered in Travis County. To view an example of one of these videos click on http://traviscountyextensionoffice.createsend5.com/T/ViewEmail/r/C66341E542926DE2/CFE05E22D4B1F796C5EC08CADFFC107B

Now that Texas AgriLife Extension Service has its foot in the door in the utilization of blogs, electronic post cards, and Facebook- careful consideration needs to be given to how these tools can increase our capacity to deliver programs, communicate with clientele and interpret our programs.

Reference

Christ, P. (2005). Internet technologies and trends transforming public relations. Journal of Website Promotion. 1 (4) , 3-14.

Waters, R.D., Burnett, E., Lamm, A., & Lucas, J. (2009). Engaging stakeholders through social networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review.

West, B.C., Drake, D. & Londo, A. (2009). Extension: A Modern Day Pony Express? Journal of Extension. [On-line] . (47) 2. Available at http://www.joe.org/joe/2009april/comm1.php

Involving Elected Officials in Extension Educational Programs

There is no question that one of the most effective interpretation strategies that can be implemented at the county level is to involve the elected official in "show case" educational events. The involvement of elected officials in county "show case" educational events enables the elected officials to witness first hand the effectiveness of the county educational programs, demonstrates Texas AgriLife Extension's partnership with funding partners, and provides the elected official with a positive platform to interact with constituents. The involvement of elected officials in "show case" educational events is also a component of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service County Programs Interpretation Initiative.

The following are just a few ideas that can be utilized to get elected officials involved in county programs by;

• Serving as Honorary Chair of diabetes educational task force or committee that sponsors the Extension Do-Well-Be-Well program.
• Providing welcome at Extension events such as Farm and Ranch Show, Field Days, Health Fairs, Walk Across Texas Kick off event or Recognition Event, 4-H and Youth educational activity, Cow/Calf Clinic, County Dairy Day, etc.
• Serving as Honorary Chair of educational agriculture task force or committee that sponsors major educational event.
  
• Serving as master of ceremony for the media event that kicks off major educational events.
• Serving as Team Captain or Honorary Team Captain for a Walk Across Texas Team made up of County officials or County employees.
• Serving as master of ceremony for a 4-H achievement event.

It is important to remember, Extension has an unusually wide range of stakeholders-legislators, funders, clientele audiences, and agency partners-who are interested in knowing the quality and effectiveness of our programs (Braverman & Engle, 2009). District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors provide continued leadership to ensure that every county is implementing a interpretation plan that includes formal interpretation events, involvement of elected officials in "show case" educational events and other appropriate interpretation methodologies for 2010.

Reference

Braverman, M. & Engle, M. (2009). Theory and Rigor in Extension Program Evaluation Planning. Journal of Extension. (47) 3. Retrieved at http://www.joe.org/joe/2009june/a1.php

Content for this post was provided by Ron Woolley, District Extension Administrator- Texas AgriLife Extension Service

The Why, Who , What and How for Extension Interpretation in District 2

During challenging economic times it is imperative that Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers separate the things they can't control from the things they can control. One of the things Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers do control is the interpretation of programs to stakeholders and elected officials.

In Extension District 2, program interpretation training for agents will be provided during mid-year county cluster meetings. These trainings are entitled The Why, Who, What and How for Extension Interpretation. The goal of this training is to increase the agents’ knowledge and understanding of effective interpretation strategies. Some of the specifics regarding this training are as follows:

The Why

• Why do we Interpret Extension programs?
  
• Why do we need to tell our story?
• Why is CEA position important to County XYZ?
• Why is the county clientele better off because of Extension programs?

The Who

• Who do we interpret to?
• Identification of influential advocates for Extension programs.
• Know the legislative staff.
• What interest does commissioners have for the extension program?
• Reaching people that need to know.
  

The What

• What happens in the County and State budgeting process?
• What issues are facing your county and are we addressing them?
• What happens when State Legislator is in Session?
• What did we do to have a positive impact?
• What is a Stakeholder?
• What is a key Leader?
  

The How

• How Extension is funded?
• How should we interpret?
• Interpretation beyond national 4-H week.
• Going beyond the commissioners court meeting and Christmas luncheon.
• Developing interpretation delivery methods to reach legislators and staffers.
• Use of social technology for interpretation.
• Developing a County Cluster team approach for interpretation.
• Getting the right message to the right people.
• Developing and implementing actions for interpretation.
  

