2009 Annual Session Showcase of Excellence


Thursday, September 17, 2009 (Author Present)

Friday, September 18, 2009 (Author Presence Optional)

11 A.M. - 2 P.M.



The Journey Continues (2008 National Winner: Extension Educator of the Year)

Presenter(s): Sharon Hoelscher Day (AZ)
Table 1
Sabbatical study provides the time and intense focus on bone health and osteoporosis to bring new knowledge, skills and renewed energy.

Eat to Your Heart's Content (2008 National Winner: Healthy Lifestyles Education Grant)

Presenter(s): Sarah Francis (WY)
Table 2
Utilizing Social Marketing Theory principles, Francis is modifying a heart healthy nutrition curriculum to meet the needs and preferences of residents in Carbon and Albany counties (Wyoming). The original curriculum was created and tested by Francis in North Carolina and resulted in improved morale, self-efficacy, and nutrition practices.

Every Drop Counts: Conserve Water at Home (2009 National Winner: Environmental Education Award)

Presenter(s): Laurie Cantrell, Pamela Turner, Rachel Hubbard, Sylvia Davis, Polly Morgan, Nancy Bridges, Ann Hudgins, Debbie Purvis, Andrea Scarrow (GA)
Table 3
The severe drought conditions in Georgia spurred a state-wide focus on water conservation. Every Drop Counts: Conserve Water at Home teaches indoor water conservation techniques everyone can adopt.

Charting Your Course to Home Ownership (2009 National Winner: Extension Housing Outreach Award)

Presenter(s): Deborah Hurlbert, Jeanette Tucker, Deborah Cross, Sheri Fair, Cynthia Richard, Cynthia Stephens, Margaret Burlew, Valerie Vincent, Deniese Zeringue (GA)
Table 4
Charting Your Course to Home Ownership guides participants in selecting, negotiating and obtaining the best home and mortgage on their budget. Basic financial management life skills are taught interactively.

My Florida Home: First-Time Homebuyer Education (2009 National Winner: Extension Housing Outreach Award)

Presenter(s): Laura Royer (FL)
Table 5
With Americans spending up to one-half of their income on housing and increased home foreclosures, first-time homebuyer education stressing financial readiness has become more important than ever before.

Aging in Place: To Move or To Stay (2009 National Winner: Extension Housing Outreach Award)

Presenter(s): Susan Morris (MD)
Table 6
The Aging in Place (AIP) program was a collaborative effort to improve outcomes for older Montgomery County residents by introducing AIP concepts, assessing resources and interest in AIP.

Eat Smart, Play Hard, Together (2009 National Winner: Marketing Package Award)

Presenter(s): Julie Garden-Robinson (ND)
Table 7
Eat Smart, Play Hard, Together is a multi-faceted marketing and educational program in cooperation with college athlete role models. It includes billboards, radio spots, a website/Facebook presence and magazine.

Peninsula Saves Campaign Helping Consumers Build Wealth, Not Debt

Presenter(s): Johanna Hahn, Doris Baskfield-Heath (VA)
Table 8
50,000 Peninsula Savers Strong - the foremost objective of the Peninsula Saves campaign. Extension Educators started a working group comprised of financial educators, financial institutions and agencies to promote savings as a goal. Participants will learn how to create a Saves campaign to market, strengthen programs, and motivate communities.

Food Safety and Food Preservation: Considerations for Food Judges

Presenter(s): Suzanne Driessen (MN)
Table 9
This poster addresses the challenges of training food judges in order to provide consistency in evaluating food preservation for safety. A survey of potential judges indicated a need for training. Survey results and online program were developed as "just-in-time" training prior to county and state fair will be shown.

The 4-H Uniform in the 20th Century

Presenter(s): Jan Scholl (PA)
Table 10
Based on a five year historical study of government publications, advertisements, children's literature, commercial patterns and other sources, this showcase illustrates how the 4-H uniform evolved in the 20th century.

Teachers Training Teachers (T3) in Financial Education

Presenter(s): Barbara O'Neill (NJ)
Table 11
This Showcase describes a grant-funded financial education training conference for teachers and youth educators. Instead of the usual format with speaker-taught presentations, participants taught each other while competing for the title of "Financial Education Idol." CD-ROMs were produced with participants' most creative and interactive youth financial education methods.

Walk Across My County

Presenter(s): Lois Clark (OH)
Table 12
Walk Across My County is a life style fitness program which encourages county residents to become more active. When they had walked the equivalent distance of the width and the length of the county twice, they received an incentive. Three hundred sixty eight people enrolled in the program earning 516 incentives.

Community Educational Outreach Service Leadership and Education Needs Assessment

Presenter(s): Dana Cook-Lester, Cheryl Kaczor, Kelly Nix (WV)
Table 13
WVU Extension Service's Families and Health (F&H) faculty must assess relevant topics and program areas not currently being met through existing CEOS and WVUES educational programs. Through the use of survey instruments, the project will identify the education and leadership needs of CEOS members to shape the direction state programming.

Increasing Attendance at Extension Programs with Mini-Seminars on Hot Topics

Presenter(s): Sherri Cirignano (NJ)
Table 14
Providing nutrition education that is research-based, yet appealing enough to attract a considerable audience continues to be a challenge. Discover an interactive program series based on current food in the news such as chocolate and tea that can actually lead to waiting lists!

