April, 2005

"To individuals, families, businesses and communities of Pennsylvania, Penn State Cooperative Extension is the engaged educational system that helps maximize student potential with research-proven knowledge.”

In this Newsletter:

Message from the Director

While participating in the Public Issues Leadership Development meeting in Washington D.C., I picked up the following information which I thought might be valuable for our programs.

From Michael McKinney, extension educator, Public Policy Education, University of Florida Hillsborough County. Empowering and Motivating Extension Advisory Boards, Committees and Councils.

Motivation

How Do I Motivate My Advisors?

The answer seems to be almost too elementary, but it is so true. The best way to motivate your volunteers is to be motivated yourself. Motivation and enthusiasm are both extremely contagious. Most Extension committees and councils are just waiting to be infected! The simple truth is that "we" hold the keys to motivating our advisors and we have to assume the blame if we fail. Here are some simple suggestions on how you might motivate your committee members:

Project a friendly and positive persona, even when you have one of those "down" days. How can we expect our volunteers to be excited about our program when we ourselves fail to project a positive image?

Meeting Frequency: In a study conducted among six states, Extension Advisory members reported that meeting frequency played a major factor in their levels of motivation. When a board, committee, or council had three or fewer meetings a year, volunteers reported being poorly motivated, while 65.5 percent of those attending four or more meetings reported being extremely motivated.

Meaningful Tasks and/or Projects: In the same study, Extension Advisory members said underutilization was one of the root causes of poor motivation and group apathy. It is critical that Extension educators utilize their committees to the fullest.

Be Creative: Doing things like utilizing role-playing games to creatively prioritize program objectives can be effective. Getting people out of their seats and engaged in physical activity will greatly enhance the motivation factor in any Advisory group.

Be a Listener: Advisory members are least motivated when educators dominate over 50 percent of the discussion. The motivation factor of members increases dramatically as members assume a greater proportion of the dialog and discussion.

An active and motivated Advisory Committee is essential to our success in both meeting the needs of our communities and in effectively advocating for our public funding. Try these tips and see if they help you be more effective working with your advisory groups.

Best wishes,
Daney Jackson
Director of Cooperative Extension

News to Know

2005 National Diversity Conference
The first Diversity Conference, sponsored by Change Agent States for Diversity (CASD) and Change Agent States for Engagement (CASE) project participants, is being held April 27-29, 2005 in Greensboro, N.C. CASD/CASE is a consortium of state land-grant institutions, in partnership with other collaborators, dedicated to developing successful models and strategies to support greater cultural diversity throughout the system. Penn State is one of the founding institutions, and administrators, faculty and educators are involved in CASD/CASE efforts.

2005 CED Leadership Institute
The Leadership Institute for County Extension Directors will be held May 3-4, 2005 in State College. The theme of this year's meeting is "Reflective Practice and Learning: Helping You Help Others Succeed."

Ruth and Robert O'Connor Scholarship
Field-based extension educators pursuing either a graduate degree or approved professional development program related to his/her discipline or extension responsibilities are eligible to apply for this scholarship. For guidelines and application form, refer to the memo sent to counties on March 2 from Daney Jackson. The deadline for applications for the O'Connor Scholarship is May 16, 2005.

eXtension Update
The eXtension initiative, led by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), is part of a move to advance the science and practice of engagement and outreach of land-grant colleges and universities in their prospective states. The key to success of eXtension is the creation of "communities of practice." These communities will consist of subject-matter-specific extension experts who will form collaborative multidisciplinary teams to address various issues. The expectation is that these teams will develop educational programs to be delivered using various electronic technologies, reaching new audiences and enhancing current program delivery.

In May, eXtension will release the first Call for Engagement (CFE), which is the first step in a creating the initial communities of practice. A draft of the CFE can be found at http://intranet.extension.org/index.php?module=articles&func=display&aid=106&ptid=8. eXtension will provide funding in support of the initiatives as outlined in the CFE. There is tremendous opportunity for innovative and creative programming through the CFE process. These initiatives can also serve as a basis for future grant opportunities outside the eXtension process. Please check out eXtension at http://www.extension.org. Consider the issues facing today's families, youth, communities and agribusiness. eXtension provides a mechanism to build collaborative teams from across the region and around the country to impact these important issues.

Some of the extension coordinators (see complete list below) or other faculty members are exploring potential opportunities for submitting proposals. Field-based educators may find opportunity to participate on such proposals, which will necessarily address issues that are important beyond a single state. We encourage you to look for meaningful ways to participate as you have interest and opportunity.

Extension Coordinators:
Robert Crassweller, Horticulture
Robert Graves, Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Michael Hulet, Poultry Science
Michael O'Connnor, Dairy and Animal Science
Jeffrey Hyde, Agricultural Economic and Rural Sociology
William Curran, Crop and Soil Sciences
Luke Laborde, Food Science
James Finley, School of Forest Resources
David Wolfgang, Veterinary Science
David Beyer, Plant Pathology
Daniel Perkins , Agricultural and Extension Education
Dennis Calvin, Entomology

Program Updates and New Directions
Women in Agriculture
With the growth in the number of women in farming, reflected in the last agricultural census, interest is growing in the financial community to better understand the needs of women who have agriculture as their business interest. A recent article in The Economist (December 2, 2004) highlights the positive aspects and the challenges faced by women farmers today. In response to the needs of women in agriculture, Penn State extension faculty and extension educators are actively involved in targeting this new audience.