All District Extension Administrators are encouraged to review this concept and implement similar strategies in order to redirect County Extension Agent's anxiety to a proactive interpretive focus. This and other types of approaches clearly demonstrates leadership and vision on the part of our middle managers.

Content for this article was provided by Miles Dabovich, District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Reminder-New Agents Should Complete Online Learning Modules Before Extension Foundations on April 19-23

Texas AgriLife Extension Service has launched a new strategy for on- boarding recently hired County Extension Agents. One of the critical elements of this new on- boarding system is a series of new online learning modules designed to establish a knowledge base prior to them attending Extension Foundations.

Those agents that will be participating in Extension Foundations on April 19-23, should have completed the following training modules prior to their attendance:

• Texas AgriLife Extension: Our History and Roots
• Professionalism in Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• Introduction to Program Development in Texas Extension
• TExAS Accountability System
• INVEST: Volunteerism
• Cash Management
  

To find these courses, Count Extension Agents should follow the instructions for logging in under the "First Time Here?" section at http://pdc.extension.org/. Some of the courses require an access key, which is the word "texas."

These modules are critical in establishing a foundation for future sequential learning experiences that will be offered to new agents through TexasAgriLife Extension Service newly established on- boarding system. District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors should ensure that all new agents complete these modules prior to their attendance of Extension Foundations.

District 1 Interpretation Training Planned for May 18, 2010

The District 1 Interpretation Committee is planning a training on May 18, 2010 to develop steps for successful interpretation and groups to target in this effort. The committee along with the District Extension Administrator will provide training and detailed examples of interpretation opportunities. This training will focus on the steps to successful interpretation along with unique delivery strategies and the audiences to target. Below is an overview of the planned activities for this interpretation training:

• Excellent Programs - Interpretation means nothing without the evidence to back it up! This training will reinforce the importance of the steps of program development. Effective planning, marketing, implementation, and evaluation are all necessary before we can interpret the impact of our programs.
  
• Targeted Audiences – In most cases, agents understand the importance of interpretation to commissioner’s courts. The importance of quarterly formal interpretation will be emphasized. In some cases, groups that are less informed about the results of our programs are: community leaders, civic groups, local organizations. This training will also focus on the importance of interpretation to our “Extension” groups.
  
• Involving and Strengthening the Role of LAB and PAC’s – Information will be provided on the importance of strong and active Program Area Committees and Leadership Advisory Boards and their increased involvement in interpretation activities. Interpretation to these groups about the results of programs in the county and providing opportunities for them to tell our story will increase our interpretation successes. Training focus will be on committee structure, selecting committee members, roles of each committee and expectations of how these committees will function.
• Successful Interpretation Examples from Peers– This training will provide for agents to share successful interpretation efforts with their peers. These examples will be formal events, interpretation pieces, special newsletters or updates, relationship building with stakeholders, involving planning groups in interpretation efforts, supporting and interpreting programs outside of your discipline, etc.
• Brainstorming Sessions– County groups will be provided time for brainstorming how implement the District 1 Program Interpretation Initiative. Agents will utilize this opportunity for planning future activities in the county and to develop plans for targeted interpretation for state and federal elected officials that represent their counties.
  

It is extremely important that Texas AgriLife Extension programming is no longer “the best kept secret” in our counties and district. Our agents do a tremendous job of providing relevant educational information to all audiences. They also provide education in a number of programming areas that makes a difference in the lives of the people in the Texas panhandle.

All of the above focused program topics are areas that are reinforced during the year at midyear reviews, district trainings, program planning conference and performance appraisal. This program will reinforce the importance and expectation of providing high quality educational programs to our clientele and the impact we have had on the issues that affect people the most.

All District Extension Administrators are encouraged to review this concept and implement similar strategies in order to redirect County Extension Agent's anxiety to a proactive interpretive focus. This and other types of approaches clearly demonstrates leadership and vision on the part of our middle managers.

Content for this article was provided by Danny Nusser, District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Journey to Success with Your Commissioners Court in District 3

During challenging economic times it is imperative that Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers separate the things they can't control from the things they can control. One of the things Texas AgriLife Extension Service middle managers do control is the interpretation of programs to stakeholders and elected officials.

