|
100th Anniversary of
Extension
Ohio State University
Extension, Darke County is pleased to announce that May 8, 2014 is
the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act, which
established the Cooperative Extension Service. The Smith-Lever Act
requires cooperation between county, state and federal governments
and encourages priorities to be established locally to meet the needs
of each county.
The Cooperative Extension
Service is a unique educational partnership between the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the nation’s land-grant universities
that extends research-based knowledge through a state-by-state
network of local Extension professionals – bringing it to people
where they live and work. The Smith-Lever Act has stimulated
innovative research and educational programs for youth and adults
that have improved lives and shaped a nation.
In Ohio, OSU Extension
makes more than 1.5 million educational contacts each year and
reaches Ohioans in each of our 88 counties. Our programs focus on
strengthening families and communities, preparing youth for success,
enhancing agriculture and the environment, and advancing employment
and income opportunities. We engage with more than 240,000 young
people through 4-H programming and connect with 29,000+ volunteers
throughout the state.
OSU Extension is a dynamic
educational entity that partners with individuals, families,
communities, business and industry, and organizations to strengthen
the lives of Ohioans. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the
College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio
State University.
In
Darke County, some of our most well-known Extension programs include
Pesticide Applicator Training, Dining With Diabetes, Family Nutrition
Education, and Successful Co-Parenting. We have over 1,170 4-H
members in 46 4-H clubs. An additional 1,500 youth are involved in
the 4-H STEM School Enrichment program.
A national celebration of
the Smith-Lever Act will take place during the Cooperative Extension
Centennial Convocation on May 8 in Washington, DC. Bruce A. McPheron,
dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental
Sciences; Keith L. Smith, director, OSU Extension; and several others
will represent Ohio at the convocation. This includes Hannah Epley,
4-H youth development educator in Fairfield County, and two 4-H Teen
Advisory Council members – Emma Newell, Fairfield County, and
Britta Fenstermaker, Hancock County.
The national efforts will
be complemented by various state and local activities. The Extension
Centennial will be recognized during Ohio State Fair activities (July
23-August 3), Farm Science Review (September 16-18), the Celebration
of Youth sponsored by the Ohio 4-H Foundation (September 20), Ohio
State’s homecoming game (October 18), and other homecoming weekend
activities.
In Darke County, our
activities include a display and activities conducted during the
Darke County Fair. More information about all Ohio activities is
available online at http://go.osu.edu/OSUEcentennial.
Information about national events is posted online at
http://extension100years.net.
For those who tweet, follow @Ext100years and watch hashtag
#EXT100years.
OSU Extension also has
published Memories and Milestones of Ohio State University Extension
1905-2013, which is available for purchase at
http://estore.osu-extension.org;
type the title of the book in the search box.
|
