Cooperative Extension Service Departments
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Blue Letter - April 2007 No. 3660

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From the Director • 4-H Centennial Kick-Off Tour Announced • John W. White and Division of Agriculture Annual Award Winners • NEAFCS 2007 Award Winners • APAC Receives Award for Outreach to Veterans • Dr. Andrew Goodwin Receives Prestigious Joseph P. McCraren Award • Family Life Specialists Offer Innovative Marriage Training for Faith-Based and Community Leaders • GroupWise 7 Is Packed with Punch • Grants and Contracts

From the Director

From time to time, all Extension programs should undergo a review and evaluation. This month, I’m going to review a young Extension program – the Faculty Leadership Program.

The first class of the Faculty Leadership Program started in January 2003 with 20 employees. The idea for this particular leadership program came on the heels of several retirements. I wanted a way to develop Extension’s talent pool at multiple levels and help future leaders map out longterm goals for their Extension career. When I looked at the tools available at Extension, I realized we were training leaders externally through LeadAR, but we were overlooking our internal leaders.

The Faculty Leadership Program trains Extension employees in seven core competencies identified by administration: knowledge of the organization, professional development, communication, professionalism, resource development, leadership and program evaluation.

From speaking with participants in Class 1 and Class 2, I can tell you that they see the value of the program to Extension. First, it helps participants gain a better understanding of the organization as a whole. As one participant said, “It’s easy to be caught up in your own little corner of Extension and think that your program is the only one making a difference, but the Faculty Leadership Program makes participants aware of all the great people doing great things to help Arkansans.”

Another strength of the program is that participants work on projects during the 16 months that they can directly apply to their jobs and their Extension careers. Participants develop a professional development plan and a strategic planning scenario. Each member of the class also chooses a leadership project. For example, one participant created the Women in Forestry workshop, and another participant worked with a LeadAR graduate to start a chamber of commerce in their hometown.

The Faculty Leadership Program requires a time commitment from its class members. The class meets about every 6 weeks for about 16 months. Although this requires time from the office, participants walk away from the program feeling it was worth their time. One participant who fought the program and called it a waste of time admits that, along the way, hisattitude changed, and by the time his class graduated, he realized it truly was time well spent.

I believe the Faculty Leadership Program is a good investment of Extension’s time and resources. I encourage employees with at least five years of Extension experience to apply when applications for the fourth class of the Faculty Leadership Program are accepted in summer 2008.

- Ivory W. Lyles

4-H Centennial Kick-Off Tour Announced

The Kick-Off of the Arkansas 4-H Centennial Celebration is six months from April 1, 2007. It is hard to believe it is almost here. The Centennial Planning Committee has released the schedule of the Kick-Off Tour that will take place during the first two weeks of October. We hope everyone will try to attend at least one event and help us get the celebration started in style. Exact times and locations will be announced in the coming months.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarah Harrison, centennial coordinator, at 501-671-2352 or sharrison@uaex.edu.

Monday, October 1, 2007
White County

Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Washington County

Thursday, October 4, 2007
Craighead County

Monday, October 8, 2007
Hempstead County
Garland County

Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Searcy County

Thursday, October 11, 2007
Jefferson County

- Sarah Harrison

John W. White and Division of Agriculture Annual Award Winners

John W. White Outstanding Extension State Faculty Award:

Dr. John Jennings, professor - forage specialist, Animal Science, currently serves as the executive secretary for the Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council. His extension programs emphasize grazing management, soil fertility, establishing legumes and reducing winter feed costs. He frequently consults with Arkansas producers and collaborates with forage management experts at the state, regional and national levels.

John W. White Outstanding County Extension Educator Award:

VeEtta Simmons, county Extension agent - staff chair, Crittenden County, has led extension programs since 1975 in Crittenden County on family health, nutrition and finance; 4-H and youth; and community development, among others. She has served in many leadership roles, such as the Farm Family of the Year Selection Committee, TEA Coalition, FEMA, Vision 2010, Farm Bureau and the state chapter of NEAFCS, the extension professional society.

Division of Agriculture Extension Classified Support Personnel Award:

Roberta Bufford, administrative office supervisor, White County, manages administrative activities and assists with program functions for the White County Extension Office. She was first employed as a clerkstenographer in 1976, promoted to secretary in 1977 and accepted her present position in 1997.

