We are starting to put the dog days of summertime behind us, which means the South Carolina State Fair is right around the corner! We occupy a large exhibit space in the Ellison Building that we populate with as many Extension employees as possible to greet the endless stream of visitors throughout the 12 days of the Fair. This year, each program team has an assigned day for staffing our exhibit (please see the Blog post for the schedule). If you are not signed up to work a shift yet and would like to, please contact Ms. Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu as soon as possible. We are especially in need of volunteers for Sunday, October 13 and Thursday, October 17.
In the meantime, the University campus is buzzing again with the start of classes, and we have some exciting events coming up in September that will help highlight the impact of our work in Cooperative Extension. Our first Land-Grant Awareness Week will coincide with the “land-grant day” designation for the September 21 home football game against NC State, and the South Carolina Farm Bureau CAFLS Alumni Tailgate 2024 will be held on September 28. The awareness week campaign will be driving messaging around campus about the history, mission and work of Clemson Cooperative Extension with vibrant displays at the Watt Family Innovation Center. If you would like to contribute photos that feature “Extension at work” to be included in the campaign media, please upload them to the campaign Box folder. We will be sure to capture a gallery of visuals to share with everyone.
Whether you are attending the home Clemson football game against Stanford on September 28 or not, please consider joining us at the CAFLS Tailgate event! Although the game time has not yet been announced, our tailgate space in Fike Recreation Center will open three hours before kickoff. Everyone is welcome. Meal tickets are $12 and should be pre-purchased through the Marketplace Store by September 20. Please email Ms. Taylor Hutchens at tmhayne@clemson.edu if you have additional questions about the tailgate event.
4-H and FFA National WHEP Competition
I am very proud to share that our South Carolina FFA and 4-H WHEP (National Wildlife Habitat Education Program) Teams gave exemplary performances at the National WHEP Competition in Texas last month. WHEP is a youth natural resource program for teaching wildlife and fisheries habitat management to junior- and senior-level (ages 8-19) youth in the United States. Out of 16 teams from across the United States, our FFA WHEP Team once again earned the honor of National Champions, and our 4-H WHEP Team also earned high honors. I would like to recognize Ms. Mallory Maher for her service on the National WHEP Committee, and I am very proud that the success of our WHEP teams has earned us the opportunity to host the 2026 National WHEP Competition. Please read the full story in the Blog post.
SC FFA WHEP Team
SC 4-H WHEP Team
Salesforce
Please be sure to mark your calendars with the dates for the in-person Salesforce trainings for districts:
Pee Dee: Wednesday, September 25, at the Pee Dee REC
Midlands: Friday, September 27, at the Lexington County Extension Office
Savannah Valley: Thursday, November 7, at TEACH Center in Charleston
Our Salesforce leads would also like to continue to emphasize the following points:
Interactions: Please make sure to select the County, the affiliated CUMIS project on the record, and contact hours. You may add an Assisting Agent or Referred Specialist in the Team Member section of the record.
Program Events: Program events must be entered through the approved Eventbrite account for each team. Please be sure to change the owner of your event, select the County, appropriate CUMIS Project, and hours of instruction. You may add Team Members to your Program Events.
The Salesforce Advisory Group continues to host office hours on Mondays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. via the Zoom link.
Conference News
Thanks to support from the USDA Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture, Research and Education Program (Southern SARE), Extension personnel and agriculture specialists at Clemson University and SC State University may access a limited number of travel scholarships for the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s 39th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference November 2-4 in Durham, North Carolina Please see the Blog post for details. The Call for Proposals for the 2025 SCWAgN Women in Agriculture Conference is open. The conference will be held in Aiken from February 28 to March 1. Please use the Google Forms link to submit your proposal for a presentation.
ADA Digital File Remediation
APEX is the new University vendor contract in place for the remediation of digital files to ensure ADA accessibility. If you are asked to have a file remediated for online posting, please email the file to Ms. Walker Massey (CCIT Document Accessibility Specialist) at emassey@clemson.edu for a quote appraisal from APEX.
New Employees
Please help me welcome the newest member of our Extension family: Olivia Vasquez, 4-H Youth Development Agent for Aiken and Edgefield Counties.
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website.
Rural Health Agent, Laurens, 109104
Livestock and Forages Agent, Aiken, 109175
Administrative Assistant, Abbeville, 109174
Forest Management Specialist, 109167
In Closing
Members of your Extension Leadership Team and I spent several days last week at the Southern Region Program Leadership Network (SR-PLN) Cooperative Extension System Joint Meeting in Charlotte. Many of our program team and district Extension directors serve on half a dozen SR-PLN committees that meet throughout the year to work on initiatives that will strengthen Extension educational programming by promoting multi-state engagement. The conference agenda is mainly comprised of committee sessions with set purposes. We realized the culmination of the past year’s committee work through final reporting of decisions and accomplishments, and the committees put forth their next plan of work. It is a working conference that gives a lot back in return, and I appreciate the service of all of our members.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
September 16–21: Land-Grant Awareness Week
September 20: Deadline to pre-purchase CAFLS Tailgate Meal Tickets
September 27: Deadline to apply for the CFSA Travel Scholarship
September 28: South Carolina Farm Bureau CAFLS Alumni Tailgate 2024
October 9–20: South Carolina State Fair (Columbia Fairgrounds)
October 15–17: Sunbelt Ag Expo (Moultrie, GA)
December 2: Deadline to submit Presentation Proposal for 2025 SCWAgN Women in Agriculture Conference
I am proud to announce the completion of the final stage of our Strategic Plan regarding our administrative structure. We have successfully established five equal-sized regions, and we are pleased to welcome Ms. Terasa Lott as the 5th full-time District Extension Director. In line with this structural enhancement, I have also implemented the following changes to the roles and responsibilities of our Extension Associate Directors:
Ms. Deon Legette – Coordinate with SC State Extension on our programs, joint initiatives and future collaborations. – Direct the EELI program and collaborate with others to expand its reach. – Collaborate with Vice President Julio Hernandez on University Outreach initiatives involving Cooperative Extension.
Dr. Matt Burns – Supervise and coordinate Extension Program Development and County Operations with District Extension Directors and Program Team Directors. – Lead assessment and evaluation efforts, including the Salesforce implementation. – Facilitate CAFLS departmental collaboration across programs with Department Chairs and Research Center Directors.
Mr. Blake Lanford – Develop and implement comprehensive state and county Extension budgets. – Oversee County Advisory Committees and priority Extension initiatives. – Lead policy review, development and strategic planning efforts.
