APRIL 2019
Accept responsibilitiy for your actions. Be accountable for your results. Take ownership of your mistakes.—
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 1
Rural Leader Magazine, LLC is a digital publication that highlights every day people doing extraordinary things nationally and abroad. www.RuralLeaderMag.com www.GetRuralLeaderMag.com
About Us
Launched in March 2014, Rural Leader
Magazine, LLC is a digital publication with a mission to highlight every day people doing extraordinary things in business, education, music, community, art, sports, and leadership nationally and abroad. Rural Leader Magazine honors exemplary individuals on a variety of levels, such as the 20 under 20 Honors, 40 under 40 Honors, Best Small Town Restaurant, Small Town America’s 100 Most Influential People, the Scholars of Collegiate Distinction, Fifty under Fifty, and the Eagle Elite Club.—
Contents
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD
6 New Exchange Program Introduces Young Adults to Corporate Agriculture 10 Three Key Questions Adult Learners Should Ask Before Returning to School 12 Bullying Prevention: Five Tips to Encourage Parent-Child Conversation
15 Four Tax Tips for Online Filers in 2019 17 This Brain Awareness Week - It’s time to ‘brain better’! 18 Three Ways to Empower Women in Your Community and Worldwide
14 How to Get Promoted: Three Secret Skills for Success
Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, in English, or other languages, is prohibited without written consent. Send editorial ideas to Kuanita Murphy, PhD, Editor-in-Chief editor@ruralleadermag.com Contact Us info@ruralleadermag.com editor@ruralleadermag.com
2 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
Tell us what you think about our publications, if you have a great idea for a story, or to just share. We may print your comments in Rural Leader Magazine. By sending us your comments, you’re giving permission to call you for an interview. Please be sure to include your name, address, email address, and phone number so we can reach you. Write to us at info@RuralLeaderMag.com—
Editor’s Note Dear Readers, Inside this issue, there are a number of great articles about leadership best practices, building positive self-esteem and productivity! We hope you enjoy this issue. As always, I hope you enjoy this issue and continue to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google +, and LinkedIn. Thanks again for your continual support! Sincerely,
Photo Courtesy of TieFotos
Kuanita E. Murphy, PhD Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
What you do matters. GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 @RuralLeaderMag
3
4 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 5
New Exchange Program Introduces Young Adults to Corporate Agriculture
Left to right: Jenny Heaton, Lisa Schmid and Colin Steen relax for a moment at Syngenta Seeds, Inc., in Minnetonka, Minnesota.   For years, the International Farm Youth Exchange Association (IFYE) has offered young adults an opportunity to travel and learn about agriculture in a different country. Now, global agribusiness Syngenta is taking the program a step further by introducing a corporate component to the experience. This one-of-a-kind approach to agricultural education gives young adults the opportunity to job shadow in 6 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
corporate settings as well as on farms - a practice that gives participants valuable industry insight as they prepare to enter into the workforce themselves.   Jenny Heaton, Syngenta head of people and organization development, decided to test this approach after first learning about IFYE at an agricultural diversity conference. She quickly saw the value in bringing the program into a corporate space and
helped launch the pilot program in summer 2018. The experience of a lifetime. The pilot was a success for Lisa Schmid, a German exchange student studying for her master’s degree in agricultural studies. The Syngenta IFYE program provided a chance for her to learn more about American culture and see the diversity of careers in agriculture. Growing up on a farm in Stendal, Germany, Schmid developed an early interest in agriculture. Her family also participated in IFYE when Schmid was young, hosting two students from the U.S. and one from Finland. Later, her brother joined the IFYE program and was an exchange student in Kansas. It was only a matter of time before Schmid took her turn to participate in the IFYE program, too. Schmid had the traditional IFYE experience in South Dakota, where she stayed with three farm families. But her three-week stay in Minnesota was unique. During her time in the North Star State, Schmid was introduced to human resource initiatives, such as leadership development programming and organizational design. She also met with a company rep-
