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January 2018

Table of Contents

President's Message

Meet Dr. Toija Riggins

March is Living Well Month

In the Know with the National Committees

Make A Difference - Attend 2018 JCEP Leadership Conference

2018 Annual Session Important Deadlines Approaching on January 31

Countdown to San Antonio – NEAFCS Awards Silent Auction

Why Bother Proofreading?  Proofreading Tips for an Award-Winning Application

Leadership Opportunities Abound in NEAFCS

Meet the Board: Treasurer

Important Dates

NEAFCS 2018 Annual Session Call for Proposals
December 4 - January 31, 2018

NEAFCS 2018 Annual Session Proposal Reviewer Sign-Up
Now through January 31, 2018

NEAFCS Impact Statement Reports
December 1 - February 1, 2018

PILD 1st First Timer Scholarship Application
Mid-December - February 1, 2018

NEAFCS Awards System Open
December 1 - March 15, 2018

JCEP Leadership Conference
February 14 - 15, 2018
Orlando, FL

Public Issues Leadership Development Conference
April 8-11, 2018
Arlington, VA

NEAFCS 2018 Annual Session
September, 24-27
San Antonio, TX

NEAFCS 2019 Annual Session
Sept. 30 - Oct. 3, 2019

 

 


University of Minnesota Extension – Overindulgence
Parenting with a Good Heart Online Course is now available

Learn more about what this course covers, and see if it could be helpful for your community partners, or even for yourself!  View Part 1 and Part 2 of the Parenting with a Good Heart Online Course web page here: https://z.umn.edu/goodheart

 

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE


Please add the following two emails to your "safe sender" or "white lists" to ensure you continue to receive emails from NEAFCS as we move to a new system. 

[email protected]

[email protected]

For those of you accessing your email through a work email server, you may wish to share this information with your IT person and ask for their help in ensuring the email addresses are added to your safe sender lists.

 

 

 

 

National Extension Association of Family & Consumer Science
325 John Knox Rd. Suite L103
Tallahassee, FL 32303
(850) 205-5638
[email protected]

 

 

President's Message
Lora Lee Frazier Howard (KY) 

The beginning of a new year offers us an opportunity to review the previous year.  What have we excelled at? What do we need to improve on and how can we improve?  I hope each of you took the opportunity to complete the survey letting us know how we can meet your needs and concerns as a member of the association. Your Regional Directors are a link for you to utilize in communicating with the board. 

A New Year will offer challenges that can become opportunities to improve or change programming, situations or relationships.  Opportunities are offered to us on a daily basis, we just need to recognize them and take advantage of them, when they come our way.  The key can be recognizing the opportunity in the beginning.

Sometimes an opportunity may challenge us to work outside our comfort zone or work "outside the box". I have taken advantage of these opportunities several times during my career. By doing this, I have new partners or sponsors impacting new audiences and introducing them to Extension.

I have also had some failures by stepping “outside the box".  I think failure may be good sometimes.  It helps us to step back, reevaluate the situation, be flexible, to grow and learn.  I once had an administrator who said, “We're not having enough failures," which to me means, we need to be looking for those opportunities that may make us a little uncomfortable and a little unsure of the outcomes. These opportunities may bring us our biggest rewards. Hope your 2018 shapes up to be a wonderful year with many opportunities for excellence.

Our winners for the icon in December were Kimberly Edmonds, Lisa Jordan, and Linda S. Law-Saunders.  Congratulations!  Their names will be entered for the free registration to attend the 2018 Annual Session.  Remember to look for the Texas star in this newsletter for you chance to be entered into the drawing. Email me the location at [email protected] for your chance to be entered. Good Luck!

Sincerely, 

Lora Lee

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Meet Dr. Toija Riggins: USDA NIFA National Program Leader for Rural Sociology, Behavioral Economics, and Impact Measurement
Caroline E. Crocoll, Ph.D., CFCS, Director, USDA NIFA DFCS, Washington, DC 

Dr. Toija Riggins is the National Program Leader (NPL) for NIFA’s rural sociology, behavioral economics, and impact measurement portfolio in the Division of Family & Consumer Sciences. She works with administrators, faculty and Extension educators across the Land-Grant University system, as well as with Federal agencies and other partners, to identify existing and emerging research, education, and extension needs, opportunities, and resources in the area of community vitality, in general, and rural–urban interdependence and consumer economics, specifically.