These strategic actions are designed to strengthen our organizational structure, enhance our collaborative efforts and ensure the continued success of our programs. With them, we are well-positioned to achieve our goals and serve our communities more effectively as they were created with one goal: “How can we make Extension better to serve our stakeholders?” As you begin each day, I encourage you to ask yourself how you can make Extension better for your stakeholders. I would like to thank all of you for your continued dedication to and support for our efforts to continuously evaluate, enhance and grow our efforts externally and internally.
NACAA Conference Awards
I can’t complain about the heat in Dallas last week—our representation and awardee numbers were on fire at the National Association for County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) Conference. We had a total of 58 agents recognized across 19 award categories. It is truly inspiring to have an abundance of talent from Clemson recognized in one forum. Please visit the Blog post to view the complete list of awards.
Ag + Art Tour Wrap-Up
We are hearing lots of great news and feedback about the outcome of the 2024 Ag + Art Tour, which wrapped up in June. Early indications are that over 30,000 people experienced our state’s farms in 20 counties and the artistic heritage of our rural culture. The Tour’s success has encouraged five additional counties to participate in 2025, which means we will have half of the state’s counties on board.
Summertime Youth Engagement
We all know how much kids love summer, and our Extension youth make the absolute most of it. Kudos to our Agricultural Education and 4-H Youth Development Program Teams! There is no doubt they are hitting it out of the park this summer.
The SC FFA (Future Farmers of America) is on a record-breaking streak in its mission to provide youth with a path to achievement through agricultural education. The state FFA convention in June drew a record number of students and guests, which is a bonus on top of having record membership for the year at over 13,000 and an increase in state officer candidates. Four students received over $26.5K in scholarships from the National FFA which was another record number. And to top it all off, for the first time in SC FFA history, a seventh delegate was acquired for the National FFA Convention. Congratulations to Mr. Troy Helms, Ms. Jillian Lasch and the devoted team members for their incredible efforts. I invite everyone to visit the photo gallery they have shared.
The 4-H Pinckney Leadership Program continues to excel in cultivating leadership skills among middle and high school students, empowering them to make a positive impact in their clubs, communities and beyond. This summer, the program’s commitment to developing tomorrow’s leaders was showcased across three dynamic programs: Conference, Camp, and Conference 2.0. They proudly hosted 204 youth leaders representing 27 South Carolina counties and celebrated their largest middle school camp to date. That is a true testament to the growing interest in and impact of the 4-H Pinckney Leadership Program initiatives and the outstanding efforts of the program director, Ms. Rushawnda Olden, her team members and volunteers. Please take the time to visit their photo gallery and get a glimpse of the experiences.
Land-Grant Awareness Week
September will bring monumental recognition for the work of Cooperative Extension when we celebrate our first Land-Grant Awareness Week campaign with the entire Clemson family. The campaign will coincide with the “land-grant day” designation for the September 21 home football game against NC State. There will be large-scale, vibrant messaging tactics across campus to educate students, faculty, staff and visitors about the University’s land-grant history and the Cooperative Extension mission. If you would like to contribute photos or images that feature our Extension team members, projects and stakeholders, please upload them to the campaign Box folder. If you have additional questions about Land-Grant Awareness Week, please contact Ms. Mallory Maher at mallord@clemson.edu.
Salesforce
The adaptation of Salesforce has given us the ability to report remarkable metrics for the success of your efforts. You are the drivers of world-class outcomes. In the month of June, Extension staff and faculty hosted over 700 programs across our system, and for the month of July, we are closing in on a total of 600 programs! It is beneficial for you to understand how these metrics are calculated through your use of Salesforce. Please read the insightful overview provided by Dr. Matt Burns in the Salesforce Blog post.
DASH Extension Program Events Created
New Employees and Milestones
I would like to introduce the newest members of our Extension family: Ms. Christina Dykstra, Administrative Assistant for the Aiken County office; Ms. Kathryn Flynn, Rural Health Agent for Oconee County; Mr. Broughton Goodson, Agronomic Crops Agent for Kershaw, Chesterfield and Lancaster Counties; Ms. Rachel Horne, Administrative Assistant for Newberry County; and Ms. Caroline Saathoff, Livestock and Forages Agent for Georgetown, Horry and Clarendon Counties. We are excited to have you join us in our mission to serve the citizens of South Carolina. Additionally, I would like to recognize Ms. Patricia Whitener, 4-H Natural Resources Program Leader, for her 10-year milestone with Cooperative Extension.
Christina Dykstra
Kathryn Flynn
Broughton Goodson
Rachel Horne
Caroline Saathoff
Patricia Whitener
Job Openings
We have openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website.
4-H Youth Development Agent, Berkeley, 108968
4-H Youth Development Agent, Greenwood, 108760
4-H Youth Development Agent, Williamsburg, 108887
4-H Youth Development Agent, Newberry, 108763
Rural Health Agent, Laurens, 109104
Rural Health Agent, Greenville, 109103
Invasive Species Removal Specialist – South Carolina Botanical Garden, 109111
Consumer Horticulture and State Master Gardener Program Coordinator, Various Counties, 108698
Urban Horticulture Agent, Spartanburg, 108606
Urban Horticulture Agent, York, 108886
Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator, Charleston, 109120
In Closing
Last month, I was fortunate to be present to watch Mr. John Parris recognize his friend, Governor David Beasley, as the newest recipient of the John W. Parris Agricultural Leadership Award. Mr. Parris was a true champion for South Carolina, and his vast list of accomplishments and experiences provides evidence of his passion for agriculture and conservation. I am comforted that his legacy will continue to be honored through the Agricultural Leadership Award in his name and that it will inspire many others.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
I want to take a moment to follow up on the information shared in our January letter regarding the university’s expenditure pause and the ongoing planning efforts around the new financial model. As we closely monitor the situation. The CAFLS Leadership Team have met last two days to develop spending guidelines that will help you plan for future expenditures, travel, and hopefully answer a few of your questions. We are meeting on a daily basis and I will keep you updated. Our careful attention to spending, along with the ongoing efforts of the legislative affairs team, ensures that we are well-prepared for any changes.
As always, the most important thing we can do is stay focused on our mission: providing exceptional educational programs and supporting our stakeholders with valuable research and expertise. By doing so, we will not only weather this economic period but continue to grow and thrive.