resentative who investigates prospective investment opportunities, and learned the science behind the seed industry. “I was able to learn about other aspects of agriculture while spending time with my Syngenta hosts. It was an amazing adventure that I’ll always remember,” says Schmid. Expanding the pilot program into new territory. IFYE is not just about exploring how different places grow food and raise livestock. It’s also about giving people the opportunity to learn more about global culture. IFYE is a unique experience because young adults have the chance to see agriculture from new perspectives - fresh outlooks that they can take back home with them and into their careers. That’s why Syngenta and IFYE are excited to continue the success of this pilot and expand the program to send young Americans abroad. “We look forward to growing this relationship and working with Syngenta to offer our participants new experiences that continue to add value to the exchange program,” said Ken Gordon, executive director of IFYE.—
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 7
8 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 9
Three Key Questions Adult Learners Should Ask Before Returning to School The decision to return to school is not made lightly. While earning a degree can be highly rewarding in the form of better career opportunities and higher pay, the path to get there can be filled with challenges, especially if you’re trying to fit school and studies in with your work and family responsibilities. An education unlocks so many doors. It’s worth taking the time to make sure you’re opening the door that’s right for you. Before you register for that first class, it’s important to consider and plan for how you’re going to get it all done, from working out an arrangement with your workplace to accommodating your school schedule and enlisting help from family members to get chores done. Here are top questions every potential student should ask themselves before they begin the journey. What are my career goals? When you’re looking at a specific college program, it’s good to take a step back and examine your goals and motivations and how going back to school fits in. If you’re hoping the degree or certification will lead to a promotion or pay increase so you can better support your family, it’s important to know how that will happen. To get a gauge on the local market, search for job openings in your chosen field. If you have time, sit down for informational interviews with people in the field to give you a clearer picture of how a degree or certification can help you. Finally, some institutions provide support and information to prospective students. Make an appointment with the career center so you can better understand how a certain degree will advance your career or help you meet your goals. How will I manage the costs of education? High tuition costs and student loans can be a source of worry for many students. Before you commit to a school, be sure to take some time to uncover resources that will make your education more affordable. Start by talking to the financial aid office. Some insti-
10 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
tutions offer scholarships and financing options, as well as programs that incentivize students to do well. For instance, Strayer University automatically enrolls bachelor’s students in its Graduation Fund, which allows students to earn one no-cost course for every three classes successfully completed. These classes can be redeemed in the student’s final year of their bachelor’s degree program. As long as students stay continuously enrolled, these credits have the potential to reduce the cost of a bachelor’s degree by up to 25 percent. Other cost-reducing avenues at other schools include research scholarships and grants, which may be available to people in certain fields. Also, don’t forget to talk to your employer. Many workplaces offer tuimtion assistance programs to their employees. Does the program offer flexibility for my busy schedule? Earning a degree or certification is a major commitment. For some students, work and family responsibilities can elbow their way into a busy school schedule. “It helps to know the availability and quality of flexible options offered by your school. These offerings can help make your educational experience more manageable and enjoyable,” said Brian Jones, president of Strayer University. There are programs structured so students can learn at their own pace. FlexPath - available at Capella University - gives students the flexibility to complete coursework at a speed that is comfortable for them. Students are evaluated by how well they demonstrate competency in a course, so whether it takes two weeks or 12, they’re free to move on to their next course at their own pace. Once you flesh out the answers to these key questions, you can start taking classes with the confidence that your chosen program is right for you and your career.—
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 11
Bullying Prevention: Five Tips to Encourage Parent-Child Conversation
