ImprovingLives.

ImprovingHarris County.

ImprovingLives.

ImprovingHarris County.

Harris County is the most populous county in Texas and the thirdmost populous in the United States. According to 2008 Censusestimates, the county population is 3,984,349, representing a 17.2percent increase since 2000.

Le Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the CooperativeExtension Program at Prairie View A&M University have respondedto our citizens’ changing needs during this rapid growth. Whileremaining focused on the Extension mission of disseminatingresearch-based information throughout the community, oureducational programs rePect new research Ondings and the social,technological, economic, and environmental changes that impact thisdiverse and dynamic urban county. Extension is developing new andinnovative collaborations with a variety of public and private partnerswhile expanding programs to targeted areas across the county.

To meet this challenge, a staff of 50 professionals, paraprofessionals,and support staff contribute to Extension’s educational efforts inHarris County. From the main office in Bear Creek Park and twosatellite offices located within Houston’s Loop 610, we are poised torespond with educational programs targeted to a variety of clienteleneeds. In addition, Extension is supported by a large network ofvolunteers, who are critical to disseminating educational informationto this densely populated urban center.

Without a doubt, this was a year unlike any other. Harris Countyresidents faced unprecedented challenges because of Hurricane Ike,the costliest hurricane in Texas history and the third most costly inU.S. history, behind only Andrew and Katrina. Extension assistedfamilies dealing with devastating consequences from the storm bydisseminating critical educational information from targeteddistribution sites throughout the county.

Lis report rePects a few of our key educational outreachsuccesses—accomplishments that would not be possible without thesupport of our many partners. Lank you for helping us improve thelives of Harris County residents.

Dr. Linda Williams-WillisHarris County Extension Director

From the County Extension Director

For more information, contact:

Linda Williams-WillisHarris County Extension Director

p. 281.855.5600f. 281-855-5638

lw-willis@tamu.edu

C o n t e n t s

Texas AgriLife Extension Service 12

Extension in Harris County 12

The Environment 13

Sustainable Agriculture 17

Family Development andResource Management 11

Volunteer and Leadership Development 15

Nutrition, Health, and Wellness 19

4-H and Urban Youth Development 25

Texas AgriL ife Extension ServiceLe Texas AgriLife Extension Service—formerly known as the Texas Agricultural Extension

Service and Texas Cooperative Extension—has been dedicated to serving Texans for nearly acentury. It was established in 1915 under the Smith-Lever Act to deliver agricultural and homeeconomics research Ondings directly to the people by offering educational publications, programs,and services. AgriLife Extension has come a long way from the farm and home demonstrations ofthe early 1900s to the many educational programs it now offers to serve a diverse rural and urbanpopulation.

Today, through a well-organized network of program specialists, professional educators, andsome 100,000 volunteers, AgriLife Extension brings Texans in all 254 counties current knowledgerelated to the food and Ober industry, natural resources conservation, family and consumersciences, nutrition and health, and community economic development. In addition, thousands ofyoung people beneOt annually from AgriLife Extension’s 4-H and other youth developmentprograms.

Part of Le Texas A&M University System, AgriLife Extension works closely with the College ofAgriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M as well as with Texas AgriLife Research to help fulOllthe A&M System’s land-grant mission. It also collaborates with many federal, state, and countypartners to carry out the Extension mission of improving lives and improving Texas.

Extension in Harris CountyLe Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Harris County is a community-based educational

outreach agency supported by strong state and national networks. Lrough partnerships with theHarris County Commissioners Court, the Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&MUniversity, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and others, Extension in Harris County addressescritical and emerging issues for individuals, families, and communities in this rapidly growing,increasingly diverse urban area.

Here in the most populous county in Texas, society and community issues have becomeincreasingly complex, so decision-making and problem-solving skills are more important than ever.Extension delivers up-to-date, relevant, research-based information to the community. Oureducational outreach programs help county residents learn to solve problems by asking the rightquestions, assessing risks, and choosing the best solutions. As we look to the future, Harris CountyExtension continues to develop new and innovative partnerships with the City of Houston andwith other public and private community-based groups to expand programs in targeted areas.

2

“I think it’s the right thing to do.

More and more, golf courses

are stewards of the environment.

This is just another way to become more

environmentally friendly.”—Wade Warms, Superintendent

Cinco Ranch Golf Club, Katy

The Environment

The Green Industry in Texasgenerates $13.5 billion,including157,990 jobs and $7.6billion in value-addedcontributions to the state’seconomy. The economic impactfor the Houston area isapproximately 40 percent ofthe state’s total, or $5.4 billion.

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Wade Warms has helped Cinco Ranch GolfClub add wildlife habitat through the AudubonCooperative Sanctuary Program.

