EXTENSION TRENDS: TWIN FALLS COUNTY University of Idaho Extension, Twin Falls County • www.uidaho.edu/twinfalls
2019 Impact The UI Extension, Twin Falls County aquaculture program demonstrated that the regulatory cost burden on the U.S. trout industry has increased farm costs substantially and regulatory actions resulted in lost sales revenues. Through wide-spread dissemination of study results including a journal publication and 15 Extension publications, agencies are reconsidering redundant aquaculture regulations, some states have passed beneficial aquaculture legislation, and U.S. Congress and the Executive branch now recognize the regulatory burden on U.S. aquaculture.
2019 By the Numbers • 11,041 direct contacts • 15,791 youth participants • 881 volunteers • 41,202 volunteer hours • $537,373 extramural funding
UI Extension Educators Suzann Dolecheck 208-734-9590 sdolecheck@uidaho.edu
Siew Guan Lee 208-734-9590 siewguanl@uidaho.edu
Andres West 208-734-9590 andywest@uidaho.edu
Gary Fornshell Emeritus Faculty gafornsh@uidaho.edu
The UI Extension Southern Idaho Master Gardener Program donated 2,200 hours of volunteer service for a value of over $48,000. The volunteers had contact with over 18,000 individuals throughout the year. They hosted multiple diagnostic clinics, Farmers Market events, youth and adult classes, and helped provide answers to plant, insect, weed and general landscaping questions. Seven new volunteers completed hours for certification and are providing additional opportunities to expand our programming into new areas. A partnership with the Robert Stuart Middle School for the School Food Pantry Mystery Box Cook-off increased food insecurity awareness and developed knowledge and confidence to make healthy and affordable meals. Results showed a statistically significant difference in participants’ overall nutrition knowledge, skills and confidence level after the program compared to before the program. The program is an innovative approach to increase confidence and skills among youth to make healthy and affordable meals at home, which may lead to a healthier and more food-secure future. To expand positive youth development in out-of-school programming, enrichment programs are conducted throughout the year by 4-H AmeriCorp instructors. These instructors are funded through partnership agreements to provide science discovery, critical thinking/problem solving and creative arts programs to youth. Summer programming is provided in partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Magic Valley to provide 18 summer camps in STEM, health/nutrition and horticulture camp opportunities to 80 youth each week.
4-H in Twin Falls County UI Extension, Twin Falls County 4-H received a five-year CYFAR grant ($294,000) to implement the 4-H Juntos Program at South Hills Middle School. The purpose of this program is to unite latinx youth, families and community partners to provide in-school one-on-one coaching, afterschool tutoring, life-skills activities, workshops for parents and an academic summer program. New summer camps were offered in 2019, including Spice It Up: Around the World and Code Your World. Seven UI Extension summer camp programs provided opportunities for 90 youth to explore STEM in a variety of options. In 2019, Dabble in Dissection (a comparative anatomy camp) and Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth with Science (based on the chemistry of producing sugar and making candy) were added. Currently,
UI Extension youth development educators are taking the lead in developing national curriculum specific to these two camps. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is designed to inspire youth’s interest and participation in science and technology and motivate them to pursue education and career opportunities in STEM fields. FIRST Lego League targets youth ages 9-14 where students research a real-world engineering challenge, develop a solution, and compete with LEGO-based robots of their own design. Twin Falls County 4-H, in partnership with Twin Falls School District, hosted one of two regional qualifying tournaments. Twelve teams represented Twin Falls School District, a 50% increase from the year before. The tournament hosted 45 teams from as far away as Council and Driggs. The Twin Falls County 4-H team—Sirius Scientists earned first place in robot programming. The 2019 Twin Falls County Fair included 46 clubs, 205 leaders, 648 members, 442 general projects and 543 livestock projects.
On the Horizon The Zoom Idaho Master Gardener course focuses on using the online platform as a delivery method for multi-county Master Gardener programming to provide an opportunity for individuals in rural areas to take the course without leaving their communities. This delivery method also allows single educators with limited or no horticulture appointments to meet the needs of their community by offering Master Gardener and other horticulture programming to their constituents. Due to COVID-19, 4-H will be providing virtual trainings to volunteers on the new electronic record book and how best to utilize Zoom meetings in 4-H clubs. 4-H professionals, AmeriCorp instructors and volunteers are also providing virtual educational opportunities to 4-H members, introducing a variety of non-animal projects and animal science lessons for market animal projects. Brochures and flyers deliver healthy eating and active lifestyle messaging through the USDA Summer Food Service program and technology is used to teach online nutrition education classes for Eat Smart Idaho programming. Due to reduced programming as a result of social distancing, UI Extension is expecting some carry-in funds for SNAP-Ed programming for the proposed small spaces gardening pilot project that may have the potential to bring significant impacts to the community.
Our Advisory Council Special thanks to our volunteers who help shape programming and inform the work we do for UI Extension in Twin Falls County: Genaura Wells, Thomas Schwartz, Bri Owen, Garen Moreno , Randy MacMillan, Mary Ann Doshier, David Carson, Leo Ray, Brady Dickinson, Ruth Pierce, Bernie Jansen, Laree Jansen, Scott Claiborn, Sarah Brown, Mark Daily, Heather Neaman, Brett Reinke, Jack Johnson, Don Hall, Abby Greenfield and Suzanne Hawkins.