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402-759-3712 | brandy.vandewalle@unl.edu

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October 2017Narrative Report Brandy VanDeWalle

Extension Educator, Fillmore/Clay Counties

Agriculture IwasabletosettheFarmersandRanchersCollegescheduleforthe2017-18programmingyear.Threeprogramswillbeheld,kickingoffwithDr.KohlonDecember7thinBruning.TheCow/CalfCollegewillbeheldJanuary30thandaFarmBill/CropInsuranceupdateisscheduledforFebruary23rd.AgrantwasfundedbyTreesforNebraskaTownsandtheSustainableSchoolyardPartnershipprogramsbytheNebraskaStatewideArboretumandtheNebraskaEnvironmentalTrustandtheNebraskaForestService’sCommunityMarketingofTreesgrantfundedbytheU.S.ForestService.Aspartofthegrant,educationaloutreachtoincreasepublicawarenessofthebenefitsoftreesandpropertreecarewasdonewithaworkshopconductedbyNicoleStoner,horticultureextensioneducatorandI.SeventreeswereplantedatthecourthouselawnandthreetreeswereplantedattheExtensionOfficeandFillmoreCountyEastBuilding. IparticipatedintheIANRGrowingNebraskaSummitwhichshowcasedinnovativeresearchandprogramsdonebyavarietyofIANRfaculty.NetworkingwithotherstakeholdersandlearningwaystocollaboratewithIANRfacultywasahighlight. 4-H Youth Development TokickoffNational4-HWeek,seventeenyouthparticipatedinpumpkindecoratingworkshop.Allofthepumpkinsthisyearwereraisedoutofthe4-HCommunitygardenandover300poundsofvegetableproducewasharvested.During4-HWeek,IhelpedRachelteachtenyouththeNational4-H

Upcoming Events: November 2nd – Progressive Ag Safety Day Training, Crete November 3rd – Field to Market Training, Omaha Bryan November 5th – Clay Co. 4-H Achievement Night November 8th – IANR Fall Summit, Lincoln November 9th – MakerSpace Mtg. November 12th – Fillmore Co. 4-H Fall Party November 13th – SharkTank Mtg. November 15th – Fillmore Co. 4-H Council Mtg. November 16th - Superior AgVenture Day November 20th – Ext. Bd Mtg. November 28-30th – Extension State Conference, NCEA Conference December 6th – Pest Ed. In-service December 7th – Farmers & Ranchers College presents Dr. Kohl

ScienceDaycurriculumonwearabletechnologies.Wealsohosteda4-HOpenHousethisyearinwhichnineyouthand3newfamiliesto4-Hparticipated. Statewide Issue Teams STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Careers Asco-leaderoftheSTEMCareersissueteam,29extensionstaffand3formaleducatorsattendedthe2.5dayprofessionaldevelopmentretreat.Programplanningandupdatesfortheissueteamwasdone.Conversationandplanningontheteam’sevaluationwasfacilitate.NetworkingwiththeNebraskaDepartmentofEducationwasinvaluableaswewereabletounderstandhowwecanhelpeachotherlaunchtheNextGenerationScienceStandards.Participantsweretrainedin3-dimensionalinstructionanddevelopedexamplelessons.Asextensionstaffprepareandcreatecontent,includedthethreedimensionswillgreatlyenhanceoureffortinteachingSTEMandSTEM-careerscurriculum.Thethreedimensionsincludescienceandengineeringpractices,disciplinarycoreideasandcrosscuttingconcepts. Consumer Confidence AsteammemberoftheEPAfundedgrantwhichfocusesonteachingyouthaboutagriculturalsustainabilityandcomplimentstheFieldtoMarketcurriculum,IcoordinatedthefirsttrainingforteachersinGeneva.ThefirststageofthisgrantfocusesonscienceandagricultureteacherspilotingthecurriculuminfivesitesacrosstheMidwest.TeachersatFillmoreCentralweretrainedinOctober. Duetounfortunatecircumstances,theSuperiorfourthgraderswereunabletoparticipateintheAnnualAgVentureDay.Iworkedwiththeteacherstoarrangeafewofthoseag-literacysessionsthatwedidduringAgVentureDay. Community, Professional and Leadership Development AsPresidentoftheExtensionAgSection,Iassistedincoordinationofthefallstudytraveltourtothepanhandle.Eighteducatorsfromtheeasternandcentralpartofthestatetraveledtothepanhandleandlearnedaboutsugarbeets,dryediblebeansandotheruniqueagricultureproductionintheNebraskapanhandle.IassistedwiththeClayCountyGovernmentDay.Asaleaderofa“Shark-Tank”teamforExtensionFallConferenceIstartedmeetingwithteammemberstodevelopaprogramfocusedonwateruseefficiency.Weekly Columns/Blog Posts National4-HWeek,HowtoPlantTrees,HalloweenSafetyTips