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A golf course can offer sanctuary after a hardday’s work, but these days the greens also providenatural sanctuaries for wildlife, butterflies, andbirds, thanks to Audubon International and itsstate and local partners, including Texas AgriLifeExtension.The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program

for Golf Courses (ACSP-Golf) is an award-winningprogram that helps protect the environment andpreserve the “natural” heritage of the game. Itguides golf courses as they enhance valuablenatural areas, water resources, and wildlifehabitats and minimize the use of chemicals thatmight harm the environment. By putting thesepractices into place, a golf course can receiveformal designation as a Certified AudubonCooperative Sanctuary.“One of the requirements of the program is to

put together a resource advisory group of localexperts who will help golf courses implement theprogram on their particular site,” says JoellenLampman, program manager for AudubonInternational. “We always send them to Extensionbecause you have such knowledgeable peoplewho are on the ground and are familiar with localresources and information that we just don’t havefrom our upstate New York office.”In 2008, Dr. Anthony Camerino, Harris County

Extension Agent for Horticulture, developed anenvironmental program for golf courses. One ofhis five educational efforts was the EnvironmentalGolf Management Field Day, held at the LakesideCountry Club in October 2008. Extensionorganized the event, partnering with the SouthTexas Golf Course Superintendents Association,Audubon International, and Texas Parks andWildlife.“Some of the 17 participants were already

Audubon certified but wanted information that

would help them do a better job of attractingwildlife and providing natural areas,” saysCamerino. Five participants whose golf courseswere not already certified or enrolled in theAudubon program signed up.Wade Warms, superintendent at the Cinco

Ranch Golf Club in Katy, helped Camerinoorganize the field day. Cinco Ranch, a public golfcourse, opened in 1994 and has been enrolled inthe ACSP for four years. Wade says they expect tobecome certified by the end of 2010.“We’re planning butterfly gardens and

wildflower plantings,” he says. “We’ve alreadynaturalized some areas, taken them out of play inthe golf course, and we’re making them intoAudubon wildlife habitats.” Wade says he seesmore wildlife on the course now, includingcoyotes and alligators. He plans to install woodduck boxes, bat houses, and other kinds ofbirdhouses.“We created buffer zones around our lakes and

no-spray areas where we don’t spray chemicals oruse fertilizer,” he says. “And we’ve gone to afertigation program, using less than half thenitrogen fertilizer we used before.”The Harris County Extension Commercial

Horticulture Program and its partners hosted asecond field day in September 2009. “I think thefield days are really beneficial,” says Wade. In aparticipant survey taken after the 2008 event,nearly all who were not already enrolled in ACSPsaid they would install birdhouses, encouragereptiles and amphibians, conduct a wildlifeinventory, and install non-turfgrass species at theirgolf courses in the future.Wade says, “I think it’s the right thing to do.

More and more, golf courses are stewards of theenvironment. This is just another way to becomemore environmentally friendly.”

Commercial Horticulture Program:Wade’s Story

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Commercial Horticulture Program: Supporting Harris County’s GreenIndustry. In 2008 and 2009, Harris County Extension conducted research and hands-on training for more than 175 green industry professionals representing a wide range ofexpertise, such as landscape pest control operators, nursery professionals, golf coursesuperintendents, turfgrass producers, landscape irrigation installers, tree careprofessionals and arborists, and athletic and golf turfgrass managers. Workshops andOeld days delivered new information about topics such as Chilli Lrips and PinkHibiscus Mealybug, two new invasive pests in the Houston area; fungicides andturfgrass disease control; “green” landscape pest control methods; environmentallyfriendly turfgrass and landscape management for golf courses; drip irrigation and waterconservation; tree health; and turfgrass management for sports purposes.

Integrated Pest Management Program. Fire Ant Management forLandowners teaches landowners with 50 acres or less how to manage Ore antseffectively. Landowners learn about the hazards Ore ants create, Ore ant biology, and thebest methods available to manage these pests. Le impact of red imported Ore ants inTexas is approximately $1.2 billion annually. Leir foraging and nest building causeselectrical equipment failure, puRing many landscape utilities at risk, including irrigationcontrollers, solenoids, and lighting. In a research demonstration project Harris CountyExtension staff conducted at Bear Creek Golf World, superintendents reportedproblems with Ore ants short-circuiting irrigation controllers. Lis is a signiOcantproblem throughout Harris County not only because of the cost associated withrepairing the broken devices, but also because inoperable irrigation systems putlandscape plants at risk. Extension staff installed a barrier around the base of theirrigation boxes, a safer treatment method compared to traditional pesticideformulations. To date, the research project has been a 100 percent success. Bear CreekGolf World has not experienced a single failed irrigation box due to Ore ant moundbuilding in the treated boxes. Le economic impact of this effective solution to acommon landscape challenge for the citizens and businesses of Harris County isanticipated to be quite signiOcant.

6

“Being a ranchette owner is a wonderful

experience, but most of the time you don’t

have the education to run a ranchette . . .

the Urban Rancher program provides you

knowledge, practice, and resources, and you

discover how much there is to learn to have

a successful operation.”—Maria Aranda

Hockley

SustainableAgriculture

In Harris County, 18 percent of

the total acreage—222,351

acres—is used for agriculture.

Sustaining and enhancing this

important resource is vital to

the county’s economy.

