June 2014

Table of Contents

President's Message

New! NEAFCS Social Media Policy

Member Resources - Let's Talk Diversity!

More PILD Conference Insights and Reflections

JCEP Connections

Compliment Your Annual Session Experience with Tours

Meet the Board

Important Dates

Members-only Webinar • June 24
Enjoying Our Healthy Harvest

Members-only Webinar • July 24
Using Social Media for NEAFCS

Members-only Webinar • Aug 21
Website Update

NEAFCS Annual Session • Sept 15-18
Hyatt Regency, Lexington, KY

Members-only Webinar • Oct 15
Webinar on Webinars

View All Events...

National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science
20423 State Road 7
Suite F6-491
Boca Raton, FL 33498
(561) 477-8100
[email protected]

President's Message
Kathleen Olson (MN)

How Do You Stay Relevant?

Staying relevant, regardless of our role, is essential.

It is an important component for our profession, our brand and the value we bring to our career.  It keeps us interesting and helps others to be eager to learn from us.  In Extension, we are expected to be on the “cutting edge” of our subject matter and program delivery.

While you don't have to keep up with the Kardashians to be successful, you do need to keep up with changing times. How do you change to stay relevant?  What do you need to learn to get better at what you do?  Is it sharing knowledge through social media?  Is it making sure that our Extension websites are written better to be more findable for search engine optimization?  We need to start where our customers are going and what they are using.  Are you keeping up?

One of the greatest ways I have found to stay relevant is to attend Annual Sessions.  This professional development conference has been my mainstay for how to perform my job better, how to reach clientele in new ways and acquire new research and content relevant to Extension programming. Many of us may also be a member of an association that focuses on our content or specialty area in addition to NEAFCS.  What I appreciate about our association’s professional development, whether it is at the conference or through our webinars, is that it focuses on Extension.  We can return from the conference with “ready to teach”, practical materials that have been prepared, evaluated and shared by our peers.  Where else can you go and share ideas with those who do a similar job as you do?  Annual Session 2014 registration opened June 1.  Join me in staying relevant and plan to attend.

In this 100th year of our Extension history, let’s think about where we have been and where we are going.  Some have asked, “Is Extension still relevant in today’s society?”  I answer with a resounding YES!  Complex problems need complex solutions, and Extension can provide them with our scholarly work and research based information.  We are so much more than a website and have the skills needed to work with people in communities.  That is a niche throughout our history that still makes us relevant today. 

Kathleen Olson

P.S. Look for the magic wand embedded in an article in this newsletter. The first 3 members to email me at [email protected] with the exact location of the wand will qualify for a chance to be placed in a drawing to qualify for a free Annual Session registration, drawn in August; this contest runs October through August to increase newsletter readership.  HINT: The graphic below does not count.



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New!! NEAFCS Social Media Policy
Susan Cosgrove (MS), Vice President for Member Resources

The presence of social media surrounds our lives. Are you taking advantage of your member benefits by using social media through NEAFCS?

We now have a Social Media Policy recently approved by the NEAFCS Board. The presence of NEAFCS on the social media network includes, but is not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and others.

Through our social media network, NEAFCS members can promote relevance and the impact of their programming; share professional resources; promote NEAFCS events and resources; drive website traffic of members; and enhance member benefits.

With the Annual Session just around the corner, there will be frequent postings that you will not want to miss on Facebook and Twitter.

There are specific policies and guidelines that apply to all of the NEAFCS social media sites. As the world of social media changes, this policy is also subject to change. Members are responsible for checking the website for updates, regularly.

I encourage you to participate in the July 24 Members-only Webinar – Using Social Media for NEAFCS. There are also some archived webinars on social media, in case you missed them. 

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Member Resources - Let's Talk Diversity!
Edda Z. Cotto-Rivera (GA) and Inés Beltrán (GA), Diversity Subcommittee Members

The Diversity Issues Subcommittee recognizes the need to provide information about current trends, innovative ideas and research-based programming in one common place for the benefit of our affiliates.
We will be conducting a member survey that you will receive via eBlast very soon that will help guide us in updating our diversity issues online resources for you.

We want to know about the programs and resources available through your state and determine how your affiliate recognizes members in the area of diversity.  We are seeking your help to identify possible sponsorship for the NEAFCS Diversity Award. Another committee goal is to sponsor a pre-conference session or a special presentation about diversity during future Annual Sessions.   

On behalf of the Diversity Issues Subcommittee, I encourage you to share your ideas and recommendations in our upcoming survey!