On that note, I’m excited to share some of the great things happening in Extension! February and March have been incredibly busy months for our programs. One standout event was the 11th Annual South Carolina 4-H Engineering Challenge, held in February at the SC State Fairgrounds. This year’s event was the largest yet, with over 400 youth participants competing in a variety of hands-on STEM challenges. From rocketry and robotics to bridge-building and the Visual Arts Challenge, our youth demonstrated impressive skills and creativity. The event also included a STEM Expo with over 20 exhibitors, showcasing the diverse opportunities available for youth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Additionally, South Carolina 4-H Legislative Day in March was a huge success, with over 500 participants coming together to engage with state legislators. This event serves as a powerful introduction to civic engagement and highlights the impact of our 4-H programs in communities across the state. We were also excited to hear that legislation will soon allow school absences for 4-H and FFA events to be excused, providing even more opportunities for youth to participate in these valuable programs.
This past weekend, we successfully hosted the 2025 South Carolina 4-H Horse Program Hippology and Horse Judging Contest, as well as Forest Fest. As we move forward through the spring, there are several other exciting events to look forward to and participate in. These are great opportunities to get involved and share in the success of our Extension programs.
I am grateful for all the hard work and dedication you continue to show, and I want to assure you that we are all committed to keeping our financial footing steady as we move forward together. I will keep you informed of any significant updates as they arise.
Thank you for your continued service and leadership in your communities.
Engineering Challenge
On Tuesday, February 11, the South Carolina 4-H Youth Development STEM Committee held their annual Engineering Challenge: their 11th and largest event yet. The event started in 2012 but skipped 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. Over the years, it has been held in various locations around the state but moved to the SC State Fairgrounds in 2019.
This year, 402 individual youth ages 5 through 18 from 21 South Carolina counties registered to participate in at least one of the seven competitive challenges offered. Several hands-on challenges are available for youth ages 9 through 18 years old, and youth ages 5 through 8 are invited to participate in the Visual Arts Challenge. Some events are open to individuals and others are open to teams of two to four. In all, youth can compete in Visual Arts, Agriscience Poster, Coding, Rocketry, Robotics, Bridge-Building, or a Mystery Challenge.
Sometimes, science and art meet in the middle. Through the Visual Arts Challenge, we hope to draw interest to STEAM fields using visually captivating artwork. This year’s theme was Agriculture. Youth submitted over 70 pieces of artwork in the categories of illustration, photography, and AI-generated artwork.
The Agriscience Poster Challenge is modeled after an FFA event with the hopes of recruiting older participants. Each individual or pair designs and presents a scientific poster to illustrate experimental emersion, and their use of scientific principles and/or emerging technologies related to agriculture, food, or natural resources systems. There were five exceptional entries this year, the second year for this challenge.
For the Coding Challenge, 16 youth designed a game or animation using Scratch computer coding that highlights how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used in agriculture. Participants created their projects prior to the event and gave a brief presentation on the day of the event, explaining how AI is used in their game or digital animation.
Youth participating in the Rocketry Challenge built and brought a rocket to launch with air power. The launch objective is to travel the greatest distance with an accuracy of +/- 5 degrees left or right of center. For the first time in recent Engineering Challenge history, our 11 teams launched their rockets indoors due to rain. In addition to their launch, youth made a presentation describing their design processes, materials, and challenges.
The LEGO Robotics Challenge showcased work from 11 teams. Robots arrived preassembled but were programmed on site to meet the Challenge specifics throughout the competition. Teams were judged on robot design and successful programming, teamwork, and score at the competition table.
The Bridge Building Challenge proves to be a favorite each year. This year, a record 50 teams of two to four youth designed, constructed, and tested a truss-style bridge past the breaking point to determine which bridge could support the greatest weight. Bridges were constructed with a maximum 70 craft sticks and five, four-inch glue sticks in a time of 40 minutes.
The Mystery Challenge is also a popular event. It requires no prior preparation but allows teams of two to four youth to work collaboratively and under pressure to accomplish the design engineering challenge. This year, 50 teams built air power vehicles and tested them to see which vehicle would travel the farthest distance.
In addition to STEM-based challenges for youth competition, there was an interactive STEM Expo free to any participant or family member. Exhibitors offered hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) related activities and tabletop displays for visitors to browse between challenges. This is a great opportunity for exhibitors to advertise their opportunities for youth. This year, there were twenty STEM Expo exhibitors including booths from SCDNR, CAFLS, NOAA, Midlands Tech, SCORS, USC, and more.
An event of this size wouldn’t be possible without help from agents from various program teams and 4-H volunteers from around the state. Over 40 volunteers helped with this year’s event, offering assistance as challenge facilitators, challenge judges, checking schools in at registration, distributing awards, and even serving lunch. In addition, special thanks to Engineering Challenge sponsors the C.H. and Anna E. Lutz Foundation from Chester, Google, the SC State Fair, and Mr. Eric Eliassen. All sponsorships go directly towards running the event.
South Carolina 4-H Youth Development works to prepare youth to become beyond ready for life after 4-H by providing opportunities to spark their interests and environments for them to thrive with a goal is to develop healthy, productive, and engaged adults. Youth that participate in this event report increased confidence and knowledge in science skill. The 4-H Engineering Challenge is coordinated by Clemson Cooperative Extension through 4-H Youth Development. 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the nation and is implemented by land-grant universities across the county, dating back to 1902. Here in South Carolina, 4-H is offered through Clemson University and South Carolina State University. Clemson has Extension offices in all 46 counties across the state. If you are not already involved in 4-H in your home county, we highly recommend you reach out to your local Extension Office after this event and see what programs are available in your area!
4-H Legislative Day
South Carolina 4-H Legislative Day provides 4-H members a unique opportunity to promote the South Carolina 4-H program to elected state officials. Participants share their personal 4-H stories with legislators and discuss the benefits of their local Clemson University Cooperative Extension programming in their home communities. County 4-H delegations make appointments with their representatives, senators, or legislative aides to discuss how the South Carolina 4-H program has impacted their lives. Many counties take time to visit the SC Department of Agriculture, tour the State House, and watch proceedings from the House and Senate chamber balconies as well.
On March 11, 2025, over 500 participants (495 pre-registered with Clemson Extension; 83 attendees from SC State) painted the State House green as they assembled on the north steps for a ceremony and words of encouragement from State 4-H Teen Council and Representative Patrick Haddon of Greenville. A new addition to the ceremony this year was county roll call where a 4-H’er from each county delegation had a county-shaped 4-H sign to hold up as their delegation waved and cheered. The highlight of the ceremony was the announcement by Representative Haddon that legislation will soon be passed allowing school absences for 4-H and FFA events to be excused.