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Maria Aranda with her stallion Rio. She breedsArabian horses at her Hockley ranchette. 8

Maria Aranda’s parents were from farming andranching families in Argentina. Before she came toTexas six years ago, Maria managed a small cattleranch there. “I did it with very little knowledge anda lot of learning by doing,” she says. When shejoined her fiancé at his JRW Ranch in the Hockleyarea, she was pleased to see that Texas was sosimilar to her home country and that “everybody”was ranching.At first, Maria had mostly horses and only a few

cattle at the JRW Ranch. “I enjoy ranchingenormously,” she says. “I enjoy being with thehorses and cattle.” But again she found herselflearning by doing, lacking the knowledge thatwould make her a better rancher.“When I learned about the Urban Rancher

program,” she says, “I thought it was a greatopportunity to learn how to do things right.” Shegraduated from the program, taught by AgriLifeExtension in Harris County, in 2005.Jeff Koch, Harris County Extension Agent for

Agriculture and Natural Resources, says Maria puther new knowledge to work to implement a weed-control program and improve soil fertility whilecutting back on excess fertilizer. She improved herpastures for year-round grazing, increased the sizeof her cattle herd, improved the genetics of hercattle, and adapted better animal-handlingpractices. Today, she has 37 horses and 60 head ofmixed-breed cattle, with Brahma and Gelviehbulls, on 67 permanent acres, with another 120leased for pasture. She and her fiancé recently

sold a 110-acre Angus cattle ranch in Bellville,which she also improved through the knowledgeshe gained in the Urban Rancher program.Maria says Urban Rancher taught her to have a

plan for the ranch and work with a calendar. It alsoincreased her knowledge of animal health issues.“The Urban Rancher program gave meinformation, resources, and contacts to get adviceon a lot of issues,” she adds.Maria has been giving back to Urban Rancher

since graduation, by hosting Extension field daysat the ranch and serving from 2005 to May 2009 astreasurer of the Agriculture and Natural ResourcesCommittee of the Harris County Extension office.The popular field days covered soil testing andsoil properties and taught ranchette owners fromnear and far about hay quality and hay testing aswell as basic horse health.“I was pleased to share the Urban Rancher

experience with others, since it has been sovaluable to me,” Maria says.“Being a ranchette owner is a wonderful

experience,” says Maria, “but most of the timeyou don’t have the education to run a ranchetteand you don’t know what you’re going to get into.The Urban Rancher program provides youknowledge, practice, and resources, and youdiscover how much there is to learn to have asuccessful operation.”

Urban Rancher Program:Maria’s Story

9

Urban Rancher Program. Urban ranchers are residents who either commute to afull-time job in the city from their rancheRe or live in the city and own land outside ofHouston or Harris County. Many rancheRe operators lack signiOcant experience oradequate training in practices that will enhance the production potential of their land.Urban Rancher Program participants receive more than 40 hours of classroominstruction and 20 hours of hands-on training in comprehensive best managementpractices (BMPs). In a post-program questionnaire, participants indicated theirintention to adopt recommended BMPs, such as conducting a property resourceinventory, implementing brush- and weed-control strategies, maintaining water qualitystandards while using fertilizers and pesticides and managing animal waste, propergrazing management, good land stewardship, and beRer herd health managementpractices for livestock. Short- and long-term impacts have been decreased productioncosts and beRer land stewardship.

Cylinder Gardening Program teaches children how food is produced by leRingthem grow it themselves. In the process, they improve their own nutrition and growpersonally as well. Cylinder Gardening is a curriculum enrichment program that usesboRomless cylinders (half of a 5-gallon bucket) as small, individual gardens for growingvegetables. In the six-lesson curriculum, Master Gardener volunteers teach studentsabout plant anatomy, what plants need in order to grow, and Integrated PestManagement. In the spring of 2008, the Cylinder Gardening program expanded toinclude a new buRerPy curriculum. In 2008, 24,076 children at 107 schools in HarrisCounty participated in the Cylinder Gardening program (9,772 in buRerPy gardeningand 14,304 in vegetable gardening). Results indicate that children participating in theprogram gained horticultural knowledge, and their teachers saw improvement in theirsocial skills, academic performance, and self-development.

Kid’s Day Ag Awareness Programs teach Houston area youth not only howvaried aspects of agriculture relate to the clothes they wear and the food they eat, butalso the importance of agriculture to the vitality of the Texas economy. Le programsreached nearly 2,000 participants in 2007 and 2008. Two agricultural awareness eventsin 2008—one during the Harris County Fair and the other at the Youth Expo of HarrisCounty—provided youth and adults with information on goats and their importance tothe Texas economy, horticulture and the role plants play in sustaining life, theimportance of nutrition and daily exercise, how the horse industry supports agriculture,and Texas crops in the food and Ober industry. Le participants were also treated to alive milking demonstration and learned about the role of the dairy industry in Texas.

