Washoe County

Nevada 4-H partners with AmeriCorps to bring opportunities to inner-city youth

Extension aims to make post-secondary education a reality for underserved Las Vegas youth

Claudene Wharton

Extension has been awarded a $280,000 AmeriCorps Program grant to expand its Nevada 4-H Youth Development Program in Clark County to engage more youth in underserved, inner-city areas of Las Vegas in STEM, civic engagement and other activities aimed at equipping the youth to successfully attend and complete some form of post-secondary education.

The grant will fund the 4-H Grows Here Project in Clark County, using AmeriCorps members recruited from the community to engage youth, and create and sustain 4-H clubs in the inner city aimed at youth ages 5-19, with an emphasis on low-income and middle school-aged youth, and youth of color.

AmeriCorps members will serve in various capacities to support the youth development program – building community relationships, educating youth in STEM or other skills, or serving as 4-H club leaders. Together, they will be responsible for educating 3,000 youth through workshops, and then transitioning at least half of them for longer-term 4-H club programs. Once active in 4-H clubs, youth will complete 4-H curriculum related to computer science, robotics, chemistry, rocketry, drones, eco-science and other STEM subjects. Finally, the youth will select and complete a project that incorporates what they have learned to address a community need or solve a problem.

Extension’s 4-H Grows Here Project will reach inner-city youth, teaching them STEM skills, such as those youth learn by building and flying drones.

Extension Director Ivory W. Lyles said, "Expanding the reach of 4-H to inner-city youth will create more true leaders who are prepared and engaged to take on critical challenges facing families, communities and businesses today."

Extension’s 4-H Grows Here Project will reach inner-city youth, teaching them STEM skills, such as those youth learn by building and flying drones.

New agricultural research and Extension center begins operations

Eureka County ranch to expand offerings of University’s Experiment Station

Mike Wolterbeek

Our College's new Great Basin Research & Extension Center in Eureka County has begun operations in a new initiative for rural Nevada. The enterprise will address the related issues of sustainable grazing management of dryland rangelands, livestock, crop production under water-limited environments, and alternative water and irrigation strategies for crop production.

"This operation will address real world problems through research and Extension – providing useful knowledge to the ranchers and farmers of Nevada," Bill Payne, dean of the College, said. "It’s also a Nevada showcase, as much of the world looks like this, and the knowledge we generate here will be useful throughout drylands of the world."

The initiative, overseen by our College's Experiment Station, is spearheaded on a 644-acre ranch in Diamond Valley near the town of Eureka, along with several grazing permits on nearby Bureau of Land Management lands. 

Interim Center Director & Extension Educator Gary McCuin, said, "I am excited and intrigued by the potential that this Center has to help us meet the mission of this land-grant institution, and the needs of our producers."

Extension-trained Las Vegas teacher honored by the Council for Professional Recognition

Cedric Bell receives special recognition as one of the top 10 men in early childhood education

CounciLINK

Cedric Bell is a perfect fit for the early childhood profession, though he didn't begin teaching until he was nearly 40 years old.

"In 2009, my youngest son was on the way," he said, "so I decided it was time to stay home and watch my kids grow up. I joined the PTA and volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club as a basketball coach for 3- and 4-year-olds."

Acelero Learning, a local Head Start center, was right behind the Boys and Girls Club, which led Cedric to have a life-changing encounter about two years ago.

"I happened to be coaching the son of the center's director, who saw how good I was with children. She said, 'You've been here two or three years, and you'd fit right in over at Acelero. You just have to get your Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential.' So, I signed up for the course at the at the University of Nevada and began working at Acelero as a floater. I just got done with the CDA this May, in the midst of the pandemic, and I'm now an assistant teacher."

The course and credential helped Cedric up his game.

"The CDA made me a better teacher," he said. "It helped me understand why I was doing things a certain way... I learned more about how to approach certain kids and how to bridge the language barrier with kids who don't speak English. It's made me want to go on in school and earn my [bachelor's degree] so I can be a lead teacher."

Nominated by Extension Instructor Robin Marx-Mackerley, award-winning Cedric Bell is honored in the Council for Professional Recognition's feature newsletter edition and video on Men of Early Childhood Education, and he will receive from the Council  a book on recruiting and retaining qualified childhood teachers who are men.

In partnership with community organizations, Extension is providing free webinars and interactive town halls. Business owners can now learn more about organizing their financials, marketing and social media, and how to apply for grants and loans available.

"There was a lot of misinformation out there and lots of scared business owners when COVID hit," Extension Research Associate Michael Bindrup said. "Especially when businesses were deemed unnecessary and were shut down. So many businesses reached out to us in this time of uncertainty."