This event serves as a crucial introduction to civic engagement for many participants. It may be their first interaction with legislators and the state government system, potentially sparking future careers in legislative offices, executive agencies, or advocacy groups. South Carolina 4-H is proud to provide this opportunity to make the best better and prepare our youth to become beyond ready for life.
The 2025 South Carolina 4-H Hippology and Horse Judging Contest was held March 28-29 in Clemson, SC
Hippology was on Friday, March 28th and is a multi-part contest where youth take an exam, answer slide
based questions, answer questions in a physical station format and participate in a team problem where their team is tasked with a situation, and they must provide a solution to the problem to a panel of judges. We had over 50 youth ages 9-18 compete this year. The next day, the youth then judged 4 live judging classes to wrap up the contest. Our Top 8 seniors were invited to be a part of the South Carolina 4-H Educational State Team where they will compete in multiple regional and national level contests.
Horse Judging was on Saturday March 29th at the Garrison Arena. We hosted 4-H and FFA teams from all over the state to compete in placing 8 different classes of horses and gave reasons on 2-4 classes on why they placed the class the way they did and defend their reasoning. We had over 150 youth that day and they judged classes ranging from Ranch Riding to Tennessee Walking Horse Park Pleasure and Hunter in Hand and Warmblood in Hand. Again, the Top 8 seniors were invited to be a part of the South Carolina 4-H Educational State Team where they will compete in multiple regional and national level contests.
We hosted officials from all over the state and region to share their expertise and be a part of giving our youth a fantastic experience in the contest. These officials are members of the equine industry who have support judging contests all over the nation. We were thrilled to have them join us.
Additionally, the Harvey S. Peeler School of Veterinary Medicine provided multiple members of the faculty to assist as judges for both contests and additionally partially sponsored our lunch for the contestants.
Top left photo is the Lexington County team. Bottom left is the York County Happy Hooves Team. Right is the Clover Team.
South Carolina Farm Bureau provided additional funds to cover the cost of lunch.
#WeRideTogether sponsored gifts for every exhibitor.
YEDA sponsored some of our awards.
The Elizabeth Buist Memorial Fund sponsored our monetary awards for our winners in each contest.
The Clarence W. Senn ’34 Memorial Fund sponsored plaques that were given to each winner.
The South Carolina Horse Council additionally sponsored awards for our contest.
2025 Forest Fest
Forest Fest, held on March 29, 2025, from 10 AM to 2 PM, was a successful community event co-coordinated by Dr. Betty Baldwin, a PRTM professor, and Patricia Whitener, 4-H Natural Resource Program Leader. The festival took place along the scenic 4-mile Issaqueena Lake Rd. and attracted approximately 517 visitors, including 73 volunteers. The event featured 28 activity stations, offering a wide variety of interactive learning experiences for all ages, centered around forestry, wildlife, and environmental stewardship.
Food for the event was provided by Simpell Sammies food truck, while live bluegrass music was performed by Tiger Town Roots, a student band from the Brooks Performing
Arts Center. The event brought together a diverse group of participants and organizations, including Extension staff, Clemson students, local partners, and community volunteers. These included representatives from Water Resources, Rural Health, 4-H, School and Community Gardening, Ag Services, the SCBG, the Soils Lab, and CAFLS (including FEC students and faculty). Other contributors included student clubs like MANRRS and Students for
Sustainability, as well as groups such as SC Master Naturalists, CORE, SCDNR, the SC Forestry Commission, and the Anderson Soil & Water Conservation District.
The purpose of Forest Fest was to strengthen relationships with local partners, promote skill-building through collaborative learning, explore career paths in natural resources, and engage participants in
hands-on educational activities. The event highlighted the wonders of forests and provided an opportunity to foster connections between Clemson University and the surrounding Upstate communities.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a customer relationship management software that also serves as Clemson Extension’s reporting system
Eventbrite syncs with Salesforce once a day. Each team has their own accounts and policies for Eventbrite, please contact your PTD should you have questions. If your programs are missing 48 hours after the event is created, please contact Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu. Remember, you may search on the Program Events tab for events under other users’ ownership.
You may add a Team Member to an Interaction or a Program Event. To do so, create the interaction and save and then view the interaction. Once you scroll you will see a box for “Team Members” where you can add assisting users. For program events, view the Details tab on Program Event record and you can add an assisting user as well. You may also run a report to view records you have been added as a Team Member on.
Check out the “Agent Reports” folder on the Reports tab. In this folder you will find a number of reports you may find helpful. You may clone these reports and save a copy under your name to make edits and learn how the reports work. Please feel free to contact the Advisory team should you need assistance or would like to request a report.
Service Milestones: I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:
Miracle Rabon, Horry County 4-H Youth Development Agent, 10 years
Congratulations!
T.J. Savereno was awarded the South Carolina Vegetation Management Association Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 South Carolina Vegetation Management Annual Conference. The SCVMA Lifetime Achievement Award is reserved for individuals who have contributed substantially to advance the vegetation management industry in South Carolina. Thank you to Terasa Lott for the highlight!
Please help me welcome the newest members of our Extension family:
Mike Windhorn: Area Forest and Natural Resources Agent, Dorchester Office
Lauren Smith: 4-H Youth Development Agent, Laurens County
Shannon Seegers: Statewide Program Coordinator for the South Carolina Master Gardener Volunteer Program
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
In closing, I want to thank you all for your continued dedication to Clemson Cooperative Extension. As we navigate through this period of careful financial planning, your hard work and commitment to our mission remain vital to our success. With exciting events ahead and new opportunities to engage with our communities, I’m confident that we will continue to grow and thrive together. I look forward to keeping you updated and appreciate everything you do to support our programs and make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
Thank you for all that you do, and here’s to an exciting and successful spring ahead!
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
This year’s Spring Plant Sale is scheduled for April 4-5 and will feature a variety of plants, including hard-to-find native species, seasonal annuals and vegetable transplants. Early access to the Plant Sale begins April 4 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for Friends of the Garden and is open to the public April 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
I know that all of you have heard about the Clemson University Expenditure SLOWDOWN and all the turmoil on the federal level with Executive order slowing down spending. The University’s expenditure slowdown is a request from Provost Jones to get a gut check on the state of the economic status of the university. As you know, the Provost’s office has been studying and planning to implement a new financial model for the university. The RBB model is a budgeting tool that will be used to build the university’s budget. For a smooth transition to this model, we must have an accurate account of our current budget situation. The other factor that is driving this spending slowdown is the university’s bond rating. We have a very good bond rating however, our Clemson University Board of Trustees want to ensure we have a better bond rating. As you know, Clemson University has enjoyed unprecedented growth over the pass several years where most universities have had a downturn in growth. With the addition of the new Harvey Peeler College of Veterinary Medicine and numerous other building projects, we need to make sure we are on a solid financial path that will allow us to continue to grow.