10

“Elizabeth doesn’t just come in and do the class

and then walk out. She stays and talks to

the parents; she really shows that she cares about

their needs. Her program has changed a lot of lives

throughout the district.”—Irma Alvarado

Houston

FamilyDevelopmentand ResourceManagement

According to a recent survey,74 percent of Houstonians areworried about their financialwell-being. Financial worrieshave been linked to many otherproblems facing families. HarrisCounty Extension helps familiesand individuals develop skillsfor daily living, includingmanaging family resources andstrengthening the family unit.

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Irma Alvarado teaches English as a SecondLanguage classes and coordinates the ParentCenter at Hicks Elementary School.

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Imagine being in a large foreign city, unable tospeak the language, jobless, and helping yourchildren adjust to a new school. These are someof the issues that Irma Alvarado, English as aSecond Language teacher and Parent Centercoordinator at Hicks Elementary School in theAlief Independent School District, sees parentsstruggling with every day.Parent centers bring in speakers to help parents

successfully adapt to their new surroundings andprovide the best environment for their children.Most of the parents Irma sees are Spanish-speaking, with little or no English. That’s one ofmany reasons why bilingual Harris CountyExtension Agent Elizabeth Trejo is the first personshe calls when lining up the year’s speakers.Trejo, a Family and Consumer Sciences agent,

has taught Extension’s Family Financial LiteracyProgram classes at parent centers throughoutAlief ISD for about 10 years. Many of the parentswho enroll have no checking, savings, or credithistory.“A lot of these parents keep their money in

places you’d never think of,” says Irma. “Onemother kept her money in her shoe. The classeshave been an eye-opening experience for them,just like they were for me.”Every year, Irma enrolls in Trejo’s free classes

along with the parents. She first participated in“Building Fiscally Fit Families” and “Debt-Freeand Prosperous Living” several years ago. At thattime, she and her husband had about $40,000 incredit card and other debt. She learned about thenonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service(CCCS), which helps people eliminate their debtthrough a repayment program. Through CCCSand the sale of some property, the Alvarados were

able to pay off most of their debt about two yearsago.“Now, I’m very cautious about what I buy and

how I use credit,” says Irma. “I used to think, oh,it’s part of life—live for the moment! But now I’m52, and I told my husband we have to geteverything paid off, our home and everything,before we retire.”Irma, who now serves on Harris County

Extension’s Financial Literacy Committee, says shegets her annual free credit report, watches interestrates, and is working on saving six to eightmonths’ living expenses in an emergency fund.“And I talk to the parents about this because Iknow a lot of them are in the same boat I was,”she says.“She’s a big supporter of our programs and

helps in any way she can,” says Trejo.Irma also shares the information with her four

daughters to help them avoid making the samemistakes she did. The youngest, 21, is still athome, but her older sisters have families of theirown. “I realize now that it’s important to teachchildren about finances,” she says.Trejo also teaches classes on résumé writing,

homebuying, and improving credit ratings. Andshe provides money-saving tips on grocerybuying, making your own housecleaning products,and keeping your home free of pests.Irma says several parents come back to Trejo’s

classes year after year. “They trust her,” sheexplains. “Elizabeth doesn’t just come in and dothe class and then walk out. She stays and talks tothe parents; she really shows that she cares abouttheir needs. Her program has changed a lot oflives throughout the district.”

Building Fiscally Fit Families:Irma’s Story

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Strengthening Families is a six-week parenting skills program that educatesfamilies about positive parenting practices and healthy family functioning. Le targetaudience includes Harris County residents; parents who are court-ordered by CPS;parents in the Aldine, Alief, Houston, and Spring school district Parent-TeacherOrganizations, Christian Women’s Job Corp, Communities in Schools, and theHouston Recovery Center Almost Home program. Parents focus on improvingparenting practices and child behavior in key areas such as developmental expectations;stress management; communication, problem-solving, and giving directions; seRinglimits; and parenting high-risk children. An average of 1,500 Harris County residentsparticipate in this program annually.

Child Care Provider training supports the educational needs of child care providersby enhancing their effectiveness and strengthening their ability to maintain high-qualitycare. Annually, approximately 165 child care providers from Harris and surroundingcounties participate in a conference with topics focusing on healthy and safeenvironments, developmentally appropriate practices guidance, family relationships,and professionalism. Responses from participants indicate greater knowledge aboutthese issues and resources available for child care providers.

Building Fiscally Fit Families is a money management series that helps familiesand individuals improve their Onancial well-being by developing the moneymanagement skills they need to take control of personal and family Onances. Targetedto underserved populations in Harris County, the program serves a largely bilingual andlimited-income audience. Participants learn about record keeping, preparing a budget,establishing and maintaining good credit, preventing identity theQ, and controllingspending. Surveyed aQer aRending the series, 75 percent of the participants indicatedthat their spending and savings habits had improved. Harris County overall Onancialliteracy programming efforts in 2008 conducted 84 educational sessions and made18,640 contacts, representing 2,149 total contact hours.