NEAFCS 2007 Award Winners

• Distinguished Service: Joy L. Buffalo and Debbie Still
   
• Continued Excellence: LaVetta Davis and Romona D. Thieme
   
• Extension Educator of the Year: Shirlye G. Hopkins
   
• Dean Don Felker Financial Management: Diane Clement
   
• Florence Hall: Danita Brookins and Bridgette Youngblood
   
• Marketing Package: Lisa Gilmore, Kaye Shrout, Cheryl Maxwell, Lameria Colclough
   
• Newsletter (Team): Susan Pickle, Jeri Vangilder, Gayla Taylor, Dora Dinnan, Julie Thompson
   
• Written Press Release: Lisa Gilmore
   
• Educational Publication: Joy Buffalo
   
• Television: Joy Buffalo
   
• Program of Excellence Through Research: Debbie Still, Romona Thieme, Ben Rutherford, Jim Thieme, Dale Poag
   
• Healthy Lifestyles Education Grant: Terrie Treadway, Linda Sims, LaVetta Davis, Shirlye G. Hopkins, Bridgette Youngblood
   
• SDA Clean Homes – Safe Families (Team): Ouachita District – Amanda Rogers, Angie Freel, Becky Reynolds, Bridgette Youngblood, Candace Carrié, Carla Haley, Cheryl Maxwell, Crystal Johnson, Diane Clement, Erica Harris, Gloria Strother, Jean Ince, Joy Buffalo, Judy Bloesch, Kathy May, Kaye Shrout, Kim Hughes, Kris Elliott, Lameria Colclough, LaVetta Davis, Linda Sims, Lisa Gilmore, Liz McKay, Lucy Williams, Robbie McKinnon, Shirlye Hopkins, Susan Hecke, Terrie James, Terrie Treadway
   
• Early Childhood Childcare Training (Team): Ouachita District – Amanda Rogers, Angie Freel, Becky Reynolds, Candace Carrié, Carla Haley, Cheryl Maxwell, Crystal Johnson, Diane Clement, Jean Ince, Joy Buffalo, Judy Bloesch, Kathy May, Kaye Shrout, Kim Hughes, Kris Elliott, Lameria Colclough, LaVetta Davis, Linda Sims, Lisa Gilmore, Liz McKay, Lucy Williams, Robbie McKinnon, Shirlye Hopkins, Susan Hecke, Terrie James, Terrie Treadway
   
• Food Safety: Lisa Gilmore, Kaye Shrout, Cheryl Maxwell, Lameria Colclough
   
• Community Partnership (Team): Ouachita District – Amanda Rogers, Angie Freel, Becky Reynolds, Candace Carrié, Carla Haley, Cheryl Maxwell, Crystal Johnson, Diane Clement, Jean Ince, Joy Buffalo, Judy Bloesch, Kathy May, Kaye Shrout, Kim Hughes, Kris Elliott, Lameria Colclough, LaVetta Davis, Linda Sims, Lisa Gilmore, Liz McKay, Lucy Williams, Robbie McKinnon, Shirlye Hopkins, Susan Hecke, Terrie James, Terrie Treadway
   
• New Professional: Debbie Baker
   
• Mary W. Wells Memorial Diversity: Danita L. Brookins
   
• Educational Technology: VeEtta Simmons
   
• Educational Curriculum Package: Diane Clement

APAC Receives Award for Outreach to Veterans

The Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center (APAC) has received another award for its outreach efforts to veterans in business. The “PTAC VetBiz Champion” Award for achievement in support of veteran entrepreneurship is presented annually by the Center for Veteran Enterprise of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The award is in recognition of the Second

Annual Veterans in Business Conference, which APAC presented at the Little Rock State Office of the Cooperative Extension Service on August 29, 2006, and for establishing a web page providing the only known centralized listing of resources serving Arkansas veterans in business.

The award was presented to Sue Coates, APAC program director and instructor, at the annual Spring Training Conference of the Association of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers in Detroit, Michigan, on March 28. Ms. Coates accepted the award on behalf of all six members of the APAC team, which serves the entire state of Arkansas from the program’s main center in Malvern. In the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, APAC helped Arkansas’s small businesses generate over $180 million in government contracting revenue, including 10 service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses that received 34 contracts worth $1,409,778, which represents 33 of the jobs created or retained for Arkansans by the veterans.

The date and agenda for the forthcoming Third Annual Veterans in Business Conference will be announced in the spring. Information about the program is posted online at www.arcommunities.org/apac.htm or may be requested by calling 501-337-5355 or by e-mail at apac@uaex.edu.

– Sue Coates

Dr. Andrew Goodwin Receives Prestigious Joseph P. McCraren Award

The National Aquaculture Association (NAA) honored Dr. Andrew Goodwin of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Aquaculture/Fisheries Center with the Joseph P. McCraren Award at the Aquaculture 2007 meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

The McCraren Award is the highest award given by the aquaculture community. The presentation was made during the meeting’s plenary session attended by approximately 4,000 people.