The rumor mill is full of half-truths, and you need to know the facts. Clemson University Cooperative Extension Budget is in GREAT shape. We have not received any cuts from the state or current federal budgets. We have watched our spending, and we have plans to implement our bonus plan. We had a great budget hearing with the house subcommittee and will present to the senate on Wednesday. I am concerned about what is going on in Washington, but our legislative affairs office is monitoring that situation and if anything changes, we will inform you.
We will continue to monitor all spending and will ask for justification on major purchases as we have always done. In state travel should be continued as usual, out of state travel must have a justification as we have always requested.
What you can do to help the University with this slowdown is to do your job. The best thing that will help us in an economic slowdown is to produce the outstanding, educational programs that you always have, assist our stakeholders with research fact-based information, be available to our stakeholders and be true servant leaders in your community. If you do these things our budget will continue to grow on the local, state and federal levels.
Let me worry about the budget and you worry about how you can serve your stakeholders better. I pledge to you that your administrative leadership team is working every day to stay on top of the budget situation and making sure that we are on sound financial footing. If anything changes, I will make sure that you are made aware of these changes. The work you do is valuable to the economic growth of our communities and our state. I want to thank you for all you do to keep the Extension brand in the forefront and growing.
Welcome Dr. Maria Bowie, Director of the Extension Center for Health Outreach!
Maria Bowie, DrPH, began her role as Director of the Extension Center for Health Outreach on January 1. Previously, Dr. Bowie worked with University of Georgia Extension where she served as a grant & project specialist on the Athens Campus. Her recent efforts address emergency preparedness, farm and rural stress, opioid misuse prevention, and vaccine education. Maria completed her doctorate in public health in 2020 and has a master’s in public administration and bachelor’s in education. She worked with UGA Extension for over 26 years in a variety of roles, including serving as a 4-H/youth development Extension agent, UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences marketing and communications director, Walk Georgia program director, employee recruitment and internship coordinator, and grant management specialist. Maria and her husband Brent have three children – Alex, 18, Spencer, 21, and Emily, 25, who all live in Athens. Maria and Brent have relocated to Westminster and are excited to be new SC residents. Dr. Bowie’s email address is mbbowie@clemson.edu and her office phone number is 864-646-2183. She was recently featured in The Stacked Keys podcast, where she shared about her career path and leadership values.
The 2025 Joint Cooperative Extension Conference
South Carolina’s two land-grant institutions—South Carolina State and Clemson University—are thrilled to host the 2025 Joint Cooperative Extension Conference in the vibrant capital city of Columbia. February 12-14 at the Columbia Convention Center. Please see website for more information:
SC FaSC Farmer & Agribusiness Association Hosts Annual Convention
The Hyatt Regency Downtown Greenville was the host site for the 2025 SC Farmer & Agribusiness Association’s annual convention on January 24-25. The convention provides educational workshops for both farmers, agribusiness people, & agriculture teachers. Collaborating with Extension agents, college instructors, & agribusiness experts, the convention is an all-inclusive learning experience for its attendees. In addition, the convention celebrates the achievements of its members. With awards for crop production, energy efficiency, conservation, & specialty agriculture ventures, the Association promotes achievement in all aspects of agriculture. This year, Evan Streeter was named Farmer of the Year by the Association. Streeter, a first-generation farmer, operates
Streeter Heritage Farms in Chester County, where he raises heritage breed swine. He is a member of the Fort Mill Farmer & Agribusiness Association chapter. Sponsored by Farm Credit, the award recognizes those farmers who have maintained accurate records, quality standards, & humane practices. SC Farmer & Agribusiness Association is an entity of SC Agricultural Education. Local chapters are operated throughout the state via local Agricultural Education programming in middle & high schools with Agriculture programs. For more information, visit https://www.clemson.edu/extension/scaged/sc-farmer-agribusiness-association/index.html or contact Lee Petitgout, Executive Director, at lpetitg@clemson.edu
Pictured above (L to R): Tim McSwain, Past-President, Evan Streeter, Award Winner, Tim Pasour, Chapter Advisor, McCauley Frierson, Farm Credit Representative
2025 Clemson University Cooperative Extension Bull Test Sale Recap
Lindsey Craig, Director of Livestock Improvement Programs
The 49th Annual Clemson University Cooperative Extension Bull Test Sale was held February 1st, 2025, at the T. Ed Garrison Arena. The sale was one for the record books. We had our highest sale average ever at $6,975. 51 bulls sold for a total of $355,750 in sales. The sale ring was packed with bidders and the online and phone bids were major contributors to the success of the sale. This year’s set of bulls were some of the most complete, industry genetic leading bulls that we have ever had. We sold bulls with the help of DV Auction who handled our online bidding, and we had bidders from across the country. Bidders were from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Nebraska, Iowa, Tennessee. Bulls went home to South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Iowa. We would like to thank both the consigners for sending phenomenal bulls to test along with buyers who continue to have confidence in the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service Bull Testing Program.
Our highest selling bull was lot 26, an angus bull consigned by Berry Wells Farm (Johnathon Wells) from Rayle, Georgia. Mr. Frank Howey from Ruby, SC purchased the bull for $24,500. This was one of 5 bulls Mr. Howey bought on sale day. Lot 26 was a true standout in this year’s test. He took home awards for highest ADG at 6.7lbs, WDA at 4.23 lbs and Highest Index at 185.4. Bull 26 was an Elite bull with 4 EPDs in the top 1% of the breed with another 3 EPDs in the top 2% for the breed. He weighed off test at an impressive 1782lbs and was over 2100lbs on sale day.
Our second highest bull was lot 70 a SimAngus bull consigned by Owens Family Farm, Steve Owens from Whitaker, NC. Mr. Frank Howey also bought bull 70 for $13,000. This impressive bull had a blaze face partnered with a set of impressive EPDs and was another Elite bull for our test. Lot 70 had several growth traits in the top 5% or higher of the breed and had a negative RFI meaning he will add efficient weight to his offspring.
Our third highest selling bull was lot 23, an angus bull from Allgood Angus, Jamie Allgood, from Athens, GA. Mr. Frank Howey again purchased this bull for $12,000. Bull 23 was another Elite bull with outstanding EPDs several of which were in the top 10% or better for the breed. Lot 23 was another negative RFI bull, so his efficiency and growth characteristics are going to be beneficial traits to pass down to his offspring.