Inmate Re-entry Life Skills Program, a community intervention program,provides female inmates with training in the areas of family life skills, Onancial literacy,health, and well-being to increase their ability to handle challenges they will face whenthey return to their communities. When surveyed, the 2,069 women inmates at thePlane State Jail in Dayton, Texas, indicated that their main issues of concern includedfamily life skills, Onancial literacy, and women’s health. Le Inmate Re-entry training isdelivered via distance education courses to two classrooms. In 2008, 349 inmatesparticipated in the program, which delivered 38 sessions, for a total of 7,019 contacthours. Le cost to house an inmate at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is$16,063.65 annually. If only one-third of the 349 who participated in the programreturned to jail, the potential savings would be approximately $3,646,448.

14

“Education is at the heart of Extension.

People have the want-to;

they just need the know-how.

That’s the single most important

thing we provide.”—Ross Palmie

Cypress

Volunteer andLeadershipDevelopment

In 2008, Harris CountyExtension volunteerscontributed a total of 267,814hours of service valued at morethan $5 million.

Texas Master Gardeners andMaster Naturalists providemany hours of volunteer servicein exchange for the knowledgethey gain in the programs.

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15

Ross Palmie says gardeners can save water and increasegarden vegetable yields by mulching and by watering on atimer with a soaker hose buried under the mulch.

16

Ross Palmie is a walking advertisement forAgriLife Extension. After using and promoting itsprograms for more than 25 years, he saysExtension and his family are two subjects he can“warm to.”Ross calls himself “a rancher disguised as an

attorney.” He practices law and has a cow-calfoperation in Cypress—Silver Maple Farms—wherehe raises registered Angus cattle on about 440leased and owned acres. He has also carved out alittle space for three 16-foot by 24-foot year-roundvegetable gardens, a butterfly garden and tworose gardens, and about 20 trees yielding a widevariety of fruit. One might have guessed that Rosshas completed Extension’s Master Gardener(2003) and Master Urban Rancher (2005) programsand that he recently became a certified MasterGardener Vegetable Specialist.A native of Austin whose parents and

grandparents raised cattle and grew fruits andvegetables, Ross moved to Cypress in 1976 andmet Harris County Extension Agent for AgricultureMike Shively, now retired and a dear friend of thePalmies’.“Mike would send me Extension books and

pamphlets and come out to the farm andphysically help me weigh cattle,” Ross recalls. Hetold Shively, “You’ve done so much for us; whatcan I do for you?” So began Ross’s history oflearning from Extension and giving back byvolunteering.Ross supplied cattle for Extension

demonstrations, made land available for herbicidetrials, and joined the beef committee. He hasserved on the Harris County Extension LeadershipAdvisory Board, served as vice chair of theAgriculture and Natural Resources Committee,and was vice chair of the Habitat for Humanity

Master Gardeners’ Project. He is currently first vicepresident of the Board of Directors for HarrisCounty Master Gardeners and is a member of theHarris County Extension Integrated PestManagement Task Force.“Education is at the heart of Extension,” says

Ross. “People have the want-to; they just needthe know-how. That’s the single most importantthing we provide.”Ross says working with the Habitat for Humanity

Master Gardeners’ Project in 2007 was probablythe most rewarding thing he has done. The grouphelped landscape 16 new Habitat homes, workingalongside the homeowners, and continues toteach them. Ross also loves speaking to schoolgroups as part of the Master Gardeners’ CylinderGardening program.He talks enthusiastically about the new

gardening movement. “There is a much greaterinterest in gardening than there was beforeeverything went to heck in a handbasketeconomically,” he says. “People are going to trytheir hand with a few broccoli or tomato plants,even if it’s on the patio. Churches are asking aboutcommunity gardens. Teachers are putting in moreschool gardens. People are more educated nowabout the benefits of eating more fruits andvegetables.”Having been influenced by his father, “an

organic gardener before his time,” Ross says, “Weraise all our vegetables and fruits and eat themourselves or give them to family and friends, so Iwant them to be the best they can be.”The bottom line is sharing knowledge, says

Ross. “It’s a treat to see the light come on whenyou’re explaining something, to have somebodyreally get it and then call you back and say, Youwere right!”

Master Gardener Program:Ross’s Story

17

Master Gardener Program classes teach new volunteers research-basedhorticultural practices that they implement in their own landscapes and gardens andalso share with others. Classes taught by Texas AgriLife Extension Service specialists,staff, Master Gardeners, and other local experts include topics such as botany,propagation, soils, plant nutrition, entomology, ornamental plants, fruits andvegetables, turf, integrated pest management, pesticide safety, Ore ants, landscapedesign, and EarthKind landscape practices. In exchange for in-depth horticulturaltraining, Master Gardeners are asked to volunteer 60 hours of their time to the HarrisCounty Extension Horticulture Program to provide research-based horticulturalinformation to the public. To date, Harris County has trained 550 Master Gardeners.

Texas Master Naturalist Program develops a corps of well-informedvolunteers—currently about 163 in the Gulf Coast chapter—to provide education,outreach, and service dedicated to the beneOcial management of natural resources andnatural areas within Harris County. Lese citizen volunteers implement youtheducation programs; operate parks, nature centers, and natural areas; and provideleadership in local natural resource conservation efforts. Local chapter MasterNaturalists donated 5,480 volunteer service hours during 2008.

