October 23, 2018
Edition Topics
- Message from Dr. Silvertooth
- Automated Thinning and Weeding Technologies Field Day REMINDER
- 4-H Director Welcome and Hall of Fame Celebration
- AZ Agricultural Literacy Days
- GALS Arizona
- Leadership Fellows
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Message from the Associate Dean and Extension Director Extension educators face a unique set of challenges in their working environment. In general, people who participate in our programs are not paying tuition fees or expecting a grade on a transcript in pursuit of a degree. They are seeking educational information from the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in an effort to gain useful knowledge on a practical topic that they can apply directly in their lives.
It is essential that Extension educators have a strong foundation in their discipline and have the capacity to work and compete in their area of expertise or specialty. It is also essential that Extension educators have the skill and capacity to apply their knowledge and expertise in a practical and useful manner and be able to demonstrate that ability to the people they are working with. To be an effective educator requires a combination of both art and science.
It requires a group of talented and dedicated professionals that can provide the substance to our mission delivery for our Extension education programs and do so in the very diverse conditions across the state.
A relevant quote from John Steinbeck:
“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist, and that there are as few as any other great artists. Teaching might be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”
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| Automated Thinning & Weeding Technologies Field Day- Oct 24REMINDER! -- Come see the latest automated thinning and weeding technologies demonstrated in the field and talk with company representatives on October 24 at the Yuma Ag Center! Please see the flyer for details.
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| 4-H Director Welcome and Hall of Fame Celebration Please join the Arizona 4-H Youth Foundation to celebrate Marifloyd Hamil, Extension Agent, Emerita, and her induction into the National 4-H Hall of Fame last week. We will also welcome our new 4-H Director, Dr. Jeremy Elliott-Engel.
Reception to be held on Friday, October 26, 2018 from 4-6 pm at the 4-H Museum at the Maricopa Agricultural Center, 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road, Maricopa, AZ
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AZ Agricultural Literacy Days AZ Agricultural Literacy Days is a free program that focuses on educating Arizona students about our connection to agriculture and the commodities produced on Arizona's lands. We do this because so many of our youth don't know where our food and clothing comes from. Young children often think that it magically appears in the grocery and retail stores.
We educate youth through the support of volunteers who read a provided book on agriculture to elementary school students and then donate that book to the class library.
AZ Agricultural Literacy Days is scheduled every year in the fall with a special emphasis during the three days before Thanksgiving. What better time of the year to show our gratitude to Arizona farmers and agriculturalist than during the Thanksgiving season - just 4 weeks away!
The 2018 AZ Agricultural Literacy Days is held October 22 - December 21.
General Steps to Participate
1. Let us know you're interested in volunteering by clicking here.
2. Talk with a teacher (or teachers) about reading and submit their email addresses.
3. Receive a copy (or copies) of Arizona Agriculture: Bee's Amazing Adventure.
4. Read to students.
5. Complete a brief online report (estimation of time with students & people present).
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| GALS Arizona GALS (Girls on outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science) Arizona is a free coordinated science program for high school girls in Arizona supported by the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension. The program is developed in partnership with non-profits: American Association of University Women Tucson, 500Women Scientists Tucson and Girl Scouts of Southern AZ. GALS integrates outdoor education with place-based science learning to bring girls from underrepresented groups into the Chiricahua wilderness to increase science proficiency by engaging participants as scientists. After a camping trip, participants are involved with a classroom science and mentorship program to facilitate science learning, leadership skill refinement and continuity in educational activities. The overall goal of the project is to address the gender and racial gaps in STEM by empowering girls to identify with science and pursue education and careers in STEM fields. This program aims to support and enhance science proficiency and science identity by increasing participants’ science-awareness, self-awareness, teamwork, and leadership skills.
The inaugural GALS Arizona group is comprised of seven outstanding young women from Desert View High School. These sophomores and juniors recently returned from their week of camping at Rucker Canyon in the Coronado National Forest. During the trip (the first camping experience for many of the girls), the group learned about local plant and animals, explored hiking trails and developed leadership skills. The group also became very close and the participants all became great friends with each other and their four leaders (scientists at the UA). The girls returned from their trip last Friday and spent the day creating posters based on independent experiments they designed and executed during the camping trip. The next day, the girls presented their work to a group of parents, friends, UA associates, and local researchers from the Tucson area.
For the next year, the girls will be involved with a mentorship program where they will interact with near peers – female graduate students, postdocs and researchers at the U of A who will help them figure out college applications, science, and life. In the coming year we hope to develop more programming with the GALS Arizona participants as well as get them involved in a mentorship capacity for the 2019 group. We hope to expand the program to at least one other high school next year with the ultimate goal of offering the program to all high schools in southern Arizona. For more information, please check out: gals.arizona.edu
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| Leadership Fellows, Year 2: Apply by December 14th
The Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the second annual distinguished leadership development program for exceptional appointed professionals and classified staff. Given that two-thirds of the employees in CALS are non-faculty, it is conspicuous that, until last year, there had been no formal program to support the transformational leadership and professional development of rising star APs and staff.
This program requires a significant commitment from both the nominee and the mentor to develop future higher education leaders through stretch experiences, transformational professional development, and tailored mentoring.
Eligibility and submission packet materials can be found here. Complete applications are due December 14, 2018. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Nominees and mentors will be notified in writing in early February 2019.
Example Scenario: Wilma Wildcat desires to be a vital student advisor and leader in CALS and at the UA. She identifies a mentor in Nancy Rodriguez-Lorta. Together, they develop a detailed development plan including stretch projects where Wilma leads change efforts in advising within CALS. The plan also identifies the need for Wilma to become a certified advisor, which requires $2,000 in course work and testing. Nancy actively mentors Wilma in the achievement of her goal. As an alumna of this program, Wilma will be expected to continue to give back to CALS through service on future Fellowship selection committees, leading future initiatives, consultation with senior leaders of the division, etc.
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