Our breed averages are as follows.
Angus average: $7482 (28 Angus bulls sold)
Red Angus Average: $4,666 (3 Red Angus bulls sold)
Once again, on behalf of Clemson University, the Cooperative Extension Service as well as the Clemson Bull Test program, we thank our consignors, buyer’s and bidders for their dedication in breed improvement and excellence in genetic advancement within the beef industry! The confidence each of you has in the Clemson Bull Testing Program is humbling and appreciated.
The 49th Annual Sale was sold by Col. Dale Stith of Mays Lick, Kentucky. Ring men were Mr. Paul Wall of Athens GA, Mr. Michael Ryan of Townville SC and Mr. David Gazda of the American Angus Association. These four gentlemen are true professionals, and we thank them for a job well done. With all the sale enthusiasm these guys never missed a bid. Thank you, gentlemen! Please mark your calendars for the first Saturday in February 2026 for another powerful offering of industry improving bulls.
Ag Safety: Great Job on Trainings!
On Wednesday, January 29th, 2025, the Ag Safety Program received a call that a gentleman was entrapped in grain to his waist in a bin in Dillon County and they were in need of additional rescue panels. Through training other departments in the area, the program knew that Howe Springs Fire Department had additional panels. The program contacted Howe Springs, and the panels were dispatched to Dillon County. Once on scene, the additional panels were used to complete the wall around the victim, and the grain was removed. After safely rescuing the victim, he was airlifted to the hospital where he was then later discharged that evening. Thanks to training provided bythe Agricultural Safety Team, Dillon
County Fire and Rescue was equipped with the knowledge and the tools to respond quickly and efficiently. The collaborative effort between Dillon County Fire and Rescue and Howe Springs Fire Department, along with the crucial support from the Agricultural Safety Program, helped ensure that the operation was carried out efficiently and with minimal risk to the victim. A very special thank you to Hunter Massey and Shelley Lovern for their dedicated efforts.
Salesforce
Salesforce is a customer relationship management software that also serves as Clemson Extension’s reporting system
Eventbrite syncs with Salesforce once a day. Each team has their own accounts and policies for Eventbrite, please contact your PTD should you have questions. If your programs are missing 48 hours after the event is created, please contact Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu. Remember, you may search on the Program Events tab for events under other users’ ownership.
You may add a Team Member to an Interaction or a Program Event. To do so, create the interaction and save and then view the interaction. Once you scroll you will see a box for “Team Members” where you can add assisting users. For program events, view the Details tab on Program Event record and you can add an assisting user as well. You may also run a report to view records you have been added as a Team Member on.
Check out the “Agent Reports” folder on the Reports tab. In this folder you will find a number of reports you may find helpful. You may clone these reports and save a copy under your name to make edits and learn how the reports work. Please feel free to contact the Advisory team should you need assistance or would like to request a report.
Service Milestones
I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:
Amanda Smith, Administrative Coordinator, 10 Years
Michael McManus, District Extension Director, 30 Years
Justin Ballew, Fruit and Vegetable Research Associate, 10 Years
New Employees
Please help me welcome the newest members of our Extension family:
Camilla Herndon: Rural Health & Nutrition Agent, Greenville County
Stevie Griffen: 4-H Agent, Williamsburg County
Talithia (Ty) Jolley, 4H Agent, Pickens County
Tess Moody: Extension Associate for Natural Resources Program Team, TEACH Center Charleston
Molly Jones: Area Water Resource Agent for Natural Resources Program Team, Dorchester office in Saint George, covering Dorchester, Colleton, Hampton, Jasper, Allendale, Beaufort, Bamberg, Barnwell, Aiken, and Edgefield Counties
Onboarding
In addition to HR Orientation, Clemson Extension now offers an Onboarding course for all Extension Professionals. The course is housed in canvas and should be completed at the participant’s own pace. The course will be available to be referenced at any time after enrollment for the duration of employment with Clemson University.
Please Note: Existing Extension Professionals who wish to be enrolled in the course may request to be added here.
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
As we move forward into February, let us continue the great work that defines Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. Your commitment to our stakeholders, communities, and the Extension mission is vital as we navigate these challenges together. Remember, we’re all in this together, and by staying focused on what we do best, we can continue to thrive and grow. I look forward to the successes we will continue to achieve this year, and I am confident that, with your continued efforts, we will remain a strong and resilient force for positive change in South Carolina.
As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
February 12-14: 2025 Joint Cooperative Extension Conference
April 23 – 25: South Carolina Association of Extension Administrative Professionals Conference
As we embrace the changing of seasons this October, we have much to celebrate and reflect on. From our successful presence at the State Fair to the outstanding representation at the Sunbelt Ag Expo, the past month has been full of opportunities to showcase the impactful work we do every day in communities across South Carolina. This month’s Director’s Letter highlights these events, as well as exciting updates on new staff, training opportunities, and service milestones. I am proud to share these achievements with you and express my deep appreciation for your continued dedication to Clemson Cooperative Extension.
State Fair:
This year’s State Fair proudly celebrated all 46 counties of South Carolina, highlighting the unique qualities and distinct characteristics that each county brings to our vibrant state.
Clemson Extension showcased the invaluable contributions of its 10 program teams, emphasizing their diverse initiatives that enrich communities throughout the state. Highlights also included the Grain Bin Simulator and Tractor Safety displays from the Ag Mech team. Thank you to all the program teams and agents that volunteered and visited with Stakeholders! Thank you to Becca Hedden and Lance Beecher for organizing and making sure the State Fair was a success!
As we reflect on this year’s success, we’re already gearing up for next year’s State Fair, which is scheduled for October 8 through October 19. We look forward to continuing to celebrate the remarkable work of our program teams in 2025.
Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, GA
2024 provided for yet another outstanding year at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA. From ag exhibits and simulators, food safety demonstrations, to Madagascar hissing cockroaches, the 2024 Clemson building truly had something for everyone – from students to hobbyists to professionals. Thanks to special funding from Extension administration, the 2024 Clemson building featured several updates and improvements including the addition of a porch and concrete pad. These updates were certainly noticed and appreciated by many, including Sunbelt Executive Director, Chip Blalock, who made it a point to stop by on the opening day!