Leadership Advisory Board (LAB). Le Harris County Extension LAB is madeup of community leaders familiar with various issues critical to Harris County. Le LABis responsible for assisting with the long-term vision for the program. Because of thedynamics and diversity of Harris County, the LAB serves as one important source ofidentifying new and emerging issues and determining whether Extension educationalprograms should be offered in response to critical issues, based on Extension’seducational mission. Even though Harris County is the third most populated county inthe nation, the input from grassroots organizations is still a critical component of theeducational programming process. One of the LAB’s most important roles is thevalidation of stakeholder input. Lis process includes reviewing Extension’s missionand purpose, goals, objectives, and primary audiences served. Le LAB also assists indeveloping resources to ensure that high-quality programs can be implemented. LABmembers spend countless hours supporting Extension in a variety of ways, and theirefforts enhance the public standing of Extension in Harris County.

Program Area Committees (PACs). Harris County has a rich history ofproviding high-quality educational outreach programs utilizing volunteer support. LePACs have been instrumental in ensuring that Extension maintains relevance in ourprogram areas. Le Harris County PACs serve a number of critical program functions,including assisting the county Extension agents with planning programs, helping withthe implementation and evaluation of programs, and supporting interpretation effortsof the programs.

18

“This program is important to a lot of people.

I would tell other people with diabetes that

the best thing in the world they can do is to

learn about their body.”—Willie Williams

Houston

Nutrition,Health, andWellness

If current trends continue, 20million, or 75 percent, of adultTexans will be overweight orobese by the year 2040. Thecost to the state couldquadruple, from $10.5 billion to$39 billion. When health carecosts and indirect costs, such aslost wages and productivity, arecombined, the annual cost ofdiabetes in Texas alone isestimated at $9 billion.

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Willie Williams has learned to love fruits and vegetablesand appreciate the benefits of a healthy diet since goingto Extension diabetes education classes.

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Willie Williams, 66, of Houston, has learned thehard way about paying attention to her body andtaking care of her health. Diagnosed 11 years agowith type 2 diabetes, she has lost both feet to thedisease and is in a wheelchair. She also needsdialysis and has a pacemaker for her heart.For a long time after she was diagnosed, she

continued to eat like she always had. “I was sohardheaded you could have bumped my head upagainst a wall, and I still would have done thesame things,” she says. She had smoked heavilyfor 30 years and didn’t quit until eight years ago.“I didn’t hear the doctors when they told me,Quit smoking, Mrs. Williams,” she recalls. “I wouldsit out there and smoke a pack of cigarettes inan hour.”After she learned she was diabetic, she went to

clinics and learned about her illness, readingabout the foods that were good for her. “For awhile I would go anywhere they had a diabetesclass,” she says. “I was going to physical therapy,but I would still eat what I wanted to eat. I learnedlater I could do that, but I had to eat smallamounts. Now if I want a pizza, I eat a slice ofpizza, not the whole pizza.”She went to a doctor’s class on smoking and

classes about kidney disease. “I used to be scaredto leave the house by myself,” she says. But nowthat her insulin is regulated and she has a homehealth care provider, she is able to get aroundbetter. “And I have neighbors,” she says.She takes the Houston METROLift bus to

Diabetes Education Awareness Program (DEAP)classes, taught by Shervelle Washington, Family

and Consumer Sciences agent with the PrairieView A&M University Cooperative ExtensionProgram in Harris County.Since going to the classes, Willie has learned to

cook low-fat, low-sodium meals to replace herformer foods. “I can cook whatever I want towithin reason,” she says. “I used to make therichest potato salad in the world. Now I make itwith fresh ingredients, like celery and bellpepper.” She uses salt-free herb seasoning andseldom eats anything fried. Her favorite food isfruit. “If I don’t have the money to buy some fruit,I’m upset with everybody,” she says.“I learned how you can make a meal with cereal

and yogurt,” she says. “And I love eating lettuceand tomatoes.”After only a short time in the DEAP classes and

eating the right foods, Willie says she felthealthier and stronger. She had surgery to replacethe battery in her pacemaker and returned homefrom the hospital with more energy.“I wouldn’t miss a class if they were going to

have it,” she says. “This program is important to alot of people.“I would tell other people with diabetes that the

best thing in the world they can do is to learnabout their body,” says Willie. “Listen to yourdoctor; listen to your nutritionist. I guess youcould say I’m a walking billboard—although Idon’t walk anymore. I would tell people that theseproblems I have are things they don’t want. Iwould say, Can’t you understand this can happento you?”

Diabetes Education Program:Willie’s Story

21

Diabetes Education Programs. Diabetes imposes a substantial cost burden tosociety and to those who suffer from the disease. Diabetes complications and lostproductivity amounted to $132 billion nationally in 2002. Le estimated medicalexpenditures incurred by persons with diabetes were $13,243 per capita per year(nationally) versus $2,560 for persons without diabetes.