As an NPL, Toija leads and manages three competitive grants programs at NIFA: Extension Risk Management Education Program (ERME), Farm Business Management and Benchmarking Program (FBMB), and Small Business Innovation Research Program, Rural Development Area (SBIR-RD). The ERME and FBMB programs invest in building capacity of Land-Grant universities and Cooperative Extension to provide risk management education and benchmarking data to farmers and producers that help them make important financial decisions and better manage their farm businesses. The SBIR, Rural Development program supports small businesses in providing high quality research and innovation related to important scientific problems in agriculture, specifically focused on the needs of rural communities. Toija also provides leadership for the Division’s efforts in the area of financial capability and examines gaps and opportunities in family economics and personal finance educators’ capacity building within NIFA and across the Land-Grant system. She is the NIFA liaison to multi-state research groups on Behavioral economics and financial decision-making and information management across the lifespan and Family Economics Coordinating Committee. She represents the Secretary of Agriculture on the federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC) and is NIFA’s liaison to the National Urban Extension Leaders Steering Committee.

Toija was previously a National Program Leader in NIFA’s Division of Youth and 4-H. Prior to joining NIFA in 2016, Toija worked as an evaluator for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, Child Nutrition area. Toija holds a B.S., M.A., and Ph.D. in Social Psychology and Psychometrics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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March is Living Well Month
Julie Garden-Robinson (ND), Vice President Public Affairs 

Help NEAFCS promote “Living Well Month” from now until the end of March. Don’t have a plan? We have the tools to help.

The Living Well campaign began in 2000 to raise awareness of the educational programming offered by Extension Family and Consumer Sciences educators. The NEAFCS web page has many ideas to get you started. Click on the “Public Affairs” tab at www.neafcs.org and you will find a news release template, sample proclamation, PowerPoint presentation, storytelling tips and much more.

  • When planning your promotion, use this Madison Avenue advertising adage: “Get the message out 10 different times, 10 different ways.
  • Identify one to three target audiences and develop a plan. Keep it simple, so it stays manageable. Here are two easy examples to get started with the campaign:
  1. Include a “Living Well” logo with the slogan, “Raising Kids, Eating Right, Spending  Smart, Living Well” on your email signature. The logos are available on the NEAFCS website.
  2. Wear your NEAFCS lapel pin to community meetings or workshops. Be ready with a short “elevator speech” to explain what it stands for.

Let’s grow the available tools for members!  If you have developed more Living Well tools you’d like to share on the NEAFCS website, please email me at [email protected]  

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In the Know with the National Committees
Karen Munden (VA), President-Elect 

Have you ever wondered about what work the four Vice-Presidents and Secretary do to support NEAFCS? 

To be IN THE KNOW, the information is listed below.

-Karen DeZarn, Vice President Professional Development is responsible for Program Development, Webinars and Annual Session Planning Committees.

-Edda Cotto-Rivera, Vice President Member Resources, is responsible for Membership, Leadership, Mentoring, and Life Members, Diversity Issues, The Journal Editorial and Exhibits committees.

-Julie Garden-Robinson, Vice President Public Affairs, is responsible for the Education, Advocacy and Marketing and Communications committees.

-Susan Routh, Vice President Awards and Recognition, is responsible for Awards Sponsorship and Support, Awards Ceremony, and Awards Training committees.

-Jovita J. Lewis, Secretary, is responsible for the Bylaws committee. 

All of these committees have been hard at work to ensure NEAFCS operates according to our mission and strategic plan.

Julie Garden-Robinson and the Public Affairs committees have been working on their strategic plans for 2018. Some of the highlights from their plan are:

The Advocacy Committee plans to increase the visibility of NEAFCS on social media. Their plans include providing more opportunities to ‘like” the NEAFCS Facebook site, tweet tips, and activities for Living Well Month. Julie has worked with the Education Committee to provide information for the 2018 State Affiliates’ Impact Statements, which are due on February 1, 2018.  They are also looking forward to individuals attending the PILD Conference. The Marketing and Communications Committee has developed strategies to promote all NEAFCS branded merchandise through social media.

Since you are now IN THE KNOW with the Public Affairs committees, I hope you’ll consider joining a committee to share your expertise and demonstrate your commitment to your professional association.

