Tag: May17

Information as of December 2021

General Details

• Employees who are at a higher risk for COVID-19 based on risk factors identified by the CDC should discuss their concerns with their supervisor. If additional accommodation is needed, they should discuss these concerns and possible accommodations with the University’s ADA coordinator.
• Whenever possible, meetings should continue to be virtual. When meetings must be in-person, designate a space for such purpose.
• Continue physical distancing and use of protective equipment.
• Continue closure of areas where people congregate.
• Face coverings are not required in University facilities, but remain strongly encouraged in instructional areas (classrooms, instructional labs) and research labs.
• Anyone who wants to wear a face-covering regardless of their vaccination status is welcome to do so.
• No quarantine following known exposure for fully vaccinated individuals.
• Current recommendations for physical distancing in University facilities remain in place.
  Events and large gatherings must continue to go through University protocols for approval.

Extension Offices

• Notify county government partners that the facility has reopened to the public.
• Transfer main office lines back to office phones.
• Post public health notices on all publicly accessible entrances.
• Prepare sampling areas to mitigate personal contact with the public.
• Create physical separation between all publicly accessible areas of the office and those intended to be accessed by staff only.
• Make hand sanitizer available at all entrances.
• Make supplies including, but not limited to, disinfectant wipes, disposable towels, disinfectant solution, etc. available in all commonly used areas of the office facility.
• Update sampling information on county websites and social media outlets only after the office has been deemed safely accessible to the public.
• Consider maintaining a long-term soil drop-off-only process that limits in-office interactions with the public.
• Consider delineating physical separation with marks on the floor in open spaces accessible to the public.

Extension Volunteers

Clemson Extension volunteers may return to in-person service in Stage – Yellow provided ALL the following conditions are met:

• The program-leading Extension Agent and any applicable third party or property have approved the volunteer activity.
• The volunteer follows appropriate CDC guidelines.
• Adults that have routine interaction with youth must abide by Clemson University Youth Protection Policy and Operating Standards.
• General guidance for returning to in-person volunteer service includes:
• Remain at home if you or anyone in your household is not feeling well or has a fever.
• High-risk individuals and those with significant underlying medical conditions are strongly encouraged to stay at home and take measures to limit exposure.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Try to work independently, keeping 6 feet or more apart from others.
• Frequently clean high‐touch surfaces including your cellphone/tablet, door handles, restroom surfaces, handrails, tools, etc.
• Refrain from using shared office equipment when possible. If it is necessary to use other’s equipment, sanitize between each user.

Guidance for Outdoor Service

• People should be spaced apart 6 feet or more.
• Individuals may work independently, keeping 6 feet or more apart from others in the garden.
• When possible, use your own gardening tools and equipment; shared tools and equipment should be cleaned after each use.

Communication Regarding Attendance at Educational Events

• Advise participants in advance that if they have any symptoms or feel unwell, they should not attend.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

Clemson’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management offers an online degree that may appeal to many Extension professionals seeking additional educational opportunities. The Masters of Science in Youth Development Leadership prepares students to address issues facing youth in the context of family and community with an emphasis on positive youth development through a dynamic learning environment. Like 4-H, the M.S. in Youth Development leadership advocates for the best practice, programs, and youth engagement.

The Master of Science in Youth Development Leadership degree program requires 36 semester hours of coursework. The program has an online synchronous meeting time/class that meets for 1.5 hours per week. The program is a 6-semester program that equips students in:
· Principles and Best Practices in Youth Development
· Child and Adolescent Development
· Youth Development and the Family
· Creative and Ethical Leadership Skills
· Youth and Development and Nature
· Youth and Technology
· Recruiting staff and volunteers in youth-serving organizations
· Fundamentals of grant-writing

A Certificate in Youth Development Leadership is also available. This Certificate is designed to equip professionals with competencies that augment their bachelor’s degree in a related field. A Certificate in Youth Development Leadership requires 15 credit hours of YDP 8000 Theoretical Foundations of Youth Development and 4 additional courses selected collaboratively with an advisor based on the professional goals of the student.

