Winneshiek County ISU Extension will celebrate this legacy during National Extension and Outreach Week Monday, April 12 – Sunday, April 17.
“This celebration is one way we say thank you to the many volunteers, community leaders, organizations and other partners who support our work in Winneshiek County,” said Winneshiek County ISU Extension Program Coordinator Alexandria McIntyre.
Winneshiek County residents may participate in the search for two painted prize rocks hidden within the county during the week-long celebration. The rocks will be the “gold ticket” needed to win an adventure pack. The challenge will begin Monday, April 12. Clues will be available on the Winneshiek County Extension and Outreach Facebook page.
ISU Extension’s deep agricultural roots have grown throughout the years to include recent, across the board programming for all ages.
Upcoming events available to the public include a hummingbird workshop, several webinar series, Preserve the Taste of Summer 101, youth summer camps and more, noted ISU Extension K-12 Program Coordinator Liz Siepker.
“We provide education for all ages,” said Siepker. There are numerous K-12 educational resources available as well. We have curriculum focused on STEM, communication skills, the arts, healthy living, leadership and civic engagement. These resources are available to all area youth.”
Details concerning ISU Extension services may be found on the organization’s website, https://www.extension.iastate.edu, or via Winneshiek County Extension and Outreach and Winneshiek County 4-H on Facebook.
Those seeking information on a topic of interest are encouraged to contact McIntyre at (563) 382-2949.
“Extension truly has something available to all,” said McIntyre. “I am happy to explore programming of interest to residents of Winneshiek County.” The ISU Extension website, she added, provides free materials on a range of topics such as families and health, community economic development, agriculture, the environment and home and garden.
History
A commitment to education and public service defines the history of ISU Extension. An 1862 legislation act created the first land-grant college system in the U.S. Iowa was the first state to accept the provisions to establish a college in Ames. Such colleges became known as “people’s colleges,” created to educate the working class, with courses largely agricultural-based.
An 1887 act of Congress established funding for states to create agricultural research stations, thus planting the seeds that grew into the 1906 legislation. By 1912, the need for individuals to serve as full-time extension “agents” was visible. The Iowa State Legislature enacted the Farm Aid Association Act in 1913, permitting counties to appropriate funding for extension programming. The bill required each county to have a local sponsor, a role filled by each area’s Farm Bureau office. By 1918, each county had an extension agent in place, followed by the first staffing for home economics and what would become the 4-H program.
Local governing boards were established following the 1955 County Agricultural Extension Law. This legislation replaced Farm Bureau as the governing agency for extension and established a local tax to support extension services.
Local services
Winneshiek County ISU Extension staff provides year-round services for area residents. Each spring, said Siepker, is spent arranging summer programming for area youth. Youth Coordinator Katie Isbell assists the county 4-H clubs and helps with annual fair planning.
“It’s during the fall and winter,” Siepker added, “that we look forward to partnering with our county schools to continue reaching our local youth in classrooms and afterschool programs.”
County staff includes Kraig Tweed, regional director serving Winneshiek, Chickasaw, Howard and Allamakee counties; Office Manager Alexandria (Allie) McIntyre, local programming developer in charge of community collaborations and everyday operations; Liz Siepker, K-12 program coordinator serving Winneshiek County youth; Katie Isbell, youth coordinator serving 4-H; and Jackie Cooper, office operations and overall assistant.
Local extension specialists are Melissa O’Rourke, farm and agribusiness management specialist; Jennifer Bentley, extension dairy field specialist; and Scott Timm, community development specialist. Joshua Michel serves as regional extension agronomist. Residents will find contact information for these individuals on the ISU Extension website.
“ISU Extension is made possible,” noted McIntyre, “through federal, state and county partnerships, with 98 of Iowa’s 100 county extension districts voting to increase the maximum tax levy rate used to fund local county extension programs since 1992.”
Currently, the organization is promoting “Summer Voyage: Where to Next?” – an assortment of summer day camps for children in grades K-9. Topics include day camps devoted to fly fishing, wind energy, meteorology, the science of BBQ, robotics and more. Camps will be held at multiple locations throughout Winneshiek County. Registration two weeks prior to event is required. More information is available locally at (563) 382-2949 or on the organization’s website.
Those wishing to show support to Winneshiek County 4-H, K-12 Program or the Extension Program may call Jackie Cooper at the local office. Cooper will facilitate your resources, monetary donation or volunteer availability.
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