Each member of the Clemson Sunbelt team did a phenomenal job and devoted numerous hours ensuring our building would be amazing in 2024. Aside from representing Clemson at the Expo with their exhibits, our Sunbelt team members spent weeks in preparation, transport, set-up, and tear-down. The same thing can be said for Hunter Massey and the Ag Mech students that travel to Clemson. Thank you to each of you for all your efforts. For those who have interest in participating in the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo exhibit, please reach out to Millie Davenport or Brian Callahan.
2024 SC Sunbelt Farmer of the Year winner, Ty (and Tracy) Woodard surrounded by supporters at the 2024 Ag Expo in Moultrie, GA.
The 2024 Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year was Ty Woodard of Woodard Farms in Darlington, SC, and was nominated by David DeWitt. Ty and his wife, Tracy, did a truly wonderful job of representing farming, family, and agriculture for our state. It was truly an honor for our entire team to get to work with them and know them a little bit better this year. To learn more details about Woodard Farms, check out the official press release at https://sunbeltexpo.com/2024-farmer-of-the-year-ty-woodard-south-carolina/. Special thanks to David DeWitt for serving as the nominator for our 2024 Sunbelt Farmer of the Year. We are already brainstorming nominees for the 2025 Sunbelt Farmer of the Year program. For anyone interested in potentially making a nomination, please feel free to reach out the Brian Callahan for more information. Special thanks to the Millie Davenport for coordinating the building and so many of the small details that come along with it. Thank you as well to Extension and CAFLS administration for the continued financial investment in Sunbelt activities, and to Dr. Dobbins, Dr. Privette and Dean Holt for visiting the Sunbelt Ag Expo. Go Tigers! Brian Callahan
5 K Day at the Union County Agricultural Fair
In 1996, Union County Clemson Extension Office started the 5K Day at the Union County Agricultural Fair and we have continued that tradition since. 5K Day is designed to teach kindergarten students about agriculture and how our food is produced. The program has grown throughout the year, and we are fortunate to be able to offer this to all the kindergarten classes in Union County. In total we have all 4 elementary schools attend the program. Each year we have between 250 to 300 kindergarten students attend the program, along with chaperones and volunteers.
Each class rotates through nine stations where they spend five minutes learning about the specific agricultural commodity. The stations consist of beef cows, dairy cows, goats, horses, chickens, rabbits, bees, and crops. The crops station focuses on cotton, corn, soybeans, and vegetables that are planted by the Union Clemson Extension Office as a demonstration garden for the fair.
This program would not be possible without the help of agents from neighboring counties and several local volunteers.
You may add a Team Member to an Interaction or a Program Event. To do so, create the interaction and save and then view the interaction. Once you scroll you will see a box for “Team Members” where you can add assisting users. For program events, view the Details tab on Program Event record and you can add an assisting user as well.
Please see the “Agent Activity – EPMS Summary” for a snapshot of your activities. You may clone this report and save it to make edits and learn how the report works.
I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:
Terri Sumpter, Sumter County 4-H Youth Development Agent, 30 Years
Becca Hedden, Reporting and Staff Development Coordinator, 10 Years
Congratulations!
(Photo by Ken Scar)
Becca Hedden graduated in the fourth cohort of CU Grow participants!
Project: Civil Rights Compliance Course – A collaboration between Clemson Cooperative Extension Service and CU Online for all Extension staff to complete that will enhance staff knowledge and awareness of civil rights compliance.
New Employees
Please help me welcome the newest members of our Extension family:
Robert Carter: Forestry & Wildlife Agent, Kershaw County
Cateya Davis: Administrative Assistant, Abbeville County
Allie Trotter: 4-H Agent, Greenwood County
Toni Heriot: 4-H Agent, Kershaw and Lee Counties
Dr. Maria Bowie: Director of Extension Center for Health Outreach Center (ECHO)
Katie Silver: livestock and Forages Agent, Aiken and Edgefield Counties
Mallory Fulmer: 4-H Youth Development Agent, Newberry County
Job Openings
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
South Carolina Botanical Garden Visitor Services Assistant Manager, Clemson, 109366
Thank you for your tireless commitment to Extension’s mission and the communities we serve. Whether you’re preparing for the next event, engaging with stakeholders, or celebrating milestones, your work is vital and truly appreciated. Please take time to rest and recharge as we head into the remainder of the year and continue making a difference in the lives of those around you. I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the coming months.As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Cooperative Extension.
I want to thank you all for your dedication and passion for Extension work. This became very clear during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. I have witnessed our folks helping their neighbors and our stakeholders, as well as working with other agencies to assist however we could to help our communities get through this catastrophic event. This is what we do, this is who we are, this is our mission to help our communities to become better to get through tough times. Once we get through this, we will assess what we did, how we did it, and how to improve what we do. I could not be prouder of our folks- thank you!
The beginning of Fall is always a busy time for us – fairs, harvest, Sunbelt Expo, Extension Programs of all types and planning for 2025. It seems like an Extension Agent, Associate and Specialists work is never ending. We will have teams at Sunbelt Expo, SC State Fair, and the National FFA Convention. At the same time, we will have teams determining the economic cost to our stakeholders of Hurricane Helene. However, in all this time of work, we need to remember our families and reflect on what is most important in our lives. We need to take time and reflect on how we balance our lives and how we make the “Best, Better”.
State Fair:
The State Fair begins Wednesday, October 9 through Sunday, October 20. The Clemson Cooperative Extension Booth is located in the Ellison Building. If you are working in the booth, please know the fair has a clear bag policy and we will be providing light refreshments. If you would like to work a shift or have any questions, please contact Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu.
I would like to congratulate the following on their service milestones to Clemson University:
Christopher LeMaster, Area Livestock and Forages Agent for Spartanburg and Union Counties, 10 years; and Jennifer Weaver, Urban Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator Lexington and Aiken Counties, 10 years.
Congratulations to Ben Boyles!
I would like to congratulate Ben Boyles for being a recipient of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for their Reciprocal Exchange.
“The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders—the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)—was created in 2014 to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The Reciprocal Exchange component provides U.S. citizens with the opportunity to build upon strategic partnerships and professional connections developed during the Fellowship through collaborative projects with Fellowship Alumni. As a Reciprocal Exchange Participant, you have the unique opportunity to implement a co-designed project with Stephane Okou and Sosthene Auguste Guei that will help you form lasting partnerships, expand markets and networks, and increase mutual understanding between the United States and Africa.
Congratulations again on being selected for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange component. We look forward to hearing about the results of your collaboration with your Fellowship Alumni Collaborator.
Sincerely,
The Mandela Washington Fellowship Team”
He will be heading to Africa in about a month.
