- 4-H animal projects develop strong character, ethics and life skills
Middle and high school students who care for animals as part of UW-Extension 4-H projects gain skills that benefit them for a lifetime — accepting responsibility, communicating effectively, developing relationships, making decisions, organizing their work, setting and achieving goals — all grounded in the strong technical knowledge and values they acquire during their years of participation.
- ACT Together eases the transition to college for Hmong students and their families
Preparing for post-secondary education can be stressful for any student, but teens of Hmong descent often face even greater pressures. To smooth the way for 29 area Hmong students, UW-La Crosse offered a six-week ACT test strategy course in the spring of 2007. In conjunction with the course, students and their families had opportunities to tour the campus, meet with student services and admissions, and attend a panel discussion about college life. Most students completing the course increased their ACT practice test scores, and they report feeling more interested in and prepared for college. Parents who participated say they better understand the demands of the admissions process and of their integral role in helping their child transition from high school to college.
- Affordable Housing – Building individual and community capacity for housing low-income families
Inadequate housing leads to family stress, and strains local resources. As low-income households spend greater portions of their income keeping a roof overhead, they forego other basic needs. Through consumer education and housing coalitions, UW-Extension and community partners are building local capacity to create, obtain and sustain safe, adequate, affordable housing.
- Annual early childhood education conference helps parents, teachers and child-care providers raise healthy children
The Early Childhood Education Conference coordinated by University of Wisconsin-Stout's Continuing Education Programs offers comprehensive professional development workshops for more than 2,300 early childhood professionals each year. The program provides updated knowledge in child development, educational strategies, advocacy, curriculum, child guidance, parent education and related family issues in more than 250 seminars and workshops. In addition, participants have the opportunity to network, exchange information, solve problems and revitalize their commitment to the lives of young children. Quality child care is an important partner in helping families, schools and communities raise healthy children.
- Child-care professionals keep up with best practices through annual training
Child-care providers who attended the annual Current Issues in Infant/Toddler Development and Care Conference sponsored by UW-Green Bay Outreach and the UW-Extension said the program increased their understanding of age-appropriate activities to stimulate the development of infants and toddlers, the overweight child, and gender stereotypes. Quality child care helps families, too, by providing a safe, healthy and nurturing learning environment.
- Creativity flourishes with 4-H Arts and Communication Program
A new study shows that 4-H Arts and Communication Program participants build strong technical know-how, confidence and self esteem. Younger children use feedback from project leaders and fair judges to improve their work. Experienced youth report they value teaching younger members, working with supportive adults and trying new things — letting their creativity flourish. More than 80 4-H arts and communications programs reached about 19,000 youth in 2006.
- Extension Response to June 2008 Floods
In June 2008, record rains on saturated soils caused widespread flooding, costing hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Thirty southern Wisconsin counties were declared disaster areas. Backed by campus specialists, county extension faculty helped their neighbors assess damage and document losses even as floodwaters were rising. They contributed to positive impacts for farmers, families, homeowners, businesses, agencies and communities, from reduced losses, risks, stress and anxiety, to improved local and state agency performance.
- Food security education helps lessen hunger among families and children at risk
About 1 in 11 Wisconsin households is at risk of not having enough food, making them food insecure. Severe food insecurity includes hunger. The Wisconsin Nutrition Education Program helps lessen hunger among families at risk, helping adults get the most nutrition for their limited food dollars, and helping develop more free or reduced price School Meal Programs for children.
- Free tax service nets refunds for low-wage workers
Research shows that many eligible low-income families do not use public assistance programs such as tax credits or Food Stamps. When an advisory committee identified a neighborhood in critical need, UW-Extension led a broad-based community partnership to provide free tax preparation and referrals for financially vulnerable families. Low-wage workers are using their new tax refunds to pay bills and add to savings.
- Get Checking gives consumers with poor credit histories a chance at financial stability
A pilot program created for people who have no banking privileges helped nearly 1400 Milwaukee County residents open checking accounts between 1998 and 2002. In 2006, the Get Checking program continues to offer personal financial training that enables consumers to use banking services effectively, and eventually to open and maintain their own accounts. UW-Extension Milwaukee County, the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Milwaukee, and three sponsoring financial institutions initiated the program, which has now expanded to serve more than 9,000 consumers in 102 cities nationwide.
- Parenting education program helps Hmong refugees adjust to American family life
Hmong parents in the La Crosse area are practicing more appropriate disciplinary techniques and communicating more openly with their children since a series of Continuing Education Extension workshops designed to help blend their traditional parenting practices into American culture. Parents have also taken steps to interact more positively with school teachers and administrators. Parents and teens say they appreciate the support, as they adjust to family life in a society vastly different from that of their native Laos. The workshops help families build better relationships with each other and with community institutions, while offering a measure of protection against problems that have plagued Hmong children in the United States, such as gang membership, delinquency, and drug use.
- Understanding generational differences in the workplace, community and home develops dynamic teamwork and common values
Hearing employers voice frustrations, UW-Extension Washburn County developed Communicating Across the Generations team-building workshops to train educators, managers and employees of all ages, cultures, socioeconomic and immigrant status through partners in state and tribal government, public and trade schools, communities and business. Those learning to blend the creative energies and work styles of four generations are creating dynamic teams.
- Wisconsin Bookworms™ brings the joy of reading to young children
Reading to preschoolers kindles their enthusiasm for learning. To ensure this experience statewide, a UW-Extension partnership, Wisconsin Bookworms™, provides free books annually to more than 6,000 children who may not otherwise have their own. Trained volunteers prepare book activities in English and Spanish, distribute book sets and read to the children. Parents report reading more with their children, talking about books and visiting the public library more often.
- Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey and Basin Education Program: Building local capacity for long-term emergency preparedness
Why were Spring Green area homes and businesses still submerged months after floodwaters receded from most of southern Wisconsin? A Cooperative Extension water basin educator and geological survey scientists teamed up to merge the results of a 20-year geology study with a new groundwater flow model to educate residents about why the area flooded, and why the flooding persisted. Understanding that a high water table and low topography compounded effects of record rainfall, residents and officials could then move forward.
- Wisconsin Public Radio listeners tap scientific knowledge to solve household problems
Wisconsin Public Radio's call-in program "Conversations with Larry Meiller" connects scientifically trained scholars with the general public for interaction and learning. Through the program, university experts provide information and advice to a large listening audience. Listeners say the advice is useful, credible and understandable, and helps them solve problems in their homes, gardens and communities. The scientists who are expert guests do a good job of explaining science to laypersons, helping them feel better prepared, more informed and more confident in taking action to solve their problems.
- “On Your Health” radio show brings sound medical advice to listeners’ homes
Physician, medical school professor, and author Zorba Paster makes more than 130,000 house calls each week—via his nationally syndicated call-in radio program “On Your Health.” Relying on up-to-the-minute medical research, Dr. Paster teaches his listeners how to better prevent and manage their health conditions, with an emphasis on maintaining health. A growing listening audience regularly tunes in to the program, broadcast on more than 80 public radio stations across the nation. “On Your Health” is a production of Wisconsin Public Radio, as a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