If you’re a parent, you bring your kids to their annual checkups, get their teeth cleaned twice a year and help them eat well and get enough sleep. You do this to keep them physically healthy, but what about their mental health? For parents, it can sometimes seem difficult to monitor and gauge a child’s emotional well-being, which is affected by a number of things that parents and children may not discuss. Having conversations around these issues is the best way to keep them in check. One issue that is of particular concern is bullying. Bullying is a big problem today - fueled even more in the age of the internet. Often, troubles with classmates are hidden from parents’ view, whether they take place in the classroom, on the bus or online. Nearly half (47 percent) of parents confess that one of their greatest fears is that their child will be bullied, according to a survey by Planet Fitness. And while nearly one-quarter (24 percent) of parents admit their child has been the victim of bullying, only 8 percent have children that talk to them regularly about it. This is why it’s important for parents to stay in tune to their children’s behaviors and talk to them openly. If you notice your child acting differently, it may be because something is happening to them at school or a different setting. You can use your observations as an opportunity to start an important conversation about what’s going on. “Be careful with how you perceive your child’s behavior, as the way they are feeling on the inside might not be the emotion they show on the outside,” says Marc Brackett, PhD, director of Yale’s Center for Emotional Intelligence and lead developer of RULER, a school-based approach to teaching social emotional learning in classrooms that has been adopted by hundreds of schools and districts across the country, as well as adapted for after-school settings such as Boys & Girls Clubs. “If your child is acting out of the ordinary, for example, it’s best to speak with them about their day to help you identify the root cause of their actions.” Tips for meaningful conversation with your child: Fostering regular, meaningful conversation with your child helps build trust so that you can hear all about their experiences, both the good and the bad, and can weigh in with your loving support. Share common experiences: To show empathy and help your child to understand they aren’t alone, 12 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
Brackett suggests that if you have ever experienced something similar to what your child is going through, such as if you were ever bullied, share that experience with your child. When you relate your experiences to your child’s situation, it will encourage them to share what happened and how he or she feels about it. Brainstorm solutions: Ask your child what they want to do and how you can help, suggests Brackett. Come up with more than one option to deal with the situation. It’s important not to dictate, but suggest solutions and encourage them to come up with their own ways of dealing with the situation. Your child needs to feel like a part of the action plan for it to work. Utilizing proper tools will help you, your child and even your child’s school develop these action plans. PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center in partnership with Planet Fitness’ Judgement Free Generation, a philanthropic initiative that aims to prevent bullying and spark a pro-kindness movement, has created Bullying Prevention 101, a freeto-download resource designed to help elementary, middle and high schools build environments defined by kindness, acceptance and inclusion (by way of teachers, counselors and other educators). Experts from PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center also suggest parents: Listen to kids without judgement: Let kids do the talking and follow their lead. Discuss their experiences with an open mind and open heart. Then discuss their ideas on how they want to handle the situation and let them know that you’re there for them and will help no matter what. Be aware of being bullied and being the bully: Sometimes if a child is being bullied, they are more likely to replicate that behavior elsewhere. First, recognize that children bully for many reasons. Next, help them understand how that behavior affects others and encourage positive solutions. Encourage kindness: Help your child understand the importance of showing support and being kind to everyone, especially others who might be victims of bullying. Even if the crowd goes one way, it’s always important to stand up for what’s right. For more ideas about fostering positive and productive conversations with young people about bullying, as well as to access Bullying Prevention 101 resources, visit https://www.pacer.org/planetfitness.—
Celebrate Life’s Major Milestones In Myrtle Beach
From birthdays and weddings to anniversaries and retirements, life is all about celebrating those special moments with the ones we love. What better way to make the occasion unforgettable than to travel to an amazing destination? For any important milestone, find the perfect way to celebrate by traveling somewhere special. Whether you’re looking for unique entertainment and fun for a group of friends on your birthday or a bachelor/ bachelorette party, a quick getaway with your spouse to mark an anniversary, a romantic honeymoon destination or a family trip with the kids, everything you want can be found in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Happy birthday to you! Whether you’re bringing the entire family or rounding up your besties for a weekend to celebrate a birthday, look for activities you know everyone will enjoy. For the kids, take a ride on the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, check out the sharks and stingrays at Ripley’s Aquarium or, for adventure and a little learning, wander through the interactive experience known as WonderWorks. After a morning relaxing on the beach with the kids, you can all head out to one of the area’s dozens of mini-golf courses for a friendly game or make a trip to The Track Family Fun Park for a go-kart race. With your friends, charter a boat for a cruise or fishing excursion during the day, then enjoy dinner at one of the dozens of great seafood restaurants, followed by a show at the GTS Theater or The Carolina Opry. For the more adventurous, visit Go Ape