Committee members participating in this project include Edda Z. Cotto-Rivera (GA), Inés Beltrán (GA), Karen Dickrell (WI), Lorrie Coop (TX), Teresa Witkoske (IN), Traci Armstrong Florian (AZ), and Susan Cosgrove (MS), NEAFCS Vice President for Member Resources.

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More PILD Conference Insights and Reflections
Theresa C. Mayhew (NY), Vice President for Public Affairs

As promised, here are more reflections from this year’s Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) conference scholarship recipients. I hope that you find them as insightful and inspirational as I do. I would like to reiterate some points to keep in mind when contacting elected officials.  When calling, writing or visiting, focus on one or two topics, at most. Ask your legislator to take a specific action. For example, when our NY delegation visited our representatives during the PILD conference, we asked them to lend their support to a resolution recognizing the 100th anniversary of the Smith Lever Act. In this case, we received affirmative responses from everyone with whom we met. If a positive answer is not possible because they need to research what you are addressing, ask for a written response that will provide your legislator’s position on your request. Now onto those reflections!

“WOW! That is the only word to describe attending the PILD conference in the same year that the 100th anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act…was celebrated. Attending PILD gave me a better understanding of just how important the work we are doing is and how much it does better the lives of individuals and families in our state and as a nation. I spent two intense days preparing and learning from the dynamite speakers and attending breakout sessions on how to effectively communicate our message to our legislators on the Hill…All in all, attending PILD was very rewarding and one of the best professional development opportunities an NEAFCS member and extension educator could attend.” ~ Mandy Armentor, Louisiana State University

“I especially enjoyed the sessions about the history of the Extension service and the passing of the Smith-Lever Act to officially organize the Extension Service. The 100 year narrative presented by Travis Burke was most enjoyable and informative. Our Mississippi visit to the Hill was a great experience. Everyone was helpful...as to how to get from point A to point B. We had a short guided tour of the Capitol courtesy of Rep. Palazzo and visited all our state Congressmen and Representatives. While we mostly met with staffers, we did get to visit in person with Rep. Greg Harper and he was a great host.” ~ Carolyn Conger, Mississippi State

“As a first time attendee, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew that at the end of the conference I was to meet with my elected officials and discuss all the hard work that our state does through Extension. What I didn’t realize was that it would completely change the way I was to approach not only elected officials but also the audiences I work with.  One of the most powerful things that stuck out to me was that people, elected or not, want to know why we do what we do. Yes, numbers do matter but they want to find a deeper connection of why and not what and how….We have to learn to move forward from our past and not be stuck in it….We also need to think differently in order to keep up or be ahead of the world around us….I will close with Saffo’s Rule from Jerry Thomas’ session about looking at current and future issues:  “Look back twice as far as you look ahead.” ~ Elizabeth Elizondo, University of Tennessee.

“In Utah the responsibility to share the impact of Extension FCS programming is shifting to the Utah Extension AFCS. My experience at PILD provided a great foundation for developing a plan on how to tell our story to our federal and state legislators, and local officials. We will take our impact statements and prepare a summary that will be read. We will help our members develop skills to tell our story. We will be prepared to tell our story in two to three minutes or 20. We will use our Public Affairs committee to share information throughout the year to keep elected officials informed about what we do and the difference we make.” ~ Ann Henderson, Utah State University

Note:  Some recipient’s comments had to be slightly edited and/or shortened due to space constraints.

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JCEP Connections
Jeff Holland (IN), JCEP President

The Joint Council of Extension Professional (JCEP) was invited to participate in the NEDA conference (National Extension Directors and Administrators) held in Sacramento, California.  This year, NEDA collaborated time and resources with the National eXtension Conference.

JCEP President Jeff Holland (Indiana) and JCEP President – Elect Jeff Myers (Maryland) represented JCEP at NEDA. They participated and listened to discussion that centered around: Innovation in Building Human Capacity for the 21st Century Extension, Extension Programming and Resource Opportunities in the Next 100 years; Improving Health in America; A Framework for Extension Second Century; and Building Connections: Social Media in Extension. They also attended the ECOP (Extension Committee on Organization and Policy) immediately following the NEDA Conference and participated in discussions.

JCEP truly appreciates the collaboration between ECOP and NEDA, and looks forward to continuing efforts and communication representing all six associations that make up JCEP.

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Compliment Your NEAFCS Annual Session Experience With Tours!

