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February 2006
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Ideas at WorkIncorporating Service Learning and Extension in Inner City Middle Schools: A Model for Future ProgrammingNicole Webster IntroductionWhen we think of Extension and young people, we are inclined to think of the motto, "learning by doing." This mantra has guided hundreds of youth to grow and develop into successful individuals. It has helped youth to become active and productive citizens in their communities through engaging projects and experiences. While these are of importance, often we overlook the use of Extension programs as a way to enhance classroom academics and curricula. The skills and content learned in the classroom are often not taught in engaging ways. Many times, youth learn about concepts and ideas through book examples rather than real-life experiences. Extension is in a prime position to assist the learning experiences of youth through hands-on learning, just as the motto, "learning by doing" reflects (Bourdeau, 2004; Hairston, 2004). This article discusses how a service learning based program has begun to enhance a school science program in a Philadelphia middle school. Through the collaborative efforts of school officials, Extension personnel, and community partners, students have begun to show an improvement in grades in traditional science classes and a love for learning. As youth learn about science, they are simultaneously becoming environmental stewards within their local school and community. Integrated Pest Management and Science EducationThe idea of bringing together a science-based program to meet the needs of middle school students came about from a number of conversations with youth development faculty, integrated pest management (IPM) faculty, and Philadelphia school district personnel. The program was designed to develop a school-based program that would teach 5th and 8th graders about the basic tenets of IPM through service learning activities. Using this approach creates a learning environment for youth to solve ecological problems by using their own community as the classroom. Youth begin to identify different organisms, investigate details more closely, and engage in experiments in their own backyards. Intertwining IPM methods with service learning begins to create a natural fit for engagement and relevant learning. The premise of service learning allows students to blend academic curriculum with real-life experiences in their own community. Youth not only learn, but use information to address critical issues that are of importance to them and the greater community. This active learning lead the individuals involved in forming this program to create a meaningful and useful partnership that followed the format of:
These lofty goals required several community partners, one of which was Pennsylvania State Cooperative Extension. The Voice of ExtensionIndividuals from Extension had the expertise of working with youth on experiential activities and bringing together community partners into the school system in inner city Philadelphia. This knowledge base was quite useful in the formation of the service learning IPM school based program because students needed to not only be connected within their school, but also have a connection to their communities. The Extension staff worked with the Philadelphia-based IPM coordinator, two teachers, and the service learning researcher from Penn State to devise a program that would fit within the overall goals of IPM learning and environmental stewardship. This plan included:
Throughout the year, the students worked with the Extension staff in an in-school program for 1 hour. The student-led program included interactive and civically engaged activities done within the school and the surrounding community. In order to focus on true community needs, students created a survey for the school and greater community to identify three program areas that they wanted to address and then developed supportive activities that would create awareness and behavior change. The service learning activities included the creation of IPM posters for school hallways and classes, delivering morning announcements on littering and recycling, conducting in-school demonstrations on IPM techniques, and coordinating an informative meeting with lunch room staff on pest related issues. Students worked with community members through several IPM events sponsored by the PA IPM Program and the Entomology Department at Penn State. They made presentations at the local community health fair, sat on the local school Healthy School Board, worked with the janitorial staff for the school district to identify and monitor school pests, and conducted a community walk-through with a local business woman who owned a pest management company. Assessments were collected through various measures throughout the program. Students reflected on their experiences through journal entries and open discussions on a weekly basis. Content knowledge was assessed through a state based IPM evaluation created for middle school youth. Students were also given the Service Learning Assessment Measure (Webster & Worrell, 2005) to examine their learning and connection to adults and the community. Based on the program objectives, results showed that students gained a greater appreciation of their community and school, had a deeper connection to their school, and enjoyed developing culturally relevant programs for their community. BenefitsThe IPM service learning project has proven extremely beneficial for everyone involved--the youth, their community, and Extension. Youth
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ConclusionIf positioned correctly, Extension has the potential of being a significant presence in urban communities. The Extension-urban community connection can be fostered through school partnerships that involve the family and the greater community. These types of programs can lead to greater participation of youth and families in Extension activities and a better understanding of the role of Extension within urban communities. ReferencesBourdeau, V. (2004). 4-H experiential education--A model for 4-H science as inquiry. Journal of Extension [Online], 42(5). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2004october/tt3.shtml Hairston, J. (2004). Identifying what 4-H'ers learn from community service learning projects. Journal of Extension [Online], 42(1). Available at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2004february/rb4.shtml Worrell, F., & Webster, N. (2005). Academically talented students' attitudes toward service learning. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Food Pantries: Food and Nutrition Education in a Non-Traditional SettingAngela Miyamoto Lindi Chun Naomi Kanehiro Claire Nakatsuka IntroductionTwo-hundred thirty-nine million pounds of food per month were distributed to food pantries in the United States in the year 2000. Of those households utilizing one of the 32,737 food pantries, 70% experienced food insecurity, and 33% experienced food insecurity with hunger (Nord, Andrews, & Carlson, 2004). Individuals with food insufficiency consume less than the recommended servings of vegetables and fruits. Over time, these individuals will have an increased risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease (ADA, 2002). Although some foods available at food pantries are low in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A and C and calcium, nutrition education in food pantries is needed (Akobundu, Cohen, Laus, Schulte, & Soussloff, 2004). With exposure to food and nutrition education, participants can then use foods available at pantries to create safe and nutritious meals for their families. Word of Life Food PantryThe Word of Life food pantry serves clients primarily from the Kaka`ako district of Honolulu, Hawai`i. All clients are welcome; however, the focus is to reach limited resource families who are homeless, living in transitional shelters, or low-income housing. The only requirement for the participants is to have a "large" family, which is defined by a single parent having at least two children or couples having at least four. The average family income reported was $800-$1,200 per month. This is below the federal poverty guideline for a family of four in Hawaii, which is $1,806 per month (DHHS, 2004). An average of 45 families visited the Word of Life food pantry each week. Approximately 375 families visited the food pantry during the 8-week informal food and nutrition educational sessions. Forty percent of those families attended the food pantry for more than four of the sessions. Ethnic makeup varied: 40% were Micronesian, 20% were White/Caucasian, 13% Chinese, 12% Filipino, 7% Hawaiian/Part Hawaiian, 3% Black/African American, 3% Samoan, and 2% Hispanic. Nutrition EducationImproving dietary quality by encouraging variety, increased consumption of vegetables and fruits, and safe food handling were the main focus areas of the intervention. Nutrition education materials were created and distributed to participants focusing on choosing nutritious foods and safe food handling. Main messages included:
Participants were also encouraged to take a weekly inventory of the fresh produce in their refrigerator, discard old items and to replace it with new vegetables and fruits from the food pantry. Program DeliveryExtension educators created simple and quick meals using ingredients from the pantry that are available to clients. Extension educators arrived at the food pantry 1 hour before opening to the public, selected ingredients, and cooked a main dish in an electric skillet. The main dish was prepared in approximately 20 minutes and put into sample servings. Each main dish consisted of ingredients from three different food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid, specifically increasing the vegetable group. Each serving of the main dish, if prepared at home for consumption as a meal, yielded at least one serving of vegetable. Simple fruit snacks such as cut fresh fruit were also assembled to demonstrate the ease of preparing healthful snacks for children. Extension educators engaged in informal conversations with participants, explaining preparation techniques as samples were distributed while they stood in line to enter the food pantry. Extension educators asked questions such as "Do you wash your hands before you cook at home?" and "Do your kids wash their hands before they eat?" Handouts were also distributed to reinforce concepts of food safety and proper hand washing. At the end of the 8-week series, Extension educators assessed program effectiveness through an informal, oral survey. Extension educators casually asked adult participants if they implemented concepts addressed during the nutrition education. Questions included "Did you prepare the dish at home?" or "Do you intend to prepare the dish at home?" and "Do you wash your hands before preparing or eating food?" Extension educators than asked children: "Do you like vegetables and fruits?" and "How do you like to eat vegetables and fruits?" ResultsOf the adult participants, 50% reported preparing the dishes at home; 20% reported enjoying the food, did not prepare the recipe, but intended to do so in the future. Participants reported increasing the frequency of hand washing before preparing and consuming food. Barriers to the survey included language and participants not sampling the prepared foods. Each week, up to 30 children ages 4-13 years old sampled foods and were exposed to eating main dishes and snacks with vegetables and fruits using different preparation techniques. Sixty percent of the children surveyed reported they would eat vegetables when prepared with meals. The children reported they liked vegetables when it was incorporated in dishes such as spaghetti or in a stir-fry with luncheon meat. Children also reported they enjoyed eating fresh-cut fruit as a snack. ConclusionExposing adults and children to main dishes and snacks that include vegetables and fruits in the food pantry may help to increase consumption of vegetables and fruits. Food pantries may be an effective avenue for delivering food and nutrition education to limited resource audiences. The following should be considered when delivering education in a food pantry:
Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Duane Makalena and the Word of Life food pantry staff for their enthusiasm and support with the project. ReferencesAkobundu, U. O., Cohen, N. L., Laus, M. J., Schulte, M. J., & Soussloff, M. N. (2004). Vitamins A and C, calcium, fruit, and dairy products are limited in food pantries. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 104, 811-813. American Dietetic Association (ADA). (2002). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Domestic food and nutrition policy. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 102, 1840-1947. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). (2004). Federal Register: Annual update of the HHS poverty guidelines, 69(30), 7335-7338. Nord, M., Andrews, M., & Carlson, S. (2004). Household food security in the United States, 2003. Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Report Number 42. Washington, D.C., Economic Research Service United States Department of Agriculture.
