Shana Withee, state 4-H program coordinator for the 4-H international program, joined Anita Azarenko, interim vice provost for Extension and Engagement,for this month’s First Monday Update. The 4-H international program began to take shape in Oregon in 1973 to help youth gain a greater understanding of themselves and the world around them.
There are in-bound and out-bound opportunities to experience world cultures, including hosting students and adults from other countries and living inother countries. Youth do not have to be 4-H members to participate and 4-H Foundation endowments make participation affordable.
The 2020 program is postponed, but planning is underway for 2021. Consider opening your home for two weeks to a visitor from Japan, or encourage the youth you work with and know to engage with the world in a life-changing way.
As another fire season approaches, Anita Azarenko, interim vice provost for the Division of Extension and Engagement, asked Carrie Berger, Forestry and Natural Resources Extension associate program leader and Fire Program manager, to join her for the June First Monday Update.
The Fire Program, a statewide initiative funded by the state legislature, is a cross-disciplinary effort involving Extension programs, colleges and agency and community partners. Find out how the program will be staffed and community priorities will be established.
With the Stay Home, Save Lives executive order on everyone’s minds, Anita Azarenko, Interim Vice Provost for the Division of Extension and Engagement, answers its impact on Extension with four questions:
1. What do we know for sure?
2. What don’t we know?
3. What are the next steps?
4. When will we next meet to discuss where we are?
Embracing virtual Extension has unleashed amazing creativity. So that we continue to learn from each other, Anita asks us to continue to share successes in the comment section of this blog, as Bright Spots in the weekly ConnEXTion newsletter and in the Celebrations and Shoutouts channel in Teams.
As we shift to virtually providing programming and staying connected, Interim Vice Provost Anita Azarenko invited four Extension colleagues to share the creative ways they are using technology to continue their Extension activities.
Brooke Edmunds, assistant professor (practice), community horticulturalist and Master Gardener™ program coordinator for Linn and Benton counties, created Fun Friday Zoom Happy Hours to continue building a sense of community among Master Gardener volunteers, important to program participants. Introducing Zoom conferencing in a fun way has an added benefit as well, which she explains. Look for the Informal Virtual Gathering success story on the Virtual Extension website for more details.
Lu Seapy, 4-H Youth Development STEM educator in Wasco County, sought to identify programming that would lend itself to online learning. Three courses quickly were introduced. She shares how she approached the online programming and offers these resources and more on the Virtual Extension website. She also offers this advice: Anticipate that online preparation takes more time than prepping for traditional programming.
Kristen Moore and Alice Phillips, 4-H educators in the North Willamette Region, want to keep kids and parents engaged by using a familiar platform: Facebook. Using Facebook Premier allows a combination of recorded video and a live component. They call it “4-H Together on Thursday” focusing on “5 Things You Can Do…” using things around the house. You can tune in, too, to see how they do it. Videos are available for sharing after the premier. Look for the video and multimedia link on Virtual Extension for more details.
Reminder: The Virtual Extension website offers resources for virtual programming, success stories so we all learn from each other and more. Use the “Let’s Talk” button on the site to share ideas, success stories, questions, and resources you’ve found to be helpful.
The Outdoor Recreation Economy Initiative (OREI) was launched by the division in January, 2019, with the support of OSU Impact Studio. Now in the pilot phase of development, Lee Davis, OREI executive director, shares an update with Extension and Engagement’s Associate Vice Provost Lindsey Shirley in this month’s First Monday Update.
OREI is focused on workforce training, and community and economic development. Watch the video to learn why OSU Extension adds credibility to the initiative, the type of training that is being launched and what the future of OREI might look like.
Let’s hear from you! What needs do you see in your community related to the outdoor economy (or other sectors) where there is a training opportunity? Your ideas could accelerate economic development in our rural communities. Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Interim Vice Provost Anita Azarenko asked Dr. Spirit Brooks, Dr. David Lewis, Jane Waite and Luhui Whitebear to join her this month to increase our understanding of respectful ways to acknowledge the contributions Native Americans continue to have on our communities and the natural world around us. Land acknowledgements are one way to honor the indigenous peoples that have for millennia stewarded the land we occupy. Acknowledgements also are an invitation to learn more about Native American culture and a first step to create and strengthen connections with tribal nations and members.
Join us in this month’s First Monday Update to discover more about the importance and relevance of land acknowledgements.
Review a compilation of resources to learn more about the tribes of Oregon and reflect on how you might offer a respectful acknowledgement:
Division updates – the status of the Vice Provost search and a recommended change in the organizational line of reporting for 4-H – along with other news and good wishes are provided by Interim Vice Provost Anita Azarenko in this month’s First Monday Update as we kick off a new year.
Share your 2020 wishes for the Division by commenting below.