Zip Line and Treetop Adventure for an unforgettable experience among the trees. Romance your sweetheart: To surprise your special someone, celebrate your honeymoon or anniversary, or even pop the question, spring for a getaway in Myrtle Beach to spend quality time together. Enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings by strolling through the gorgeous, 9,000-acre Brookgreen Gardens, which include an incredible sculpture garden and zoo. Then take a sunset cruise or book a couple’s massage at a local spa. Make a reservation for an intimate dinner at one of the area’s fine restaurants, like Aspen Grille or Thoroughbred’s Chophouse and Seafood Grille. Celebrate with your wedding party: Plan the best bachelor or bachelorette party ever with the members of your wedding party. You and your girlfriends will find plenty of exciting shopping at The Market Common and Barefoot Landing. For adventurous bridesmaids, rent jet skis at Action Water Sportz for an awesome day on the water. At night, toast the bride-to-be with craft cocktails at The Chemist, then dance the night away to live music at the historic Bowery. Entertain the groom-to-be by hitting the links. Myrtle Beach is one of the country’s premier golf destinations, with 90 unique, challenging golf courses. Then get your adrenaline going by parasailing with Express Watersports, or take the wheel at the NASCAR Racing Experience at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Cap off the night by sampling local beers at New South Brewery and listening to live music at GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 13
Tin Roof. Babymoon: Sure, you’ve heard of honeymoons, but why not take a last chance at a peaceful few days with your partner before your new little one arrives? Look for restful, relaxing environments to enjoy your peace and quiet ... while you still can. Stretch out and catch some sun along the area’s 60 miles of beaches, enjoy the natural beauty of the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk or stroll along the historic Conway Riverwalk. Then you can catch the stunning view from the SkyWheel. This spring, Visit Myrtle Beach is giving away a Babymoon vacation package, which will include three nights of accommodations for two adults,
airline tickets and more - complete with the lighting up of the SkyWheel in blue or pink to reveal the gender of your new baby. No matter what the occasion, the Myrtle Beach area is the vacation destination to create lasting memories. Couples, families and groups can find everything they’re looking for in a getaway that’s sure to please everyone. Check out visitmyrtlebeach.com/ milestones for more vacation ideas for your special milestone.—
How to Get Promoted: Three Secret Skills for Success
Regardless of your career path, getting a promotion is often a professional goal. Being recognized and landing a promotion can provide a variety of perks such as more money, increased influence and more control over your daily routine. So how do you land that promotion? It comes down to building key skills such as self-development, listening and communication. Fortunately, online learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning can help you develop these skills to get to the next level in your career.Here are a few secrets to taking the reins and getting noticed - and promoted - in your career.1. Prove that you’re capable of self-developmentThe difference between being a “high-potential employee” versus a “high-performing employee” means everything to your advancement, and to the 14 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
company where you work. While a high-performing employee does their job well, their performance review will look similar from year to year, revealing little about their potential for moving up. A high-potential employee, on the other hand, shows a willingness to push themselves to learn new skills, take on more responsibilities and be open to lateral moves especially if that means mastering new abilities. How do you become a high-potential employee? Demonstrate your capacity for self-development by actively soliciting feedback from others to learn how you can grow and improve, and proactively take on opportunities to increase your skill set.2. Be a strong listenerIn today’s world, there’s a misconception that dominating the conversation means you’re a leader, but the opposite is actually true. Being a good lis-
