Extension Connections

Extension Waukesha County is hosting an Introduction to Strategic Planning webinar on June 11. This session will introduce participants to research-informed strategic planning concepts commonly used in public and nonprofit organizations and explore how they apply to small municipalities with limited capacity.

Participants will explore what strategic planning is—and what it is not; why strategic planning matters for small towns and villages; conditions where strategic planning adds value; situations where communities should delay planning and focus on stabilization; and how strategic planning supports proactive, transparent governance.

Register online at https://forms.gle/No6sb37J5sTP2i4z9 or contact Nate Winkler at npwinkler@wisc.edu for more information. 

The second annual Chopped: 4-H Cooking Challenge was held on March 15 where nearly 70 youth gained experience in roles such as event planner, chef, emcee, event judge, decorator, market manager, and team member.

Organized by the 4-H Youth Leadership Group, Chopped provided a fun, challenging, food-focused team contest and learning opportunity for youth ages 5 to 18. Each team of 3-7 youth was given $100 of Clover Cash to purchase food and recipe cards. Team tasks included selecting a team name, deciding what to purchase within their budget, and determining how to make the food.

Youth developed and practiced life skills such as teamwork, decision making, communication, creativity, planning, and food preparation—all while making tacos, nachos, pizzas, and slushies for the challenge.

For more information about 4-H activities, visit our website at https://waukesha.extension.wisc.edu/4-h/.

This school year, FoodWIse is working with 12 fifth grade classrooms to teach Show Me Nutrition programs. Over 200 students have completed the six-lesson series so far. Lessons are ongoing in five schools in Waukesha County (four schools in Waukesha, one school in New Berlin).

Educators are providing lessons with hands-on activities and taste tests of healthy foods and recipes. These activities help to expose kids to new foods that they may not have considered before. After a recent lesson, a student remarked to a FoodWIse educator, “This is my first time trying sweet potato and it’s now my favorite vegetable.” These taste tests and food activities help kids to include healthy choices in their day.

For more information about FoodWIse, visit https://waukesha.extension.wisc.edu/nutrition-education/. 

In February, horticulture professionals participated in the annual industry-focused Landscape and Grounds Maintenance Short Course to learn science-based information to assist them in increasing economic and environmental sustainability. Speakers included experts from UW-Madison Extension and across the Midwest.

The Effects of Construction Activities on Trees and Landscape session had the highest attendance with 252 participants. The average weekly attendance for the four week Short Course was 237, with 771 arborist continuing education units issued to participants to maintain their industry certifications.

Participant comments included: "The whole program was very well done," "excellent topics and speakers," "they talk about a lot of stuff I will use," and "all aspects were awesome."

Green industry professionals can be added to our mailing list for future programs by contacting lboyer@waukeshacounty.gov.

Join us on May 7th for the Southeastern WI Housing Summit, one of Extension's statewide Regional Housing Summits. The event brings together partners to explore housing policy, financing tools, and innovative development strategies across three focused breakout tracks.

For details, visit https://go.wisc.edu/housingsummit!

The 4-H Nature Extravaganza will take place on June 6 at Lapham Peak State Park. This annual learning and service project brings together geocaching, photography, volunteerism, art and science in a unique STEAM event to find geocaches, artistically and scientifically photograph living things, remove trash and invasive plants, track fitness, participate in a citizen science bee survey, and identify the plants and animals photographed.

For more information, contact Sara, Associate 4-H Educator, at stomjanovich@wisc.edu. 

In January, FoodWIse participated in a panel conversation at the Waukesha Public Library about food security in our community. “Food security” means that an individual has physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

Extension FoodWIse educators work to improve families’ food security through education, and they also build relationships with other organizations that help to meet emergency food needs. Extension is the founder of the Waukesha County Nutrition Coalition (WCNC), which meets every other month to help local organizations connect, share resources, and educate each other on services available to help limited-income populations in Waukesha County.

To learn more about the WCNC and to be part of the conversation, visit https://waukesha.extension.wisc.edu/nutrition-education/wcnc/.

The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and
programming in compliance with state and federal law.

515 W Moreland Boulevard, AC G22 ⟡ Waukesha, WI 53188 ⟡ 262-548-7770

waukesha.extension.wisc.edu