In Extension District 3, the District Marketing and Interpretation Committee has planned an Interpretation and Market Training entitled Journey to Success with Your Commissioners Court. The goal of this training is to increase the agents’ knowledge and understanding of effective interpretation strategies with Commissioners Courts. Some of the specifics regarding this training are as follows:

• Planning Your Journey Itinerary -Why the Need to Work with the Commissioners’ Court.
• Funding Your Journey-Successful Budget Development and Acquisition.
• What is your budget?
• Keys to your success or failure (examples)
• Developing Your Travel Brochure - Successful Interpretation Documents, Involvement and Recognition.
• Orientation of new court members.
• Involvement of other county officials (Auditor, treasurer, etc.).
• Commissioners’ Court Reports, volunteer and county recognition events, educational programs, newsletters, etc.
• Back Road Treasures -Politics in a rural county.
• Interstate Attractions -Politics in an urban county.
• Destination Success.

Again, it should be emphasized that there are County Extension Agents, District/County Extension Support Staff members and Extension Assistants/Associates who are looking to District Extension Administrators/County Extension Directors for leadership during these challenging economic times! It is imperative that District Extension Administrators /County Extension Directors provide confident leadership by articulating that a focus on Texas AgriLife Extension Services' interpretation efforts is more productive than spending time speculating on what might take place in the future.

All District Extension Administrators are encouraged to review this concept and implement similar strategies in order to redirect County Extension Agent's anxiety to a proactive interpretive focus. This and other types of approaches clearly demonstrates leadership and vision on the part of our middle managers.

Content for this article was provided by Donald Kelm, District Extension Administrator-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.

Reminder- TAMUS Regents Fellow Service Award and the Award for Excellence Due April 29, 2010

Preliminary Extension nominations will be accepted through Thursday, April 29, for BOTH the 2010 TAMUS Regents Fellow Service Awards and the Award for Excellence in Extension from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (formerly NASULGC). Each nominee will be placed in the candidate pool for both awards; only a single nomination is necessary. (Current Regents Fellows will automatically be considered for the APLU award.)

This preliminary procedure can be completed by following the instructions below. (NOTE: This does NOT pertain to any announcements regarding the Regents Professor Award and the nomination of researchers for the Fellow Service Award.)

Regarding past nominations... Please update them and resubmit. Nominees from years past are only more worthy! There is no limit on the number of preliminary nominations you may submit; however, nominees must have at least a 50 percent Extension appointment.

You are asked to follow this initial process to save you the effort of preparing the more extensive nomination package that is ultimately required. Suzanne Deatherage will be available to help finalists and their nominators with preparation of the full package.

INSTRUCTIONS:

To recommend a qualified individual for the Extension nomination, submit the individual's brief resume or vita, along with a letter of nomination from two to five pages. Send as e-mail attachments to me at sdeather@ag.tamu.edu no later than Thursday, April 29.

Contents of nomination letter (narrative):

• Cite the candidate's most outstanding qualifications and major achievements and tell how the candidate excels in the following selection criteria, as appropriate for his or her position as an Extension educator.
• Distinguished record of research, outreach education, and/or service accomplishments to the people of Texas.
• Demonstration of a sincere commitment to the agency and the A&M System.
• Creative ability and adherence to scientific philosophy and scholarly principles (as appropriate to Extension programming).
• Exceptional contributions to Extension programming (and contributions to knowledge base and/or development of scholarly principles) that have resulted in published research, inventions, processes, methods, or educational programs that are everlasting contributions to humankind and science.
• Outstanding, creative ability to conduct and deliver educational, research, extension and/or service programs that result in an enriched environment, enhanced economic returns, or a higher standard of living and/or quality of life (as appropriate to agency).
• Recognition by professionals within candidate's field or scientific community as evidenced through honors and awards, participation on state/national or international committees, panels or commissions.
• Documented recognition by external stakeholders, clients, and/or constituents.
  

Please recognize that these are very exclusive awards intended for individuals who have the greatest record of accomplishments. Past recipients and complete guidelines for the Regents Awards are posted online at http://www.tamus.edu/offices/academic/awards/index.html.

District Extension Administrators are encouraged to nominate deserving agents for these prestigious awards.

Content for this article was provided by Suzanne Deatherage, Assistant Agency Director-Texas AgriLife Extension Service.