• Do Well, Be Well with Diabetes (DWBW) is a low-cost classroom series thatteaches people with type 2 diabetes how to manage their disease and avoid long-termcomplications through improved nutrition and self-care. By properly managing theirdisease, participants can reduce their health care costs to close to non-diabetes levels.Harris County has a 7.1 percent prevalence of type 2 diabetes, with 175,185 personsdiagnosed and many more undiagnosed. Extension agents, along with a localcoalition of pharmacists, physical therapists, dietitians, nurses, certiOed diabeteseducators, and others with expertise in home health care and diabetes support,deliver the instruction at several locations. Le potential economic impact of DWBWprogramming in Harris County in 2008 was $1,396,431, representing the reductionof health care costs from improved nutrition and beRer self-care management of thedisease.

• Project DEAP (Diabetes Education Awareness Program) is aneducational intervention, developed by the Prairie View A&M UniversityCooperative Extension Program, aimed at educating and encouraging smallcommunities and lower-income families to adopt healthier eating practices to avoiddiabetes. Le target audience includes those who are diabetic, pre-diabetic, or haverisk factors for diabetes. In 2008, more than 1,000 participants received DEAPinformation about awareness and risk factors associated with diabetes. Surveysindicated that participants had not only increased their understanding of risk factorsand symptoms of hyperglycemia, but also changed behaviors such as increasing thefrequency of monitoring feet and skin for changes, blood pressure, and blood sugarlevels; improving eating habits; and making exercise a part of their daily routine.

Better Living for Texans (BLT) provides educational programs to food stampapplicants and recipients, and other approved audiences, to improve their ability toplan and prepare nutritious meals, stretch food dollars, and prepare and store foodsafely. Harris County is the largest county in Texas and has the largest population offood stamp recipients (9 percent) or those potentially eligible to receive them(1,087,333). During 2008, BLT educational programs reached 8,231 Harris Countyadults and youth. More than 187 educational sessions were delivered with the help of425 volunteers.

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Walk Across Texas! helps people of all ages establish the habit of regular physicalactivity. Le eight-week program involves community task forces with members fromtargeted groups such as schools, work sites, and churches. Le future potential savingsfor the remaining years of life for the 414 Harris County participants in 2008 is$4,628,931 if they continue walking at least 150 minutes each week. Lis includesreduced health care costs associated with lowering the risk of chronic disease and thevalue of avoiding lost productivity and wages. In a successful work-site project withSysco Corporation in 2007, 50 teams walked 86,644.32 miles. Le average teammileage was 1,733 miles, and the average team member walked 217 miles. Besidesenjoying the competition, activity, and fellowship, team members indicated they lookedand felt beRer, and they planned to continue walking as well as engage in other forms ofphysical activity.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) providesfood and nutrition education via paraprofessionals and volunteers to low-incomefamilies and youth, helping them acquire the knowledge, skills, aRitudes, and behaviorchanges necessary for nutritionally sound diets. Texas has a need for EFNEP—2006data show that 30 percent of Texas families were living below 185 percent of the federalpoverty level, compared to 23 percent of U.S. families. In 2005, 26 percent of HarrisCounty youth lived in poverty. In 2008, 4,246 families with 8,931 children enrolled inEFNEP in Harris County, and 7,213 youth contacts were made through the EFNEPyouth program. Studies have shown that for every dollar spent on EFNEP, HarrisCounty participants save $10 in health care costs and $2 in food costs. Lis amounts to$9.2 million in health care cost savings and almost $1.8 million in food cost savings.

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“What I liked best was making posters

showing healthy foods and people exercising.”—Marcelo Zavala, age 8

Cloverleaf Elementary SchoolHouston

“We learned that fruits and vegetables make

you stronger and carrots can help your eyes.”—Ariella Pieri-Nicholas, age 9Cloverleaf Elementary School

Houston

4-H andUrban YouthDevelopment

According to a national study,youth who participate in 4-Hare more likely to becomeleaders and positive rolemodels in their communities.4-H currently reaches about33,750 youth annually in HarrisCounty through local 4-H clubsand school enrichmentprograms. Efforts are underway to increase outreach toyoung people in the county.

I m p a c t

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Marcelo Zavala and Ariella Pieri-Nicholasgather with classmates for the Health Rocks!after-school program.