New Employees:
Please help me welcome the newest members of our Extension family:
Savannah McKenzieNicole GoodmanMallory Maher
Savannah McKenzie: Administrative Assistant, Georgetown County
Nicole Goodman: Urban Horticulture Agent, Spartanburg County
Mallory Maher: Master Naturalist Program Coordinator and Natural Resources Extension Associate
Job Openings:
We have new openings to fill with talent. The following positions with their job ID numbers are currently posted on the Clemson Careers website. http://www.clemson.edu/careers
Forest Management Specialist, Various Counties, 109167
IN CLOSING …
We would like to congratulate and welcome Dr. John Andrae named as the director of Edisto REC. As he transitions into his new role, we in Extension will support him in any way possible as he continues to improve Edisto REC for our stakeholders.
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s 39th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference will be held November 2–4 at the Durham Convention Center in Durham, NC. Thanks to support from the USDA Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture, Research and Education Program (Southern SARE), Extension personnel and agricultural specialists at Clemson University and SC State University may access a limited number of travel scholarships for this event.
Scholarship
The scholarship will provide registration for the conference (includes all meals starting Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch), optional whole or half-day intensives on Monday, November 4, and hotel for up to two nights if needed. Hotels will be provided on a reimbursement basis. Mileage will not be reimbursed unless essential.
About the Conference
The conference boasts a premier event featuring local farmer-mentors as well as experts from various sectors of our agricultural system tackling the challenges of building resilient regional food systems, from the big ideas to the particulars of production.
Over 60 workshops on timely topics
Full and half-day on-farm intensives
Keynote presentation
Exhibit hall highlighting products and services for small farms
Amazing local and organic meals
Regional gatherings and networking opportunities
Policy updates
Advocacy opportunities
Seed exchange
Book signing and much more!
How to Apply
Scholarships will be provided until allotted funding is depleted or the deadline to apply (September 27) has passed. If you wish to apply for a travel scholarship, please complete the Google Form before Friday, September 27th.
Please do not complete the form until you are sure you plan to attend the conference.
For questions, please contact:
Kelly Flynn, SC SARE Program Assistant – kgilker@clemson.edu
Dr. John Andrae, SC SARE Coordinator (CU) – jandrae@clemson.edu
Dr. Joshua Idassi, SC SARE Coordinator (SCSU) – jidassi@scsu.edu
The South Carolina 4-H and FFA Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) Teams traveled to the National WHEP Competition in Brownwood, Texas, at the end of July.
WHEP is a 4-H and FFA youth natural resource program designed to teach wildlife and fisheries habitat management to junior- and senior-level (ages 8-19) youth in the United States. It also allows participants to test their wildlife knowledge in a friendly competition, as each state supporting WHEP conducts an annual contest, and the winning senior (14-19 years of age) WHEP team from each state earns the right to attend the annual National WHEP Contest.
This year, 16 teams from across the United States competed in the National Contest. Participants had to identify wildlife and write a management plan for the woodlands ecoregion, including species like Northern Bobwhite, white-tailed deer, American widgeons and monarch butterflies.
Our FFA Team from Aynor High School, coached by Mr. Nate Bellamy, clinched a 4th national championship. For the individual portion of the FFA Division, Mason King, Ethan Buffkin, Chase Squires and Levi Dickerson also finished 1st-4th place. Mason King had the highest score of the entire contest (both FFA and 4-H). Our 4-H WHEP Team from Lexington, including Hennelly Gavin, Mya Chapman and Emma McCaffrey, performed exceptionally as well. Hennelly Gavin finished 9th place in the 4-H individual division.
Since 2019, approximately 600 South Carolina youth have participated in WHEP. South Carolina has sent WHEP teams to all the National WHEP Competitions (Kansas, Virtual, Kentucky, Iowa and Texas) and has won a total of 5 National WHEP Championships (four FFA and one 4-H) and two third place finishes (4-H).
Ms. Mallory Maher serves on the National WHEP Committee and helps conduct the annual National Competition. Due to our success on the state and national level, South Carolina will be hosting the National WHEP Competition in 2026. It will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase South Carolina’s natural resources to the rest of the country.
The 2024 SC State Fair runs from Wednesday, October 9, through Sunday, October 20. Each program team has an assigned day for staffing the Cooperative Extension exhibit space, which will be located in the Ellison Building (view the fairgrounds map).
If you are not signed up to work a shift yet and would like to, please contact Ms. Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu as soon as possible. We are especially in need of volunteers for Sunday, October 13 and Thursday, October 17. There are different shift times, but the exhibit hours typically run from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, October 9: Horticulture
Thursday, October 10: Livestock and Forages
Friday, October 11: 4-H Youth Development
Saturday, October 13: Agribusiness
Monday, October 14: Agricultural Education
Tuesday, October 15: Forestry and Natural Resources
Many of you may be aware we have a generic survey that is automated and connected to each of your programs. When your program is marked as “complete” within Salesforce, Qualtrics will send a general survey to the participants who attended. Although we have just started collecting this information, your hard work and service to your constituents are clear, with a net promoter score (NPS) of 82.
About NPS
The NPS is a widely used metric for gauging customer loyalty and satisfaction. Developed by Fred Reichheld, Bain & Company, and Satmetrix in 2003, NPS measures how likely customers are to recommend a company’s products or services to others.
How NPS Works
Survey Question The core of NPS is a single question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company/product/service to a friend or colleague?”
Scoring – Promoters (9–10): These are loyal enthusiasts who will keep buying and also refer others, therefore fueling growth. – Passives (7–8): These are satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who are vulnerable to competitive offerings. – Detractors (0–6): These are unhappy customers who can damage your brand through negative word-of-mouth.
Calculation NPS is calculated by subtracting the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. The formula is
NPS = %Promoters − %Detractors
The score can range from -100 (if every customer is a Detractor) to +100 (if every customer is a Promoter).
Interpretation of NPS
NPS > 0: More Promoters than Detractors, generally considered good.
NPS > 50: Excellent, indicating a high level of customer loyalty.
NPS > 70: World-class, representing exceptional customer satisfaction and loyalty.
As you can see, an NPS of 82 is world-class customer satisfaction. Thank you for your diligent use of Salesforce, and keep up the great work!
Ongoing Training
Speaking of work, we still have more to do as we learn to better utilize the tool of Salesforce. The Salesforce team will be visiting each District in person this fall to provide hands-on training. We are also continuing to offer Salesforce office hours every Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. If you don’t have the link, please reach out to Becca Hedden at rthomp7@clemson.edu, and she will make sure you get the calendar invitation.
