WVU Extension Service partners with Randolph County school to supply summer learning and nutrition

What has six wheels, shelves full of books and fresh produce, and a community full of support? It’s no riddle, just the Beverly Bookmobile – a colorfully decorated library on wheels that provides elementary students in Randolph County with access to literacy, nutrition and safety education all summer long.

Over the last few years, the bookmobile has partnered with a number of local businesses and outreach organizations, including West Virginia University Extension Service, to create a well-rounded summer program that offers youths resources that they typically would only get during the school year.

Join WVU and WVU Extension Service for fun and education at the State Fair of West Virginia

From the time-honored 4-H livestock projects to cutting-edge STEM activities, West Virginia University Extension Service will offer a blend of tradition and innovation at the State Fair of West Virginia in Fairlea from Aug. 8 to Aug. 17.

WVU Extension Service Interim Dean Sue Day-Perroots said the fair is an opportunity to honor the state’s agricultural roots and showcase the new directions the state is heading — through a fun and family-oriented atmosphere.

Students from China University of Mining and Technology learn from WVU Safety and Health Extension

WVU Extension Service Safety and Health Extension and the WVU Industrial and Management Systems Engineering program partnered to provided a three-week instructional and practical learning experience to students from China University of Mining and Technology.

As part of this experience, the students toured the WVU Fire Service Extension facility and met with Fire Service faculty to learn about their various programs. The students also got the chance to participate in training simulations, pull fire hose and practice hose training.

The students also toured the MSA Training Lab in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, where WVU Extension Service Safety and Health Extension and the MSA instructed students on fall protection and confined space requirements. The students had the opportunity to inspect and don fall protection harnesses, as well as set up and simulate worker rescue.

Local farm-to-table event to benefit West Virginia Agri-Women

Local bison rancher Riffle Farms and Appalachian culinary masters Mike Costello and Amy Dawson of Lost Creek Farm will be hosting a farm-to-table pop-up dinner event on September 21, 2019 at Riffle Farms in Terra Alta, West Virginia at 5:30 p.m.

The meal will feature bison meat from Riffle Farms and produce from local farmers. Also featured: live music by LoganTown, cider from West Virginia-brewer Swilled Dog, a silent auction and a hayride from the parking lot to and from the event barn. All proceeds from the silent auction and 5% of ticket prices will be donated to the West Virginia Agri-Women.

Our new safety website is here – your resource for everything about on-campus safety and wellness

WVU is one of the safest campuses in the country, and we’re working to make it even safer for all Mountaineers.

To help provide you with all on-campus safety information, everything you need to know can now be found at safety.wvu.edu. Learn about types of programming and trainings the University provides, information on things like active shooter preparedness, and reporting procedures for sexual assault, discrimination and more. 

This new website will serve as a helpful resource in times of need. We encourage you to explore the website regularly to stay informed about and updated on safety and wellness at WVU.

Important changes to University Police social media accounts

As part of continuing efforts to promote a safe and secure campus community, the West Virginia University Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management are updating their social media accounts.

The former West Virginia University Police Department Twitter account (@WVUPD) has changed its handle to @WVUalert and will only post during emergency situations.

Save the Date: Trademark and Licensing Fair

The Brand and Trademark Licensing Office invites all departments to a licensee fair on Aug. 28 from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Mountainlair ballrooms. All of the invited vendors are licensed to produce WVU-branded products.

WVU Extension Communications rolls out project management system

Each year, WVU Extension Communications oversees thousands of projects ranging from branded gear and videos to brochure design and web content management. To help the team better track projects and ensure the goals of projects are being met, a new project request form has been put in place for Extension employees to use.

The form, which can be filled out in less than a minute, helps get the project moving from start to finish. Using an online project tracking system, the Communications team works together to provide all of the pieces of the project, on time and on brand. Additionally, the new project management flow allows for more personalized attention and enhanced customer service.
 
Do you have an upcoming project you need assistance with? Be sure to complete the project request form and the Communications’ team will work with you to get things done!