A complete application should
include:
· Baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade-point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
· Resume
· Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate work
· Personal statement describing your interests and professional goals for seeking this degree
· Two letters of reference
· The Graduate Record Examination, GRE (www.gre.org) is not required, but it may strengthen an application
· Application available online at www.grad.clemson.edu

Please remember that all educational degree pursuits need to be approved by your District Extension Director and Program Team Director. Please communicate with them about your intents. You must also have at least one year in your current position before pursuing an additional degree.

Over the past ten years, Alta Mae Marvin and other agents with the Colleton County Clemson Extension Office have been working with churches in rural and underserved areas of the county to provide locally grown fruits and vegetables. As part of efforts to fight the increasing health risk of obesity, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program for rural African American churches was developed. The vision has been to increase the availability and accessibility of fresh produce to underserved communities, increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables among the target population, and identify ways to sustain the Mobile Farmer’s Market for future success. The efforts also provide economic impact for local farmers. Coordinated with leaders of participating African American churches, the program reaches between sixty and eighty families weekly during the summer months. In addition to fresh produce, families receive educational materials on health-related topics and recipes for preparing fresh vegetables.

The CSA Market program is offered at a small cost to the participants. Funding support from the local Walmart allowed participants to pay five dollars per week to receive seven dollars worth of produce. A mobile farmers market manager and a local farmer coordinated with other local farmers for the weekly produce. The food boxes of produce were assembled on Wednesday morning and delivered to the churches. The church coordinators delivered the produce to their participants. Survey results from the participants showed 82% were satisfied with the program, 82% were satisfied with the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables, and 100% were satisfied with the cost. Plans are to transition the coordination of the 2021 CSA Market to the growers for long-term sustainability.

An upcoming event highlighting local farms is the 2021 South Carolina Ag + Art Tour, which will kick off in Colleton County May 29-30, 2021. This is Colleton County’s first year participating in our nation’s largest farm and art tour. The South Carolina Artisan Center, located in Walterboro, is the Folk Art and Craft Center for the State and represents artists from forty-three of South Carolina’s forty-six counties. Local organizers are excited about the upcoming Ag + Art Tour. Included in the tour will be several minority-owned farms, such as a presentation by SS Hamilton Farm’s owner, Joe Hamilton, who will talk about his years-long struggle sorting through heirs’ property to build today’s profitable tree farm. The weekend includes an aquaponics farm that reflects the Native American culture of its female owner and a minority-owned vineyard. These are just a few of the farms, farmers markets, local food vendors, and activities planned in Colleton County for the Ag + Art Tour.

Submitted by: Alta Mae Marvin, Regional Agribusiness Agent

The Agricultural Education Program Team has been working with Clemson University Professor Dr. Jim Frederick, with the Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, to create a mini-demonstration teaching opportunity at a Middle School in Darlington County.

Utilizing space on the grounds of the Darlington Middle School, Dr. Frederick and his Clemson Extension collaborators have worked with students and teachers to create mini-demonstration plots to conduct problem-solving experiments specific to each grade. The mini-demonstration plots allow students to examine the effects of water, nutrients, soil type, and other key factors on plant growth and potential environmental impacts. Vegetables, agronomic crops, long-leaf pine, and horticultural crops will be a part of the studies once the program is completed.

In addition to the plots, under Dr. Frederick’s guide, the school also created workstations where students record data, examine their results, and display their findings on kiosks for others to view.

Because of the program’s success at the Middle School, the Agricultural Education Program Team plans to use it as a “template” for agricultural education programs around the State. Many of the agricultural education programs have school farms. Still, for those that are not so lucky to have the available land and resources, this project will provide students the opportunity to still conduct experiments on plants while only requiring a minimum amount of space. The projects the students conduct in each grade are centered on science teaching standards. Therefore, the program is also a great way to introduce agriculture to science teachers and other school educators.