We are so excited that you will soon be joining us in Kentucky for the 2014 Annual Session. There are some great pre-session, post-session, and spouse tour options for you and your family to explore Lexington and the surrounding area.

Pre and Post Tours:
On Sunday, September 14, we will be offering two tour options.

The first option is a horse farm tour in the Bluegrass State. Enter the gates of a signature Thoroughbred Horse Farm for a private tour. Step back in time for a guided tour of Keeneland - featured on the National Historic Register. Scenes from the films Seabiscuit and Secretariat were filmed at this beautiful racecourse.

The second option is a Bourbon and Bluegrass tour -featuring a private tour of a signature Thoroughbred horse farm and an informative and fun tour and tasting at a local Distillery.

We also are offering some great post-session tours that will make you want to stay around and enjoy the state for a few extra days.

On Friday, September 19 we will offer an all day tour to Louisville.  You will be able to explore the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs, learn about the breeding and training of a young foal on the road to the Kentucky Derby and view “The Greatest Race” in a 360-degree theater. Enjoy your lunch as you journey back in time on the Belle of Louisville, a National Historic Landmark, recognized as the oldest river steamboat in operation. Then journey off to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory to see the World's Biggest Baseball Bat.  Learn about the Official Bat of Major League Baseball, The Louisville Slugger.  View the process of making a bat and the history of baseball.

On Saturday, September 19 you have the option of a guided tour of historic Berea.  You will eat lunch at Boone Tavern; dining on fabulous southern cuisine featuring local, and Kentucky proud ingredients. Enjoy the Kentucky Artisan Center, where you will have the opportunity to take home a unique and hand crafted piece of the region.

Another tour option is to join us for the Lexington Historical Home Tours. The Mary Todd Lincoln House was the first house museum in America to honor a First Lady.  The 14-room house contains period furniture, family portraits and furnishings from the Todd as well as the Lincoln families.  Hopemont - The Hunt-Morgan House features a Federal style home, built in 1814. It has been home to 3 famous Kentuckians:  John Wesley Hunt, the first millionaire west of the Allegheny Mountains; General John Hunt Morgan, known as “The Thunderbolt of the Confederacy; and Dr. Thomas Hunt Morgan, the only Kentuckian to have won the Nobel Prize which he received for his work in genetics.  Ashland -The Henry Clay Estate reflects the prominence of the statesman who developed this property. Enjoy a guided tour through the Italianate mansion, containing many Clay family items and stroll the historic grounds and the serene formal garden.

Spouse Tours:
Your spouse or other family member will enjoy the many options that our county agriculture agents have planned for Tuesday and Wednesday, (September 16 and 17).  These tours include visiting several of our beautiful and historic sites, many famous agriculture and other state enterprises, plus golfing options at two of our great courses. These spouse tour experiences are:

Natural Bridge & Ale 8
Bourbon, Marble & Wine
Horses and Bourbon
UK Wildcat or Kearney Hills Golf Courses

Visit the Annual Session page of the NEAFCS web site for complete details. http://www.neafcs.org/2014-annual-session. You will register directly for the tours by following the links; they are not tied into your Annual Session registration. Note – spouse tour registration is a separate link from the pre- and post- tours on the Annual Session page of the NEAFCS web site. Spouse tours are being handled by one of the Kentucky County offices and not the tour company or the National Office.

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Meet The Board
Cindy Schlenker Davies (NM), Western Region Director

My career in the Family and Consumer Sciences field has taken me many different directions over the past 30 years. I taught middle and high school Family and Consumer Sciences. I was a menu planner and cook for a large senior care facility and church camp. I also worked as a child care specialist and family support instructor for the state of New Mexico for several years. In 2005, I began working with Extension. What a wonderful creative outlet and variety of areas to explore my time with Extension has brought.

Some of the main programs during my time with Extension have been; training child care providers focusing on after school care, lots of nutrition and specialty cookingclasses, safe food preservation and emergency preparedness in the home. I have so enjoyed being a part of NEAFCS and connecting with peers around the country who truly understand what I do.   I look forward to the great trainings and new ideas I get every year at our Annual Session.

Being a member of the board has given me a rich opportunity to work with some wonderful ladies. I now have friends from coast to coast!

On a personal level my youngest two sons graduated in May, Kendall will seek his career in Engineering and Philip is entering Law school this fall. My husband Pat and I feel a real sense of accomplishment in getting our three sons through college. If you come to the Annual Session you will see Pat snapping photos. He is our photographer this year.

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