Tyler County 4-H sending students back to school with writing swag

Students in Tyler County will be showing off their WVU/4-H branded pencils when they head back to school next week. Thanks to the team at our Tyler County office for working with our Communications team to share the WVU and 4-H love!

If you would like to discuss branded promo items for your events/activities, please be sure to reach out the extensioncommunications@mail.wvu.edu or call us at 304-293-7996.

Snowshoe Highlands is Newest IMBA Ride Center™

Local partners, including West Virginia University Extension Service, Pocahontas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) local association Pocahontas Trails, the U.S. Forest Service and Snowshoe Mountain, have been working for years to get Snowshoe Highlands designated as an IMBA Ride Center--and it has finally happened!

The IMBA is pleased to announce Snowshoe Highlands as IMBA’s newest Bronze-Level Ride Center™, and first Ride Center in West Virginia. The IMBA Ride Center designation solidifies the enthusiasm for mountain biking in Snowshoe Highlands, and recognizes it as one of today's exceptional mountain bike destinations.

Grant to fund computer science comes at opportune time

As it has been for generations, sometimes kids in rural areas don’t have some of the advantages of their peers in the city. When it comes to computer science, it can be a big disparity. It is encouraging, though, that there are people who want to help.

Thanks to a grant from Google and the National 4-H Council, money is being provided to help students in 20 states learn skills they will so urgently need in the marketplace.

In West Virginia, the WVU Extension Service and 4-H have received $250,000 to enable 4-H educators to expand computer science training to students in rural areas, first-generation college students, minorities, women and girls.

WVU Extension Service STEM Specialist Jennifer Robertson-Honecker said the grant money will help fill a critical need.

WVU looks to encourage STEM education with State Fair booth

The West Virginia University Extension Service is using the State Fair of West Virginia to provide young people opportunities to engage in science and math exercises and get them interested in engineering and science.

The Extension Service, in a partnership with Mylan, will run the booth through the end of the fair on Saturday.

The booth includes a vertical wind tunnel to observe how objects work in such environment, as well as marshmallow catapult kits students can take home and a sneak peek at this year’s National Youth Science Day coding kit.

Suzanne McDonald, a STEM outreach specialist with the University, said the fair provides a great opportunity for kids to engage in new things. She added from the University’s standpoint, they hope to make the young visitors’ time at the booth fun but also informative.

Be Wild, Be Wonderful, Be Healthy project garners media attention

WVU Extension Service and the CDC's partnership on the Be Wild, Be Wonderful, Be Healthy project has received attention in several media outlets over the past few weeks. If you missed it, check out the articles below:

• WVVA-TV
• WVU Weekly
• WVVA

Energy Express 2019 serves 192 children in Mineral County

Another amazing summer of Energy Express has come to a close. There were 192 children who enjoyed the five-week program, which provided a literacy-rich environment and family-style meals. 

“Mineral County Energy Express is a remarkable collaborative that has continued for 25 consecutive year,” says Margaret Miltenberger, WVU Extension Service agent. 

WVU Extension Service and FFA lead junior livestock show at State Fair

Across West Virginia, final preparations are being made for the biggest livestock show of the year – the State 4-H and FFA Junior Livestock Show at the State Fair of West Virginia. For months, West Virginia University Extension Service employees and state FFA advisers around the state have been working with youths in their communities to prepare them to show their project animals in the junior livestock competitions at the State Fair on Aug. 8 to Aug. 15, teaching valuable life skills in the process.

And efforts do not stop once everyone arrives at the fair; there, you will find WVU Extension Service and FFA personnel staffing barns and managing shows to give those competing the best experience possible.

New Hires

• Eric Black, Maintenance Worker II, Jackson’s Mill
• Charles Sheley, Maintenance Worker II, Jackson’s Mill

• Bryon Sunderman, STEM Assistant, Wood County
• Alaina Duty, Program Manager, 4-H Youth Development (effective August 21)

• Allison Nichols, Extension Specialist – Program Evaluation, Family and Community Development (effective August 31)