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Make A Difference - Attend 2018 JCEP Leadership Conference
Julie Cascio (AK), Western Region Director 

With February around the corner, remember that the 2018 JCEP Leadership Conference . . . Balancing Tradition with Innovation is soon! There are so many opportunities through this conference to learn and support Extension leadership, planning and development.

Each of the five concurrent sessions offer a variety of topics. Subjects may be ways to provide solutions, to develop content for online audiences, to engage the community in dialogue, innovative approaches on using mindfulness in health outreach programs and more! Poster Sessions, updates from National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, the opportunity to network with fellow county educators, specialists, and administrators, the Town Hall meeting and Keynote speaker offer ways to learn and grow in our leadership

The Leadership Conference includes time to meet with our NEAFCS association members. President Lora Lee Howard, President-Elect Karen Munden, and regional directors Diane Whitten and I look forward to meeting with you, gathering input on what is happening in your affiliate and state, and finding ways to improve NEAFCS.

Register at www. jcep.org. Look through the agenda for the 2018 JCEP Leadership Conference in Orlando FL, and the abstracts on the presentations for more information. Sign up before January 18 to take advantage of the Early Bird registration fee!

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2018 Annual Session Important Deadlines Approaching on January 31
Linda Wells (TX) and Lorrie Coop (TX), Co-Liaisons 

We know this time of year is very busy; however we don't want you to miss the opportunity to share with your colleagues the important work that you are doing. Consider submitting a proposal for the 2018 NEAFCS Annual Session by the deadline date of January 31, 2018. 

You must be a current NEAFCS member to submit a proposal; however team members can be any Extension professional or Community partner. Only properly completed online abstract submissions will be considered.

For more information and to find the submission link, click here. You will be taken to a members-only page. 

In addition, January 31st  is also the deadline to sign up as a proposal reviewer. You will be asked to review from March 1-17.  This experience is an opportunity to enhance your Vita for promotion. You can also learn ideas to present in the future. 

Click here to access the Sign-Up Form or copy and paste the following link into your web browser - http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a48a4a62da1f94-2018. 

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Countdown to San Antonio – NEAFCS Awards Silent Auction
Mamie Thompson (OK), NEAFCS Awards Sponsorship Subcommittee Chair  

The countdown to San Antonio is ON!  I’m excited to be serving as Sponsorship Committee Chair this year.  Our Association is filled with generous, resourceful women who make heading up the Silent Auction something to look forward to.  As I assisted Liz McBee in Omaha, I was blown away by the variety and quality of products and keepsakes from all over the country, INCLUDING Alaska and Hawaii.  Our members are amazing! 

I am certain 2018 will be another fabulous year.  Proceeds from the auction sponsor awards given through NEAFCS for excellence in publishing, programming, and many other categories.  If you’re doing top-notch work (and that’s what we do), apply for an award.  The application process is online and I am certain colleagues with experience can help you through the process.  Or ask me.  If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it.

So, how can you help with the auction?  In several ways:

1. Donate an auction item.  Nothing is too small.  Handmade brings a premium, so if you have that kind of talent, we’d love to showcase it.  If you do not plan to be in San Antonio, find a colleague who plans to be there and send it.  Email me at [email protected] if you would like a donation form for you or for a colleague.  

2. Sign up to receive items, set up, or man the auction at the conference.  Once we have a schedule, an online, sign-up system will be available.  Can’t figure it out?  No problem.  Email me, and I’ll get you signed up.

3. Serve on the committee.  I was drafted into Silent Auction service in White Sulphur Springs in 2015 and I’m so glad I was.  The committee is fun to work with and our job mostly takes place during the conference when we are slated to be away and working on professional development.  It’s a great way to serve when you can only allot a limited amount of time.

4. Talk it up!  Talk about the auction and bid, bid, bid. 

If you have any questions, let me know.  Can’t wait to see you in TEXAS!

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Why Bother Proofreading?  Proofreading Tips for an Award-Winning Application
Loren Wells (WV), NEAFCS Awards & Recognition Training Subcommittee 

Proofreading your work may not be the most rewarding or enjoyable task, but it is the crucial, final stage of the writing process. Taking the time and care to check your application prior to submission is essential. Here are some useful tips for proofreading your stellar application:

Follow Directions
Make sure you’ve followed procedures for award applications. Check individual award details to verify specific requirements. Consult the judging sheet (included in the awards manual) to ensure that all requirements are met.

