April 17, 2007 Extension Update

Dear Extension Colleagues:

Last week, Leigh Ann Marez, De Baca County Extension program director, sent word that Microsoft awarded $218,000 to Ft. Sumner Municipal Schools to support a school greenhouse enterprise. Leigh Ann involved Curtis Smith and Jim Libbin in preliminary work leading up to the grant and she worked with Terry Canup and Vickie Galindo to submit a subsequent Rural Business Opportunity Grant to provide funding for a staff member to operate the greenhouse with mentorship help from Peter Skelton of the Memorial Middle School Greenhouse Project. Great work Leigh Ann. We hope to hear about that grant by May 15.

This Wednesday I will be the lunch speaker at the National State 4-H Program Leaders' Meeting in Denver. My topic is "Outreach to New and Underserved Audiences". In preparation for this talk, I have been reviewing the national report, Pathways to Diversity. I have been pleased to reflect on several Pathways program goals many of you are accomplishing across New Mexico, addressing and involving underserved youth.

I hope that you will find time to pause and celebrate with your colleagues this Thursday morning at the annual CAHE Awards Ceremony. Whether you choose to join in the celebration in person or on Centra, it is important that we take time to congratulate awardees, including some important recognitions to stakeholders. I am looking forward to returning to Las Cruces and will join you in congratulating award winners Thursday morning. Hope to see you there!

Paul