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Join National Urban Extension Leaders on May 18-19 for the NCR Network Conference to engage with colleagues from your region. The conference will be held at the Pyle Conference Center on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus located in the heart of Madison, Wisconsin. Conference Goal: To build a network of urban Extension professionals in the North Central Region that leverages the knowledge and life experiences of the participants. Conference Objectives:

• Provide an affordable and high-quality professional development experience for urban Extension colleagues in the North Central Region.
• Showcase Urban Extension models that are successful.
• Leverage the knowledge and life experiences of the urban Extension professionals to improve work in our respective urban communities.

Follow this link to download the Conference Agenda. The NUEL Steering Committee will meet on May 20 & 21 following the NCR Network Conference – All are welcome to attend! Be sure to register for the steering committee if you plan to attend. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: NUEL

Celebrating Family and Consumer Sciences Educator Day on Wednesday, February 12, 2020

Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS): the field of study focused on the science and art of living and working well in our complex world. Family and Consumer Sciences Educators: career title of individuals most often found working in secondary, post-secondary, and Extension programs. Who should celebrate Family and Consumer Sciences Educator Day? Anyone who wants to:

• celebrate Family and Consumer Sciences Educators
• share the story of FCS education's relevance in today’s society, and effectiveness in addressing modern life needs within our United States
• encourage students to consider careers as FCS educators

I am a Family and Consumer Sciences educator in an urban county. In many ways my programming looks similar to my colleagues in rural counties but there are some differences. While I feel self-conscious about taking a day to promote my work, I’m starting to understand the importance of FCS Educator Day. When I look at the inspiring work that my colleagues are doing across the state, in urban, rural, and suburban communities I realize that it’s a wonderful opportunity to highlight the stories and work of FCS Educators. The theme for promoting FCS careers is: Making a Difference Through Family and Consumer Sciences. I’m confident my FCS colleagues would be making a difference, no matter what their field of work. When I think about this group of individual professionals, working in different communities across the state, there are notable commonalities. One specific trait I notice in my peers is that every one of us is a Problem Solver. We certainly don’t look at everything the same way, act in the same way, or solve problems in the same way; but I cannot think of an example when my colleagues weren’t willing to jump in and help create solutions. The problem solving is not limited to just offering advice. My colleagues actively help work on and contribute to solutions. Occasionally, challenges are easily identified and then fixed. More often, especially when working with people and families, there is no one right answer. Sometimes it’s even difficult to determine the specific dilemma. Most solutions take time and require dedication and effort. My colleagues don’t shy away from a challenge. Because we work in various counties across the state, most of us do not see one another on a regular basis. We rely on technology to call, zoom, and share resources. Even without working together in the same physical space, FCS educators often work as teams and therefor are good at co-creating solutions. For FCS Educator Day,

• If you are a problem solver and you’re considering your best career path, learn more about Family and Consumer Sciences. It’s a field of study that benefits a variety of careers.
• If you are reading this and thinking, “I know an FCS Educator,” take a moment to let them know what you appreciate about them. If someone is comfortable being in the spotlight, please share their story widely. If someone prefers working in the background, it’s a good time to recognize what they contribute to this field. Send a note, post a message, or share a picture of the professionals that contribute to strong families and communities.
• If you are reading this and thinking, “I wish I knew an FCS Educator” check out your local schools and Extension office. Occasionally, FCS is not given the recognition it deserves. While FCS Educators could be spending more time promoting the work they do, my guess is that most of my peers will spend FCS Educator Day, similar to other workdays. They will be building a better community, working with one person, family, or class at a time and not necessarily seeking accolades.

Follow this link to learn more about FCS Educator Day. Article courtesy of Patrice Powers-Barker, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Lucas County, Ohio

If you live in a place with both cars and snow, chances are you’ve witnessed first hand the annual salting of the roads. Since at least the 1940s, Americans in the snowy states have salted annually, often many times a year, in an effort to make our roads safer. Ask anyone who has spun out while driving, or unwittingly hit a patch of black ice: slippery roads are nothing to scoff at, and salt can be a necessary, even life-saving, tactic for winter road warriors. Today, shutting down a state’s roads due to winter weather can cost hundreds of millions of dollars, says Michael Smith, technical training specialist with Bay State Roads at the University of Massachusetts Transportation Center. For example, shutting down the roads of Massachusetts (as happened statewide during a 2013 nor’easter) can cost between $300 and $700 million dollars per day, Smith says. And so, as a nation, we dump 22 million tons of salt every year on our roads. Fish, animals, insects, plants, and algae have changed their behavior in response to the current levels of road salt washing into their habitats. Some species of frog are, incredibly, changing sex as a result of these massive doses of salt. High enough doses can kill them and other wildlife. For the naturalist, folks who like to fish or otherwise enjoy nature, and for locals who rely upon natural tourism, salt’s side effects can’t be ignored. Follow this link to learn more. Sourced from: Next City