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What could get a nine-year-old interested incooking and her five-year-old sister talking abouteating carrots for healthy eyes? How about a four-year-old making Play-Doh foods the way his olderbrother did in an exciting after-school class? Whathas these children thinking and talking aboutnutrition is a 4-H Afterschool curriculum calledHealth Rocks!Ariella Pieri-Nicholas, 9, and Marcelo Zavala, 8,

were among the Cloverleaf Elementary School(Galena Park ISD) students who participated inHealth Rocks! taught by Cloverleaf teachersAngela Shearin and Adam Runge in spring andsummer 2009. They learned about eating healthyfoods and exercising and also about the negativeeffects of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use.Health Rocks! was presented through a

partnership between Extension 4-H Urban Youthprograms and the Precinct2gether Youth Program,which was established by Harris County Precinct 2Commissioner Sylvia Garcia to provide after-school programs for children in grades 3–8 basedon economic, academic, and socialization needsand teacher referrals.“The Precinct2gether Youth Program is proud to

be a partner with 4-H,” says Commissioner Garcia.“We believe this partnership will provide thenecessary resources for the youth of East HarrisCounty to enable them to make better lifedecisions, build and strengthen relationships,reinforce academic concepts, and learn how theycan make a difference in their communities.”Cloverleaf Elementary’s K–5 computer

technology teacher, Becky Godell, is also the sitecoordinator for 4-H Afterschool andPrecinct2gether programs at her school. She saysher son, Duncan, 9, has begun reading food labelssince participating in Health Rocks!“Health Rocks! gets the students hands-on and

involved with their learning, which is somethingthey need,” says Becky.Runge, who has a culinary degree and also

works as a chef, brought his pasta maker and letthe students make pasta from scratch. They alsomade Play-Doh meals and arranged theircreations on a plate to show proper portion sizes.Crafting these play foods obviously made animpression on Marcelo, which he passed along tohis younger brother, who in turn made Play-Dohtacos and tortillas with avocado and lettuce on hisfirst two days of school.Health Rocks! has also created new interest in

sports. “Before, they didn’t want to participatebecause they’d get hot and sweaty,” says Becky,“but now they see the benefit of exercising.”Marcelo will play baseball and take swimminglessons this year.One of greatest benefits of Health Rocks! is that

the students bring the information home to sharewith their families. “We learned that fruits andvegetables make you stronger and carrots canhelp your eyes,” says Ariella. Her mother, AgnesPadilla, says she has begun to share in Ariella’sfavorite after-school snack, apples and peanutbutter.“We talked about fruits and vegetables, like

pineapple and mango and broccoli andartichokes,” says Marcelo. “What I liked best wasmaking posters showing healthy foods and peopleexercising.”Marcelo’s father, Sergio Zavala, says their family

always tries to eat healthy, in spite of the pressurecreated by advertising that entices children to eatout. “The children link the knowledge they gain inHealth Rocks! to everyday life,” he says. “Marceloused to just sit down and eat, but now he’s moreaware of what the meals mean to us. Now itmakes sense.”

Health Rocks!Ariella and Marcelo’s Story

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4-H and Youth Development programs engage youth in healthy learningexperiences that increase self-esteem and problem-solving skills, encouraging them toexplore science, technology, citizenship, and leadership. Harris County 4-H’ersparticipate in a variety of community service projects, such as serving at RonaldMcDonald House during National 4-H Week, delivering blankets to Children’sHospital through Project Linus, distributing educational information as part ofhurricane recovery efforts, and collecting books for Ben Taub Hospital patients.

Urban Youth Development expands 4-H programming to inner-city youth andother new youth audiences by offering aQer-school programs and in-school curriculumenrichment materials. Research-based programs are designed for young people who livein at-risk conditions. Using an evidence-based youth development process, Extension inHarris County provides program leaders and volunteers with the skills and resources tobuild effective learning environments.

• Health Rocks! helps students make healthy life choices, with emphasis on theprevention of tobacco, alcohol, and substance abuse. Annually in Texas, 56,900 youthunder age 18 become new smokers. Houston youth had the second-highest rate ofbinge drinking—25.5 percent compared to 22.5 percent nationally. In 2008, HealthRocks! reached 8,013 minority, under-served youth. Volunteers contributed over 300hours in support of this program. Le long-term beneOt to Harris County and toTexas in savings from prevention of health risks is anticipated to be substantial. Someof these savings would be in the form of reduced health care costs for illnesses, suchas certain types of cancer; fewer days of lost work productivity; and prevention of themany health, economic, and societal woes associated with substance abuse and theconsumption of tobacco and alcohol.

• Junior Master Gardener helps “grow good kids” by instilling in them a passionfor learning, success, and service through gardening and horticulture. Teachers andother adults deliver the program to elementary and middle school students, who alsolearn about science and math in a fun and interesting way. Participants earn the titleof Junior Master Gardener by digging into environmental science and gardening andparticipating in service learning projects. In 2008, the program reached 8,193 youth.

• The Workforce Preparation and Career Development Project. WithsigniOcant changes in Harris County demographics—coupled with burgeoningimmigration and birth rates—more Texans need direction as they make plans toenter the workforce. According to the U.S. Labor Department, many youth lack thebasic skills to obtain employment. Nationally, the teenage unemployment rate is 25.5percent, its highest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began keeping records in1948. Le CEP/PVAMU provided workforce preparation training in applicationpreparation, résumé and cover leRer development, and effective interviewing.Program participants indicated that they increased their skills in a variety ofworkforce-related topics. Ley also indicated increased knowledge in the areas ofnetworking and maintaining effective relationships with co-workers. 28

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard tosocioeconomic level, race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.

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Cooperative Extension ProgramPrairie View A&M University