"As I look back on the last couple of years, I am truly astounded at all we have accomplished. Although at times it seemed like COVID-19 was the focus of our days, a closer look shows that we were able to navigate the challenges created by COVID-19 while still reaching many of our goals to advance our land-grant missions of teaching, research and engagement," William A. Payne, Dean and Professor of the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, said.

"Over the past year, Extension faculty and staff were hard at work, adapting valued workshops and trainings they formerly held in-person to online formats or videos to keep the education flowing during COVID. Small businesses, agricultural producers, food handlers, home gardeners, landscapers and many others benefitted from online educational programs.  In fact, many of our programs had more participation than ever after going online, something that will likely change the way we will deliver some of our programs long after the pandemic is over." 

Explore our recent impacts and achievements in this annual report

In Nevada, thousands of individuals become professional early childhood educators, and Extension is helping to ensure these individuals have the training needed to deliver the best to Nevada’s youngest residents.

The Infant Toddler Child Development Associate program, which is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education, has been offered by Extension for the past four years. This program includes 120 hours of training focused on teaching the best practices for how to nurture the emotional, physical, intellectual and social development of children. 

Like many of the programs Extension offers, COVID-19 forced a change in the mode of delivery for this program. What may have been a challenge to some was an opportunity for this program. This change allowed the program to reach more individuals with class sizes increased from 27 to 35 and geographic barriers removed with virtual programming. 

In the fall of 2020, 18 individuals in Clark County completed the 120-hour training and another 11 completed a 22-hour training to earn their second Child Development Associate credential. 

Currently, the spring 2021 session has 31 individuals from Clark County enrolled in the 120-hour training. 
 

University of Nevada, Reno Extension and its certified Master Gardeners are keeping gardening enthusiasts engaged by holding a variety of online “Gardening in Small Places” workshops throughout the spring for southern Nevada gardeners.  Classes cover vegetable gardening, composting and solving gardening problems. 

The Master Gardener Program is part of the social horticulture programming of Extension. The Master Gardeners celebrated 27 years of volunteer service to the community in 2020.

Read more about these workshops