Dr. Frederick and the Agricultural Education Team plan on presenting the program to Career and Technical Education Directors this summer at the South Carolina Department of Education’s Education and Business Summit to promote the project to school district leadership. In addition, he will address South Carolina Agriculture Teachers at their annual summer conference.

Submitted by: William Keels, State Director Agricultural Education

Clemson Cooperative Extension is getting back into the swing of things, and our operating procedures are starting to look more like they used to before the pandemic. As a state and country, we still have a long way to go, so we must remain mindful and not let our guard down by dismissing relevant protocols that are still in place. I know everyone is eager to engage in person again, and many will be wearing our new logo that was re-designed last year. We are coming back with a fresh look and bringing enthusiastic attitudes.

As many of you have heard by now, Dr. Pam Ardern has recently announced her retirement. She has been the face of South Carolina 4-H for over 15 years and has dedicated her 36-year career to “Making the Best, Better”. Starting her 4-H career in South Carolina as a County Extension 4-H Agent in Sumter County, she immediately had a lasting impact on her 4-Hers, their families, and their communities. Growing up on a farm in Oklahoma and being very active in 4-H as a youth, Dr. Ardern did not have to be educated on the value of 4-H; she had lived it as a child. She knew the difference and impact the Green and White could have on a child. Dr. Ardern never missed an opportunity to serve 4-H in South Carolina, and when she got the call to become the director of 4-H, she did not waver. Because of Dr. Ardern, we still have 4-H in South Carolina, and because of her dedication, passion, and ‘not giving up’ attitude, our 4-H program is growing and becoming stronger. No one knows the gratitude we ALL owe Dr. Ardern for stepping up to lead this great youth organization. Dr. Pam Ardern – I want to thank you for a JOB WELL DONE!

Our Extension team excels at creating thriving partnerships, and we have helped create an abundance of impact over the past month alone, working alongside internal and external partners. The new website (https://www.clemson.edu/online/programs/extension/index.html) for Clemson Online Cooperative Extension Programs is now live. I would like to thank Dr. Brian Callahan for his diligent work with Clemson Online to launch this initiative. The program will significantly expand our audiences because of the improved accessibility and convenience of our programming. Last month, several of our Extension teams were responsible for planting 500,000 loblolly pine tree seeds for the Power Plant SC project on Earth Day, April 22. The Power Plant SC program is organized by the Floodwater Commission to raise awareness about the importance of trees to human and environmental health, including flood mitigation. I would like to recognize those who coordinated seed distribution and promotional efforts on Extension’s behalf, including Dr. Pam Ardern and our 36 4-H agents; Ms. Amy Dabbs with the SC School and Community Garden Program; and Mr. Billy Keels, Ms. Jillian Lash, Mr. Jason Gore, Mr. Frank Saldana, and Mr. Troy Helms from the Agricultural Education team. Extension played a large part in getting 3.4M seeds planted across our state, and everyone should be commended.

I am proud to share two significant recognitions recently bestowed on the Forestry and Natural Resources team. Dr. Dave Coyle, a team specialist, was selected as the 2021 Forest Landowners Association Extension Forester of the Year, and the team’s CU in the Woods newsletter won the Notable State Document Award (https://news.clemson.edu/clemson-extensions-cu-in-the-woods-newsletter-wins-notable-state-document-award/) presented by the South Carolina State Library.

On a closing note, we received some amazing news about HGIC that blew me away. I think it even caught the Horticulture team by surprise. For the year 2020, the HGIC website had nearly double the number of page views than the University’s homepage received. This is an incredible achievement and just one example of how Extension teams continue to shine and increase recognition of the University’s land-grant mission by serving as the primary public service outreach arm. However, it doesn’t always take high numbers to show how dedicated and successful our Extension team is, as the impact can be measured in various ways when we improve the well-being of South Carolinians. Even the smallest achievement can create ripples beyond the initial intent, and we are diligent enough to build on those ripples when an opportunity presents itself. Never underestimate the impact of your work.

As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Extension.