tener is vital to being a strong leader, and a crucial component to earning that promotion.By taking the time to understand others’ perspectives, needs and concerns, you’ll be better prepared to communicate your ideas and solutions, and to persuade others to come on board. This is essential to leading, whether it means a small group or an entire corporation. Active listening is an art - it is underrated and takes significant practice to master. Identify a leader in your organization who is a strong active listener and watch how they lead. You can also master this skill by taking a course on active listening as part of your own career development. 3. Communicate with purposeBoosting your communication skills is critical to being both a leader and a team player. Demonstrate to your manager and
your team that you know how to address the bigger picture, and show how your work ties to the overall company strategy. Express your vision of the larger mission or goals of the organization, as opposed to getting caught up in the details.How you express yourself also makes a huge difference. Be concise, purposeful and confident in your statements. This will help you build a strong executive presence and build trust among you and your colleagues. Don’t wait for a promotion to come to you. Now’s the time to be proactive and focus on growing your skill set. Show what you’re learning by actively taking on new challenges and communicating with purpose and confidence. To learn more about mastering the skills you need to advance in your career and get that promotion, visit www.linkedin.com/learning.—
Four Tax Tips for Online Filers in 2019 As time continues to tick, millions of tax filers are beginning to feel the pressure to file a tax return. But big questions still remain, and for those filing online, those questions are compounded by the myriad options for submitting a return. Fortunately for those online filers, there is such a thing as sound advice. With help from some of America’s renowned tax experts, we’ve compiled a list of the top four tips for filing online in 2019. 1. Organization is important - especially if you’re filing online: Organizing necessary documents is one of the most important steps to make tax preparation smoother. Start with gathering last year’s tax return. Online filers will need information from
this document. From there, secure income documents, receipts, etc. Checking the documents against a checklist can help taxpayers be sure they’ve got everything they need. Missing tax documents can mean missing out on entitled tax benefits. Taxpayers can find ready-to-use checklists or customize their own online, at places like hrblock.com/checklist. 2. Digitize documents: Taxpayers can avoid the paper chase of finding tax and financial documents by downloading online copies whenever possible or snapping pictures of hard copies. These files can then be placed in an online storage tool like MyBlock. 3. Life is FULL of distractions, so limit yours when filing a return. A recent survey from H&R Block GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 15
asked consumers what sort of things they do when filing their taxes, and the answers were interesting. People browse social media, watch TV, cook dinner, yell at their kids, and so on. More distractions can mean a higher likelihood of mistakes or missed credits and deductions. Limit those distractions and focus on the task at hand. 4. Take advantage of help options: Fortunately, taxpayers don’t have to make a choice between doing their taxes themselves or completely turning over the preparation to a tax professional. Before committing to any specific online tax filing product, taxpayers should be sure to investigate what assistance options are available in case they get stuck or have concerns. Most online tax filing products offer some sort of assistance, whether it’s going to an in-product help center or even having a tax pro review their completed return before it is submitted to the IRS. Taxpayers looking for a middle ground may want
16 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
to select something like H&R Block’s new Ask a Tax Pro service that gives them unlimited, on-demand chat sessions with a tax expert, so they can get the help they need as they are working on their tax returns. “This tax season may be a time when even the most confident do-it-yourself filer could use a little help along the way,” said Heather Watts, senior vice president and general manager of digital at H&R Block. “Taxpayers filing online have more support options that let them decide how much or how little help they want with their tax preparation.” Filing taxes isn’t optional for most Americans, but following these four tips can help make the doit-yourself path a lot smoother. For a full lineup of online and software tax filing products and to get started, visit hrblock.com.—