Avoid Distractions
Proofreading requires a good deal of attention to detail. Devote sufficient time and concentration to the task. Avoid distractions (i.e., email or cell phone notifications).  

Distance Yourself
Set your work aside between writing and proofreading. Perhaps write at the end of the day; edit first thing in the morning. Getting some sleep in between may help.

Read Aloud
Try reading your application aloud. You may hear errors that your eyes may miss.

Read it Backwards
It is easy to become blind to your own mistakes. The brain automatically “corrects” wrong words in sentences. To break this pattern, read the text backwards - word by word.

Check Punctuation
Pay attention to capitalized words, missing or extra commas, or periods used incorrectly.

Have Someone Else Proofread
Lastly, ask a friend to proofread your application for you. It is easy to overlook your own mistakes. A second person will be in a better position to spot errors and evaluate whether sentences make sense or not.

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Leadership Opportunities Abound in NEAFCS
Theresa Mayhew (NY)), Immediate Past President/ Nominating Committee Chairman 

Texas Star IconIf one of your New Year’s resolutions was to expand, enhance and/or extend your leadership skills, NEAFCS has several prospects for your consideration. The following offices on our national board of directors will be filled via election during our annual business meeting at Annual Session 2018 in San Antonio:  President-Elect, Secretary, Vice President Member Resources, Vice President Professional Development, Eastern Region Director, and Western Region Director. All of these offices involve a two-year commitment, with the exception of President-Elect, which is a three-year commitment.

To learn more about the duties and responsibilities involved please click here to access the NEAFCS Policies and Procedures Manual which contains job descriptions for these positions. 

Here is the link for the candidate for national office form:  https://neafcs.memberclicks.net/assets/documents/forms-templates/revised%20neafcs-candidate-application-for-natl-office.doc. Please complete it and send it to me via email to me at [email protected] by April 1, 2018.

Of course, you are welcome to contact me with any questions or the following nominating committee members: Karen Ensle (NJ), David Roberts (WV), Carol Chandler (OH), Kathleen Olson (MN), Amanda Hardy (KY), Sara Garrett (TX), Glenda Hyde (OR) and Gisele Jefferson (CO). It’s an honor and privilege to serve on the board in these capacities. For those of us that have done so, we often describe it as being a highlight of our Extension careers and work. Make 2018 the year that you decided to apply! Your nominating committee is eager to hear from you!

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Meet the Board: Treasurer
Joan Koonce (GA), Treasurer 

Hello from Athens, Georgia, UGA Bulldog country!

I grew up in a large family; I am the ninth of ten children born to sharecroppers in rural North Carolina.  Growing up in poverty, I learned about managing money at an early age from my mom.  She taught us (my siblings and I) the importance of paying bills on time and saving even with limited resources.  Anytime we received money, we were required to give a portion of it at church, save some of it, and then we could spend the rest.  The lessons have lasted throughout my entire life, and I am grateful to my mom for instilling these values in me.  The lessons I learned at home shaped what I wanted to do when I grew up, and after graduating from college, I have always worked in the field of financial planning.  For 17 years, I taught financial planning courses at the undergraduate and graduate level and conducted research in the area of financial planning at UGA.  I have been a financial planning specialist for UGA Extension for a total of 12 years.  I enjoy working with and training our awesome county agents.  I also enjoy direct teaching to different types of audiences, especially those who need it the most, such as low-income individuals, single moms, residents in transitional and other types of correctional facilities, etc.

I was a single mom as a teenager.  I have one adult son who is 44 years old.  I don’t have any grandchildren yet.  I studied Taekwondo for about five years and earned my first degree black belt.  I also won two trophies at a national competition.  In my spare time, I like to participate in church activities and watch Hallmark and Lifetime movies.  I also like to watch real life crime shows because I enjoy figuring out who, what, why, and how of a crime.  Dateline NBC is my favorite.  I also enjoy target shooting.

I value people more than things and try to show this in my interaction and communication with people.  My relationship with God, my biological family, and church family are very important to me.  Characteristics I admire in people and try to live by are integrity, honesty, loyalty, dependability, and compassion.

I am excited to serve as your treasurer for the next two years.  If you ever have questions or need something from me, please feel free to contact me.  I am here to serve you!

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