Building an Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Management Database for Your MunicipalityChristopher C. Obropta Katie A. Buckley Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension Water Resources
Program IntroductionOnsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) or septic systems are essential to wastewater planning in many communities. In New Jersey, approximately 1.2 million people rely on onsite wastewater treatment for their wastewater needs (ANJEC, 2002). This is more than one-tenth of the growing New Jersey population. In many instances, onsite wastewater treatment systems are neglected as part of the wastewater management plan for a municipality. In New Jersey, only eight of the 566 municipalities have OWTS ordinances (ANJEC, 2003) that require residents to maintain and inspect their systems. Lack of regular inspection and maintenance of OWTS may result in nitrate and bacteria contamination of surface water and groundwater, which are potential threats to public health and aquatic life. Furthermore, if the septic tanks are not inspected and pumped regularly, the leaching field can clog, resulting in system failure. Developing the DatabaseThe local health departments within a municipality typically track the operation, installation, and maintenance of systems within their municipality. Montgomery Township in Mercer County, New Jersey recognized in 1990 that the soil conditions and seasonal high water table within the Township were marginal for the use of OWTS and that failing OWTS within the municipality could potentially threaten groundwater, potable water supplies, and overall public health. The municipality, by township ordinance, charged the Board of Health to establish an "Onsite Wastewater Disposal Management District" that has the following functions:
Of the approximately 2,500 OWTS in the township, more than 1,450 are enrolled in the management program at this time. To manage the newly created OWTS management program in 1990, the Township created a database to store the licensing information using a Lotus software application. In 2004, the Township asked Rutgers Cooperative Research & Extension's Water Resources Program to help them convert their existing database into one that would better satisfy the needs of their growing program. The Water Resources Program chose to reconstruct the database in Microsoft Access®. Microsoft Access is a relational data management system capable of storing and retrieving structured information electronically. Microsoft Access is a robust database software package that allows the user to easily complete database queries and incorporate database information into reports and forms. The Water Resources Program worked closely with the Township to determine their data needs and the information that should be incorporated into the new database. The newly created database includes the homeowner's name, address, emergency contact information, the number of bedrooms to estimate the number of residents, the size of the septic tank, and the location of the tank and leaching field. Additionally, the database includes information pertaining to why the system is in the program (i.e., new system, repaired system, replaced system, or other). Because Montgomery Township did not require all homeowners with OWTS to participate in the program, the "why" information is important to help identify areas of the Township where future OWTS problems can be expected. For example, if a particular neighborhood in the Township has 10 homes and five are in the program because their systems have failed and needed to be replaced, it is likely that the other five systems are marginal systems. Now the Township can monitor the area for future failing systems. Results of the RCRE OWTS DatabaseAfter being tailored to meet the community's needs, the Montgomery Township OWTS Management Database was installed at the Board of Health in September of 2004 for evaluation by the Board of Health staff. The OWTS Management Database, benefiting from the query and programming functions available in Access, was automated to generate form letters, invoices, late notices, and license renewal letters. The ability to quickly query the database and generate form letters and invoices has greatly increased the efficiency of the clerical staff. In addition, the database has the capability of linking OWTS to the municipality's Geographic Information System (GIS) by parcel data. The full extension of this GIS capability may include:
The database is used by the Health Officer, inspectors, and clerical staff who print invoices, update information, track late payments, and manage the program overall. When users of the system were asked how and if the OWTS Management Database has aided the Board of Health, responses included increased productivity, improved tracking abilities, and faster identification of systems needing inspection. The single recommendation received was the request for RCRE to work with other municipalities in tracking and managing OWTS. More information on OWTS operation, maintenance, and management can be found at <www.rcre.rutgers.edu> and at <www.water.rutgers.edu>. Acknowledgements The RCRE Water Resources Program would like to thank the Township of Montgomery and the Board of Health for their input. Additionally, the RCRE Water Resources Program would like to thank Dr. Sajan Thomas for his work on the OWTS Management Database. ReferencesAssociation of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). (2002). Septic system management for clean water. Mendham, NJ. Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). (2003). Managing septic systems to protect water quality. Mendham, NJ. Township of Montgomery. (1999). Onsite Wastewater Disposal Management District - Ordinance No. 2002-04. Montgomery, NJ.