Recent educational activities include the successful Women in Dairy conference, held in October 2004, which focused on issues ranging from production and finances to leadership; the Women in Agriculture Day at the 2005 Pennsylvania Farm Show; and a pre-conference session for women in agriculture at the 2005 Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agricultural annual conference held in February. Planning is underway for a national women's agricultural conference to be held October 21-23, 2005 in Burlington, Vt. Most recently, a regional conference was held in March 2005 in Duncansville, Pa. Seventy-five women attended the event, organized by the Blair County Office of the Keystone Ag Innovation Center assisted by a committee of local farmers.

Penn State students, faculty and extension educators were instrumental in helping found the Pennsylvania Women's Ag Network (PA WAgN), a group of women farmers, agricultural professionals and educators committed to supporting women in ag and ag-related businesses. PA WAgN provides networking opportunities through meetings, workshops, an electronic listserv (pawagn@lists.cas.psu.edu) and a newsletter at http://wagn.cas.psu.edu/. Extension associate, Linda Moist, an outreach specialist and local farmer, began working with the PA WAgN in January 2005. Her responsibilities include determining the extension and information needs of women producers and helping organize programs and events to meet those needs. For more information, contact Linda at lsm9@psu.edu.

Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow
The Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow planning committee (POW Issue 17: Leadership and Volunteer Management) successfully delivered a Train-the-Trainer program March 1-3 at Toftrees in State College. The curriculum covers skills and knowledge in personal, interpersonal, group/organizational and community/public policy leadership. Regional teams of educators attended the program, which provided an overview of the statewide leadership development program, as well as hands-on activities that can be used with each of the 13 modules of instruction. The regional teams are equipped with displays, brochures, participants' materials and a facilitator's manual that enables them to market and deliver the leadership program to both internal and external audiences either as an entire curriculum or as individual "stand alone" modules. For more information, you can join a listserv on Extension leadership that covers topics pertaining to leadership theory, experience and stories: L-Ext-Leadership or log onto http://www.leadership.psu.edu.

The planning committee members include: Joann M. Kowalski, Janet I. Allis, Patricia Gordon Anderson, Nancy E. Crago, Amy S. Gregor, Debra A. Gregory, Timothy W. Kelsey, William C. Kleiner, G. Michael McDavid, Winifred W. McGee, Beth A. McLaughlin, Donald E. Tanner and Ann J. Ward.

--submitted by Joann Kowalski, economic and community development educator, Susquehanna County

It's gardening season!
Did you know that…

• 49,872 contacts were reported for Home Horticulture and Consumer Horticulture in fiscal year 2004.
• 2,200 individuals volunteered 103,200 hours in the Master Gardener Program, reaching 188,933 people during the year.
  

Well Done

Congratulations to Jacklyn A. Bruce, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education, the State 4-H Council advisors (extension educators and program assistants), State 4-H Council members and others for their leadership in organizing and hosting a very successful Pennsylvania State 4-H Leadership Conference. One hundred thirty-four 4-Hers representing 35 counties and three states attended the conference, which was held in February in State College. The program offered opportunities for participants to develop personal and team leadership skills that will help them become effective leaders in their local clubs and communities. The guest speakers were engaging and provided the participants with their perspectives on leadership. On the last day of the conference, the youth were involved in a service project, sorting and packing more than 5,600 books, bookmarks and cards to be used by the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center's Children's Hospital. As one adult participant noted, "I was impressed with the relationship between Dr. Bruce and the State 4-H officers. It is one of respect and friendship. Her commitment to these young people was evident the entire week."

Congratulations to Jackie and all those involved in organizing this outstanding event for the young leaders of today and tomorrow!

We Are Penn State Extension Proud

Congratulations to Pat M. Comerford, extension horse specialist in dairy and animal science, recently recognized as winner of the Outstanding Service Award of the American Youth Horse Council (AYHC). Pat served as host coordinator for the 2005 National Youth Horse Leaders Symposium, which was held at Penn State in February. She also served as president of the council and has chaired numerous committees during her years on the national board. The AYHC unites many national organizations, such as Cooperative Extension, 4-H, National Pony Club, American Quarter Horse Association, etc. that serve the youth equine industry.

Nancy M. Kadwill, extension educator in Montgomery County, received the Outstanding Service Award from the Eastern National 4-H Horse Roundup, recognizing her years of service with this event. The Eastern National event is held annually in Louisville, Ky., and nearly 400 youth from 28 states compete in six contest areas. Nancy has served as overall event chair as well as superintendent of the Team Demonstration Contest, Individual Demonstration Contest and Public Speaking Contest over the years. She has served on the Management Committee for approximately 20 years. Congratulations, Nancy!