JCEP Traveling Team

Presenter(s): TBA
Table 15
Description TBA

Be a Soaper Hero: Hand-Washing Education Website & Resources

Presenter(s): Darlene Christensen (UT)
Table 16
Hand-washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection, according to the CDC. The Soaper Hero hand washing education program teaches hand washing to primary and elementary school children. The website (www.soaperhero.org) provides educational resources for youth and teachers, current research findings, a hand-washing instruction video and more free of charge.

Fruit and Veggie Fact Sheets Promote Consumption of Locally Grown Produce

Presenter(s): Monadine Mattey, Maurus Brown, Kathy Jelley, Sheila Maggard, Lucinda Miller, Cindy Oliveri, Treva Williams (OH)
Table 17
Are you looking for new school programming ideas? Are you looking for ways to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables? Would you like a comprehensive program that addresses nutrition, family communication and physical fitness? If the answer is yes, plan to attend this session. We will provide you with an overview of the Fruit and Veggies curriculum which includes 13 reproducible fact sheets, lesson plan and evaluation instruments.

Enjoying Our Healthy Harvest

Presenter(s): Glenda Hyde (OR)
Table 18
Enjoying Our Healthy Harvest is a Nutrition Education Curriculum for 4th graders, from garden to the table. This curriculum was developed to teach proper selection, cleaning and food preparation safety of fresh produce from the farm, farmer's market or grocery store to the table for classes of mostly low-income youth.

Managing in Tough Times

Presenter(s): Michael Gutter, Eboni Baugh, Linda Bobroff, Elizabeth Bolton, Kate Fogarty, Joy Jordon, Heidi Radunovich, Suzanna Smith, Glenda Warren, Carolyn Wilken (FL)
Table 19
Managing in Tough Times is a timely program designed to help families and consumers manage their resources and household when times are tough financially. The flipbook can be provided to families en masse and the presentation used when a class or discussion is possible.

Using the Black Box Approach to Transfer Institutional Knowledge

Presenter(s): Joyce Shriner, Cynthia Shuster, Sue Sharb (OH)
Table 20
Investigators rely on an aircraft black box to collect information after a crash. Keep your program from "crashing" during personnel changes by attending this poster session. Learn about the black box approach to transferring institutional knowledge; see how to organize a black box; and gain valuable ideas from the presenters.

Live Healthy, Live Well: A Partnership between Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio County Commissioners Association

Presenter(s): Lisa Barlage, Doris Herringshaw, Linnette Goard, Marcia Jess, Cindy Bond-Zielinski, Shari Gallup, Elizabeth Smith (OH)
Table 21
Ohio State University Extension partnered with the County Commissioners Association to create an assessment tool and educational modules to be used in counties responding to the health needs and interests of county employees. This session will share the results of the on-line survey and materials developed to meet those needs.

The DASH Eating Plan: Results Show Improved Health for Adults

Presenter(s): Karen Ensle (NJ)
Table 22
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been shown to lower blood pressure, but little is known about its long-term effect on cardiovascular health. A power point program was developed and taught to 244 adults with evaluation results indicating some improved blood pressure and healthier food choices.

Creative Ways to Teach Children about Healthy Food Choices

Presenter(s): Marnie Spencer, Laura Sant (ID)
Table 23
Extension educators developed six age-appropriate nutrition lessons from research-based nutrition concepts to increase children's knowledge of healthy food choices. The lessons include discussion, chalkboard and hands-on activities, games, nutrition-themed children's literature, and quizzes. Between 1200 and 2000 students participate yearly. Results indicate that students are learning about healthy food choices.

MyPyramid Journey

Presenter(s): Graffie Eldridge, Keith Cleek, Sarah Hunter, Ashley Johnson, Jackie King, VeEtta Simmons (AR)
Table 24
MyPyramid Journey is a new program created to enhance the nutritional knowledge of the USDA's MyPyramid for kids. MyPyramid Journey is designed to increase agricultural knowledge of "farm to table" and to enhance participants knowledge in identifying and selecting foods that are good, better, and best choices from the MyPyramid.

Health Motivators

Presenter(s): Judy Matlick, Rebecca Mowbray, Patty Morrison, Miriam Leatherman, Elaine Bowen (WV)
Table 25
The Health Motivator Initiative increases health awareness and physical activity habits among West Virginia Community Educational Outreach Service (CEOS) club members. Gentle physical activities, social support, and researched-based health tips are incorporated into monthly club activities led by "Health Motivators." The session will share curriculum, evaluation results, and programming recommendations.

Dollar Decision$ Revisited- What We and Our Clients Learned

Presenter(s): Linda Gossett, Marsha Lockard, Marilyn Bischoff (ID)
Table 26
Educators learned that low-income participants did not set goals, know the difference between wants or needs, or understand how to establish a budget. Participants learned how to use a spending and savings plan, save money for emergencies, and increase their income.

Implementation of the Healthy Marriage Initiative in Rural Communities

Presenter(s): Jane Riffe, Cheryl Kaczor, Terrill Smith (WV)
Table 27 In 2002, the Administration for Children and Families (AFC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched the Healthy Marriage Initiative. The initiative seeks to improve the well-being of children and families by supporting marriage strengthening services that involve a variety of organizations interested in addressing healthy relationships and marriages. This showcase will feature this initiative's mission, delivery methods with grassroots coalitions within our communities, outcomes and impacts and conclusion.