A Teachable Moment: The Las Vegas CentennialJo Anne Kock Vicki Agao University of Nevada Cooperative Extension IntroductionAs the City of Las Vegas, Nevada celebrated its Centennial 1905-2005 with a mass media blitz, grants for schools to paint centennial murals, the largest birthday cake in the world, parades and Centennial celebrations, a teachable moment arose for the historical education of childcare providers and the children they teach. What an exciting time for children to learn some Las Vegas history (Paher, 1971 & Walker, 2003). All year long in 2005, Las Vegas celebrations became more meaningful for both the provider and the child when the childcare provider presented this curriculum. Developed primarily for the Centennial year, the curriculum consisted of an original illustrated children's book, Growing Up in Las Vegas, and an accompanying activity book. The activities consisted of ways to extend the information in the book, listings of new vocabulary, extended Las Vegas history, as well as directions for providing many hours of educational entertainment for both the child and the provider. GoalsOne of the goals of this program was to reach at least 500 adults and 600 children before the official May 15, 2005 Centennial date, with an overall goal to reach 1,000 adults and 1,200 children by the end of 2005. The overall educational goals of this historical curriculum were to increase participants':
Program DescriptionThe Growing Up in Las Vegas curriculum was designed as an in-service training for childcare providers in Southern Nevada. The book written for the Centennial is a fictional story based on historical facts and photos from 1905 and contains colorful original water color prints. This children's book describes five-year-old Ellie and her brother Billy's varied activities in Las Vegas during the 1905 year. The local Chamber of Commerce and the local historical museum provided valuable background information. The Las Vegas Centennial Education Committee provided a $750 grant to the illustrator of the book. The accompanying activity manual provides information and instructions for conducting a 3-hour, three-credit workshop for childcare providers wanting to offer an educational history curriculum. The workshop focus is on working with preschoolers. The program is designed primarily with childcare providers in mind, though others may benefit from the material (e.g., parents, foster parents, teachers and human service professionals). The activity book has an introduction that talks about the program, an activity preparation section to be used by the presenters that talks about scheduling and publicizing the program, workshop logistics and refreshments, an activity plan that has a pre-workshop checklist, and a list of materials needed for the snack and each of the 14 different activities. Each activity has a section for younger (2-4 years old) children as well as a section for older preschoolers. The activities all start out with a brief history of Las Vegas, then list the activity, materials needed, activity directions, and then conclude with a vocabulary of new words to introduce. The activity book is to be used as a master so the activity illustrations and their directions can be reproduced. Using curriculum that includes the book and activity book, participants:
ConclusionsThe goal of reaching 1,000 adults and 1,200 children by the end of 2005 was surpassed by the actual Centennial celebration date of May 15, 2005. Using the evaluation tool developed for this program and included in the activity book, the preliminary adult (n=897) evaluation results on a scale of 1 (low [level of knowledge]) to 5 (high [level of knowledge]) were:
ImplicationsAlthough the year 2005 was the ideal time to teach Las Vegas Centennial history to childcare providers, the topic is generic enough that it can be taught in future years. A Clark County School District representative has inquired about the possibility of having the curriculum in all first-grade classrooms in the county. The format of this curriculum is easily replicated and would be appropriate for any city, state, or area that is celebrating a Centennial or other founding period. The curriculum could be adapted to a variety of community historical celebrations or a local historical milestone. Collaborating with the local Chamber of Commerce and local museums helps form the "teachable moment." Acknowledgments Lisa Pattieshaw: Illustrator Lilian Blanchard: Graphics ReferencesBarlow, R. S. (1992). The vanishing American outhouse. Windmill Publishing Co., El Cajon, CA. Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. www.lvchamber.com/las_vegas/history.htm Patera, A. H. (2001). Rhyolite, the boom years. Western Places, Lake Grove, OR. Walker, P. R. (2003). The southwest: Gold, God, and grandeur. National Geographic, Washington, D.C Copyright © by Extension Journal, Inc. ISSN 1077-5315. Articles appearing in the Journal become the property of the Journal. Single copies of articles may be reproduced in electronic or print form for use in educational or training activities. Inclusion of articles in other publications, electronic sources, or systematic large-scale distribution may be done only with prior electronic or written permission of the Journal Editorial Office, joe-ed@joe.org. If you have difficulties viewing or printing this page, please contact JOE Technical Support. |
