To Forgive or Not to Forgive? That is the Question
Debra Minar Driscoll, Oregon
Many of us know family members and friends who have been angry with others for years, even decades. Some people die without forgiving others who have hurt them. How do we help ourselves and others deal with this issue? Is forgiveness necessary? When is forgiveness appropriate?

Japan: The Land of the Rising Sun, A Culture Full of Traditions
Rose Fisher Merkowitz, Ohio
The Japanese culture is very different from American culture, but there are also many similarities. Learn about the Japanese educational system and family traditions along with how they affect their communities. View with the presenter Japanese students following their country's traditions that would be objectionable to American students.

North Coast Food Guide
Nancy Kershaw, Oregon
The North Coast Food Guide, developed by the Oregon State University Extension Service, connects small seafood and agriculture producers with consumers who want to purchase locally produced food, which helps stimulate the local economy. The guide also highlights food assistance resources, nutrition, food preservation, and home gardening information.

Financial Education Simulations in Tennessee
Dena Wise, Tennessee
Over the past four years, Tennessee Extension agents have reached more than 60,000 high school and junior high students with financial education simulations conducted in partnership with community organizations and volunteers. Evaluations show that sixty percent of those students made changes in their career plans as a result.

Teaching Healthy Lifestyle Habits through Games and Laughter
Betty Gottler, Alabama
The Alpha Pi Chapter of ESP received a Professional Development Mini-Grant to teach healthy lifestyle habits; to expose participants to new and innovative teaching methods; to reduce employee stress in times of dramatic organizational change; and to build employee morale. Techniques, photos and evaluations will be shared with the participants.

Attitudes for Success Multicultural Leadership Program
Patricia Dawson, Oregon
Targeted for the increasing number of Hispanics in Umatilla and Morrow counties, "Attitudes for Success" provides multicultural, educational experiences for youth in grades 6-12. Evaluations indicate participants are more likely to attend college and serve in leadership roles because of knowledge gained in the program.

Citizen Board Development
Catherine E. Burwell, Indiana
Alpha Lambda Chapter received a Mini Grant to provide Citizen Board Development Training for Extension personnel. Two trainings were presented where participants had the opportunity to learn from Public Policy Educator, Michael McKinney, as well as interact in small group discussions and activities. Participants included campus, field and retired personnel. The mini-grant was matched by the Purdue Director so handout materials and lunch could be provided.

North Carolina's Changing Face: A Professional Development Seminar for Cooperative Extension Professionals
Barbara Dunn Swanson, North Carolina
North Carolina's demographics are changing. The population is rapidly becoming more urban, diverse and technologically connected. Through an innovative ESP-mini-grant-funded professional development seminar, 80 Extension professionals gained a better understanding of these changes, how the trends affected their careers and how they can help meet the needs of non-traditional audiences.

Alpha Iota Chapter's 2005 Mini-Grant
Carroll Guffey, Arkansas
Arkansas Extension professional associations host, Galaxy Conference, which is an annual state wide professional improvement conference. Our poster presentation will focus on the professional development opportunities offered at the conference and the nationally recognized speakers, Dr.Robin Orr and Mr. Randy Frazier, that we were able to secure using our mini-grant.

Naturally Cultivating Success: The RCRE Youth Farmstand Program
Lydia B. Blalock, New Jersey
The RCRE Youth Farmstand Program is an interdisciplinary program that increases workforce readiness skills in at-risk youth, supports local farmers and the agriculture industry, and builds healthier, stronger communities. This successful program has generated enormous interest in replication (U.S. and international) as Extension and non-Extension personnel recognize the program's merits.

Core Competencies: A Plan for Excellence
Kendra Wells, Jean Austin, Virginia Gerhart, David Martin, Chuck Schuster, Mary Ellen Waltemire, Maryland
Cooperative Extension strives for excellence and recognizes that faculty and staff are the organization's most valuable resources. Learn how Maryland Cooperative Extension has worked to identify core competencies that will guide faculty and staff recruitment, hiring, professional development and performance evaluation. Assessment tools and plans for institutionalizing competencies to achieve excellence will be shared.

eXtension
Terry Misenbach, California
An Internet-based educational partnership of the Land-Grant university system designed to help people improve their lives by providing access to objective research-based information and learning opportunities. Learn how you can enhance accessibility and quality of relevant knowledge for existing customers, partners, and Extension educators and foster collaboration across the Extension network by creating communities of practice to develop educational programs.

Enhancing Community Building and Leadership Skills: Wisconsin ESP's 75th Anniversary Celebration
Gary Korb, Wisconsin
With ESP mini-grant help, Wisconsin held and extraordinarily active and successful 75th Anniversary Celebration in 2005. Many transferable elements could benefit other chapters-honoring the past to build the future. The Extension Professionals Creed, careers through the decades, quotes from retirees, and ESP "actors" portraying Extension greats took part.

Expanding the S.A.F.E. (Sports Athletic Field Education) Program to Enhance Natural Resources Extension Programs in Urban Communities
Ray Bader, Texas
SAFE (Sports Athletic Field Education) is a collaborative effort between field managers, athletics department and Extension faculty. Through SAFE as a model, you can learn how Extension can use participating sites to enhance programming efforts related to urban agriculture, natural resources conservation, environmental and youth programs in the urban community.

Strengthening the Research Base for 4-H and Other Extension Programs
Jan F. Scholl, Pennsylvania
This program was designed to help graduate students base their 4-H studies on previously developed research and theory, assist administrators to support programs, demonstrate to legislators how much research has been conducted and continues to be conducted, and help youth program practitioners locate research findings upon which to base quality programs.

Extension-Based Technologies for Contemporary Emergencies
Jan F. Scholl, Pennsylvania
Learn how time-honored techniques, such as the iceless refrigerator, the fireless cooker, and the portable kitchen (developed by Extension workers) may be used today for nutrition education and disaster relief in locations where kitchens and other household equipment are not available.

Saving Dollars, Saving Lives
Valynnda Slack, Indiana
Purdue Extension/Whitley County Learning Services collaborated with local officials to reduce risk for highway workers. Three classes were completed by 134 workers. Participants stated the information would be valuable and local government saved over $2600 in training costs.

Making a Difference - Extension Addresses Food and Hunger Issues
Joy Jones, Oregon
Hunger is a major issue in the United States. Because this issue crosses program lines, agriculture, 4-H and FCS faculty worked together to develop a multi-faceted educational program. This program describes Oregon State University Extension programming efforts addressing food insecurity and highlights programs to address this issue.