This Brain Awareness Week - It’s time to ‘brain better’! From diet and exercise to making time for self-care and relaxation, you might be taking steps to make your health a priority. But when it comes to overall wellness, don’t forget about your brain! Simple lifestyle choices can have a profound impact on brain health. This Brain Awareness Week consider these expert tips to help brain better - at any age. Exercise: Physical activity is as important for the brain as it is for the body. It changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills, while also improving mood and reducing stress. So, what are you waiting for? Whether it’s walking, dancing, yoga or even mopping the kitchen floor, find an activity that works for you. It’s most important that you get your heart rate up and break a slight sweat. Get your ZZZs: While you sleep, your brain is hard at work restoring information and memories and preparing you for another day. Sleep deprivation has been found to disrupt the brain cells’ ability to communicate with each other, leading to mental lapses and perception and memory problems. To ensure you get a good night’s sleep, stick with a routine and be sure to limit exercise, caffeine, alcohol and screen time close to bedtime. Eat right: Emerging evidence suggests an association between dietary habits and cognitive performance. Research shows that a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fish, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, olives and nuts helps maintain brain health. Addi-
tionally, cutting back on foods high in saturated fats, such as red meat and butter, may help ward off a variety of degenerative diseases affecting your heart and your brain. Look for science-backed supplements: When choosing a dietary supplement, be sure to look for those with research-backed ingredients and demonstrated cognitive benefits. Certain supplements, such as fish oil rich in DHA, phosphatidylserine (PS), coffee cherry extract, B vitamins and folic acid, have shown potential brain health benefits. Neuriva is a new brand of brain health supplements using clinically proven natural ingredients to help fuel five indicators of brain performance: focus, memory, learning, concentration and accuracy. It will be available as of April 2019 in stores nationwide but you can pre-order on Neuriva.com or Walgreens.com. The supplement itself is part of a holistic eco-system, which includes assessments, exercises and educational materials, tailored to help your brain fitness. Try new things: De-stress with activities you find enjoyable and find support in your loved ones and social network, but don’t get stuck in a rut. Becoming a life-long learner will enhance intellectual stimulation and help keep you - and your brain - healthier and happier. The most important thing to know is that no matter how old we are we can take simple, and even fun, steps to improve our brain performance.— GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 17
18 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
Three Ways to Empower Women in Your Community and Worldwide Female entrepreneurs make up approximately 1/3 of all entrepreneurs worldwide, and it’s always a great time to highlight, support and applaud women in business, in your community and across the globe. Here are a few easy ways you can celebrate and support businesswomen and female entrepreneurs. Shop women-owned businesses. Know about a restaurant, shop or service-oriented business in your area that’s owned and operated by women entrepreneurs? (If you don’t, do a little online research to find some.) Go out of your way to shop at their location, refer friends and family members to their businesses and be sure to let them know that you support their efforts in your community. Give them a boost by posting a positive review of their business on social media. Helping female-owned businesses thrive is a great way to empower women in your own backyard. Mentor women and girls in your industry. Find ways to offer female students and younger employees a chance to learn more about educational and employment opportunities in your own field. Contact career counselors at high schools or local colleges and offer to let students shadow you at work, or give them a chance to do an informational interview with you to learn more about your business. Help them get connected within your business network and share your experiences. If your employer is willing,
develop an internship or on-the-job training program to encourage and empower up-and-coming women in your industry. Support companies actively involved in projects that empower women. Mars Wrigley Confectionery U.S. and Dove Chocolate have pledged $1 million to CARE, a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty, specifically to empower women in West Africa. Dove Chocolate and CARE partnered to empower women in the cocoa growing communities of Cote d’Ivoire after an assessment of women’s involvement in West African cocoa farms found that women were not benefiting from cocoa production, even though they participate in more than half of cocoa-farming activities. The first stone was recently laid on a new marketplace for women-led businesses in the village of Gueyo, a centrally located commerce area nestled among the cocoa fields of Cote d’Ivoire. Consumers can help support these efforts, as $5 will be donated to CARE with every online purchase of qualifying Dove Chocolate Promises. This year, find special ways to celebrate and support the women in your neighborhood and around the world who are working hard to create better lives for themselves, their families and their communities. —
GetRuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019 19
20 RuralLeaderMag.com | April 2019
