Our annual Spotlight highlights a few of our educational programs to provide a snapshot of our outreach efforts. Thank you for your continued participation in and support of our programs. The ongoing development of partnerships in communities is vital to our work. I encourage you to share this with your network. Please reach out to us to learn more.Jerry Braatz, Area Extension Director
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Students at La Casa de Esperanza Charter School learn the importance of making healthy choices from all the five food groups from a FoodWIse Nutrition Educator.
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Nutrition — FoodWIse Highlight: Waukesha FoodWIse educators provided nutrition education during the school day in seven schools in Waukesha County during 2022 (five elementary schools, one charter school and one alternative school). Each classroom participated in a series of 5-8 lessons. A total of 1,158 students in grades 1-5 were reached with interactive lessons that included hands-on activities. Surveys completed by 5th and 6th graders showed that 83% improved in diet quality and 51% improved in food safety. Changes most often reported were choosing fruit for a snack, increased frequency of eating vegetables, decreased consumption of sweetened beverages, and putting perishable foods back in the fridge right away.
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“Clients were interested in the nutrition information and trying the different recipes. I have one client who is making healthier food choices and walking more. The (FoodWIse Nutrition) group helped them support their treatment goals for improved physical and mental health. The group provides Waukesha residents with knowledge to begin looking at their own food and beverage choices."
Lead Case Manager, Waukesha County Mental Health Teacher
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Health & Well-Being Highlight: Health & Well-Being began partnering with Special Olympics to provide health promotion for approximately 375 athletes at local tournaments. During the year, coaches received health information about nutrition and physical activity that they distributed to their athletes. Health promotion activities, including physical activity stations, healthy food sampling, and informational flyers, were also provided at two large tournaments.
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“I started at 0-3 pound weights with exercises a little over a year ago. I now use up to 12 lbs. I am happier because I feel so much stronger, healthier and have more energy. Nothing can stop the aging process, but I feel a great improvement in my overall well-being and quality of life. So grateful to my neighbor for introducing me to (the) StrongBodies program. Now I tell EVERYONE!"
StrongBodies Participant
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Extension Waukesha County Community Development Outreach Specialists facilitated five Food, Faith, and Farming Network listening sessions on the topic of the rural/urban divide.
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Community Development Highlight: The Real Colors® personality and temperament assessment and team building tool was provided to over 340 participants at four workshops. Participants gained the ability to recognize their own strengths and the strengths of others, discovered the different ways individuals process information, and learned to value and appreciate the viewpoint of others. Additionally, participants practiced the skills of understanding and relating to others through engaging small group activities.
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“Working with Extension on our Local Government Academy was a great experience. The City of Waukesha and the participants were thrilled with the program and we are looking forward to hosting a class again in 2023.”
Keven Lahner, Administrator, City of Waukesha
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Horticulture — Consumer Highlight: A gardening presentation, Tips for a Successful Container Garden, was held at five locations reaching 144 people in 2022. Of those who completed the evaluation, 70% said that as a result of attending the presentation their knowledge of how to have a successful container gardener increased by 50% or more. When asked what they might do differently after attending the workshop, answers included using new soil every year, adjusting watering technique, fertilizing their container gardens, modifying planting methods, and planting different plants.
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“I thought the labs were very worthwhile. This was the first time I had taken a course online and I was both pleased and also impressed on how well things worked. The discussions we had in our small groups were very valuable.”
Lab Participant, Growing and Caring for Plants in Wisconsin: Foundations in Gardening
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The Waukesha County Community Youth Garden participants planted, maintained and harvested 461 pounds of vegetables which were donated to the Food Pantry of Waukesha County.
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| Horticulture — Commercial Highlight: After more than a year of collaboration with Extension educators around the state, the Diagnosing Plant Problems course was launched to help people new to diagnosing plant problems get started. The self-paced online class includes virtual sessions that provide practical examples and a chance to ask the experts questions. Over 170 attendees filled out the evaluation and 98% indicated that the course was very useful.
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"All of the presenters were experts in their fields and you could tell they had a
wealth of knowledge and experience to share."
Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Short Course Participant
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Positive Youth Development Highlight: Twenty-six students from Waukesha North High School participated in the Black Student Union/Nia program led by Extension. This biweekly program focuses on leadership, culture, college, and career. The students participated in a
virtual college panel with graduate students from North Carolina A & T, toured the Black
Holocaust Museum, met with business owners at Sherman Phoenix in Milwaukee, and closed out the semester with a college tour of UW Oshkosh.
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Center Oak 4-H club members donated new toys to Lake Country Caring (a volunteer organization helping people in need from Waukesha County) so clients would be able to give a new toy to their children for Christmas.
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"This program has given our son the tools he needs to be successful in life. He is involved in sports, but I think it’s important to experience other things like 4-H."
Parent of a 4-H Youth
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Extension staff build strong communities by engaging adults & youth in life-long learning, developing economic opportunity, and extending leadership capacity through educational programs and Extension-trained volunteers.
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Extension Waukesha
County Website link
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Extension Waukesha
County Facebook link
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An EEO/AA employer, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requirements.
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