The following PROSPER team leaders received awards at Extension’s Annual Conference on September 27, 2004: (Paragraphs in quotes are from the awards booklet used during the Awards Ceremony)
Meritorious Service Award—Mary Crooks, Family Life Field Specialist and co-leader of the Muscatine PROSPER team.
“Mary has established a solid reputation for quality program planning, implementation, and evaluation in the counties she serves. Her leadership in securing grant resources for parent education and child care training has led to a wide array of programs that make a difference for Iowa families. Outreach to Hispanic families, in partnership with other Extension staff and community agencies, is an important part of her work.”
Diversity Achievement Award—Mary Crooks
“ISU Extension staff serving Louisa County conduct programs that meet the needs of diverse audiences. Projects have been implemented for youth, families, agency and school personnel, and community leaders. Results include improved life skills for youth, increased parenting and nutrition knowledge and skills for parents, and better communication and understanding for those who work with clientele with diverse backgrounds.”
Diversity Achievement Award—Jeff Macomber, Youth Development Field Specialist and co-leader of the Winterset PROSPER team
“In Dallas County, ISU Extension’s Perry L.I.N.K. connects the established community with the new immigrant minority community. The project focuses on parent education and building relationships between school and family. It empowers Hispanics to better serve their community and families. Parents receive orientation to community services as well as linkages with the school to help ensure the success of their children through resource and referral.”
Scholarship and the Discovery/Engagement Award—Paulelda Gilbert, Nutrition and Health Field Specialist and leader of the Fort Dodge PROSPER team.
This award recognizes scholarship on the part of campus and/or field staff that contributes significantly and /or demonstrates effectively the Extension-research partnership.
“The Iowa State University Hotel, Restaurant, and Institution Management (HRIM) program developed a three-year project to provide 40 school district foodservice programs with food safety resources and training, on-site technical assistance, and a network for improving their food safety systems in partnership with ISU Extension Nutrition and Health field specialists. Campus faculty collaborated with field specialists to identify local contacts with school districts and provide food safety training to the school foodservice managers through the ServSafe program.”
ISU Extension Distinguished Service Award—Beverly Peters, Franklin County Extension Education Director and co-leader of the Hampton-Dumont PROSPER team.
This is the top career award in ISU Extension. It recognizes sustained distinguished performance and educational contributions to ISU and clientele through Extension programs.
“Bev’s leadership and networking skills, credibility, and attention to detail with clientele in her county, across the state, and nationally make her a distinguished ISU Extension employee. The community identifies a need and Bev is always part of the team implementing a plan to address that need. Bev has been extremely successful in her program efforts for diverse audiences, youth leadership programs, and grant and research programs such as the PROSPER research project.”
In November, the Project Family Partnership Award will be awarded to Holle Smith, Emmet County Extension Education Director and leader of the Estherville PROSPER team.
“Holle has successfully led the PROSPER project in the Estherville Lincoln Central School. The youth and adults on the PROSPER team have exhibited exemplary leadership skills in the PROSPER project due to Holle’s leadership. The PROSPER project has been embraced in the community and is seen as a wonderful opportunity for the youth, families, and community. Funds have been secured to sustain the offering of the Strengthening Families program again.”
One of the PROSPER Prevention Coordinators received an award at Extension’s Annual Conference:
Pride of Extension—Office Management Award to Don Broshar, State Youth Development Specialist
“Don excels in community youth development leadership and educational outreach. He stays abreast of community youth development and organizational capacity research and consistently articulates implications of research findings to the work of the Iowa 4-H Youth Development Program. Don’s 26 years of facilitating youth development and organizational capacity programming and training demonstrate his strong commitment to the mobilization of collaborative state and community systems.”