“Dr. Goodwin’s efforts have helped to protect aquaculture producers from VHS (a viral disease causing fish mortalities in the Great Lakes) while working to keep the regulations realistic and minimize the burden on fish farmers,” Dr. Randy McMillan, NAA president, said.

The McCraren Award was established after the death of Joe McCraren, NAA’s first executive director. McCraren was a well-known and admired former employee of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who worked to establish the NAA.

Dr. Goodwin is professor and associate director of the UAPB Aquaculture/Fisheries Center where he heads the fish disease diagnostic services. He has worked incessantly over the past year with U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and NAA throughout the outbreak of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) in the Great Lakes and following the emergency order issued by APHIS to attempt to contain this disease.

“Those of us at UAPB have long recognized Dr. Goodwin’s contributions to science, to aquaculture and to Arkansas,” Dr. Carole Engle, director of the Aquaculture/Fisheries Center at UAPB, said. “It is a real pleasure to see his contributions recognized in this manner across the United States. Dr. Goodwin is both a top-flight scientist and someone who can visualize practical and workable solutions to complex issues – a rare combination of skills. I can think of no one more deserving of this award.”

Originally from Ohio, Dr. Goodwin completed his graduate work at Auburn University then began postdoctoral work at Cornell University. He moved to Arkansas in 1996 to join the UAPB Aquaculture/Fisheries Center. He is a popular instructor and has numerous scientific and Extension publications and grants to his credit. He has received awards from the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Best Paper of the Year Award from the Journal of Aquatic Animal Health.

– Debbie Archer

Family Life Specialists Offer Innovative Marriage Training for Faith-Based and Community Leaders

Helping faith-based and community leaders build stronger marriages throughout Arkansas is the goal of the Arkansas Healthy Marriage Education Project.

Dr. James Marshall and Dr. Wallace Goddard, Extension family life specialists who lead the project, are offering marriage education training through a contract from the Arkansas Transitional Employment Board (ATEB) and the Department of Workforce Services (DWS).

Faith-based and community leaders who attend one of the free, two-day training sessions will be eligible to apply for one of twenty-five $10,000 professional service contracts offered by the ATE Board and administered by the Department of Workforce Services to implement marriage education and strengthening in their own congregations or communities.

There will be five trainings, each of them two days long, during April and May, 2007. In order to make the trainings more convenient, they will be offered in five locations statewide.

In addition to training faith-based and community leaders on the new discoveries in marriage research, the training will provide each participant with a set of the best marriage books and knowledge of how to use and teach a creative, research-based marriage curriculum, “The Marriage Garden.” This curriculum is based on the best research available today, and it can be easily customized to work with different audiences and delivery methods.

There are only 25 seats available for each of the five trainings, and participants must attend the training to be eligible to apply for one of the $10,000 contracts. Trainings are scheduled for April 12-13 at DeGray Lake Resort and Convention Center (Bismarck), April 19-20 in Pine Bluff, April 23-24 at U of A Cooperative Extension Service (Little Rock), May 10-11 in Jonesboro and May 17-18 in Fayetteville.

For more information or to participate, contact Melissa Potter at 501-671-2123 or Mona Norris at 501-671-2355, or check our web site at www.arfamilies.org.

– James P. Marshall

GroupWise 7 Is Packed with Punch

In February, we upgraded our server to GroupWise 7 and have begun distributing the new GroupWise 7 Client. The new version fixes some pesky bugs and adds flexibility. Here are some highlights:

• GroupWise supports all-day events, which are displayed at the top of the calendar view. When creating a new appointment, look under Actions for All Day Event.
   
• Appointments, all-day events and tasks sent from other Internet collaboration systems, like Microsoft Outlook, can now be accepted or declined the same as GroupWise items.
   
• If you right-click an addressee in an item, you can add him/her to any personal address book including your Frequent Contacts address book.
   
• The Quick Spell Checker checks your spelling as you type.
   
• HTML signatures create more attractive signatures with graphics, background images and tables. Images can significantly increase the size of the e-mail messages you send. Be a good GroupWise citizen and keep images small.
   
• When you perform a find, the contents of attachments are searched as well.
   
• You can create multiple calendars, which will be assigned different colors.
   
• You can change the background color for all-day events, appointments, reminder notes and tasks.
   
• Home view lets you decide how you want to view your most important information.
   
• The Navigation bar allows for quick access to folders. In addition to the defaults, you can add the shortcuts you use the most.

GroupWise Web Access (http://gw.uaex.edu) is also better organized, with tabs for your mailbox and calendar. New messages use name completion to fill in the address as you type the recipient’s name.

– Nina Boston

Grants and Contracts