The Extension Spirit

Utilizing Volunteers to Teach Proper Water System Management
by Bryan Swistock, extension associate, School of Forest Resources

Cooperative Extension has a long history of utilizing volunteers to reach extension clientele. In recent years, volunteer programs such as Master Naturalist and Forest Stewardship VIPs have grown largely from the demonstrated success of the long-established Master Gardener program. Volunteer programs capitalize on the interest and enthusiasm of individuals in the community to build the capacity of extension to reach specific target audiences. Beginning in 2004, Penn State received funding through USDA-CSREES to initiate a pilot volunteer program in Pennsylvania targeted at education of homeowners with private water systems.

Why was Master Well Owner needed?
Over three million rural Pennsylvania residents rely on a private well, spring or cistern for their drinking water, and 20,000 new wells are drilled each year in the state. Although Pennsylvania has the second highest population served by private water systems, it is one of only four states that does not have statewide well-construction standards or stringent certification of well drillers. Testing of private water systems throughout the state has shown that more than 50 percent fail to meet at least one drinking water standard. Unfortunately, most homeowners are unaware of basic management strategies to detect, prevent or treat drinking water problems and many fall victim to unscrupulous businesses.

Extension has provided educational programs and resources to private water system owners for decades, but the large target audience has been difficult to reach. The Master Well Owner volunteer program was created to assist extension with efforts to educate homeowners about proper management of wells, springs and cisterns to prevent or treat drinking water problems.

How is the program organized?
Eight workshops have been offered throughout Pennsylvania in the past year to teach volunteers about proper well construction, wellhead protection, water testing and water treatment. Potential volunteers were identified through advertising or recommendations from local extension educators and were limited to individuals with no financial interest in private water systems. The workshops are a collaborative effort between Cooperative Extension and the project partners, including the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Pennsylvania Ground Water Association and the Pennsylvania Rural Water Association.

To date, 243 Master Well Owner volunteers have been trained in 55 counties in Pennsylvania. These volunteers completed the eight-hour workshop and passed a certification test. They are certified for two years from completion of the workshop, after which they can become recertified through additional workshops or online learning opportunities.

The trained volunteers are supervised by a full-time statewide coordinator (Stephanie Clemens) and a group of eight extension educators that serve as regional coordinators. The regional coordinators were identified early in the project as extension educators with significant water resources program responsibilities. They provide assistance to volunteers by answering questions, providing educational resources and organizing local events. Individual county educators and staff have further supported the program by providing extension publications and/or by sponsoring an upcoming satellite program. Some county educators have even attended the workshops to become certified volunteers themselves!

Early Successes
Trained Master Well Owner volunteers are asked to educate 100 private water system owners during their two year certification period. Many educational resources, including brochures, publications, handbooks and table-top displays were created to assist volunteers with their education mission. A Web site was also created to house resources for easy referral by volunteers or their clients. The Web system includes a password-protected reporting system where volunteers can report planned and completed activities and contacts. Follow-up evaluations are sent to a subset of contacts to measure impacts from volunteer education efforts.

Volunteers have been active since April 2004 providing education to homeowners with private water systems through:

• Presentations to neighbors, local watershed groups, township meetings, farming organizations and school groups.
• Use of the table-top displays at county fairs, home building shows, senior centers and other community events.
• Editorials written and published in county newsletters, farming newsletters and quarterly professional journals.
• TV interviews about well-water testing for local news stations.
• Creation of a Web log (blog) dedicated to sharing of private water system management information (http://spaces.msn.com/members/pawell/).
• Use of sanitary well caps as an educational tool at meetings, parties and places of employment.

Using these methods, volunteers have personally interacted with nearly 5,000 private water system owners throughout the state in just one year. Print and news media methods have reached an additional 17,000 readers and viewers. It is hoped that volunteers will educate 24,000 homeowners with private water systems during the initial two-year project.

Sustaining the program into the future
The USDA grant to support initiation of the Master Well Owner program will end in September 2005 with a statewide conference for volunteers in State College. It appears promising that the project partners will step forward to provide support to continue the program in the future. This will include numerous workshops around the state for training of new volunteers and recertification of existing Master Well Owners. There has also been considerable interest from extension in 11 states and the National Ground Water Association to expand the program beyond Pennsylvania. You can learn more about the Master Well Owner Program, including the names and locations of trained volunteers, by visiting the project Web site at http://mwon.cas.psu.edu.

Leadership Thoughts

"An excellent plumber is infinitely more admirable than an incompetent philosopher. The society that scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water."

- John Gardner, Excellence

Reference: Egger, R. (2004). Begging for Change: The Dollars and Sense of Making Nonprofits Responsive, Efficient, and Rewarding for All. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
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The Well Done section highlights a particular noteworthy extension education effort by an individual or team.

The We Are Penn State Extension Proud section recognizes an extension employee's outstanding accomplishments.

The Extension Spirit section enables Penn State Cooperative Extension employees to share meaningful work experiences, articulate the values and goals behind their efforts, and present inspirational ideas.

Send your suggestions for the Well Done, We Are Penn State Extension Proud, and The Extension Spirit sections to Margaret Koble, mak10@psu.edu. Nominations will be reviewed and selected by the director. The deadline for receiving nominations for the next issue of the newsletter is May 16.