FCS Professionals Honored with Epsilon Sigma Phi Awards

The Alpha Kappa Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP), the National Extension Professional Organization, recognized professionals from across the state for their service in Cooperative Extension on March 21, 2017. The group honored outstanding faculty and agents for their dedication to the mission of the organization and their continuous outreach within their communities. Several Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension Professionals were among the honorees.

• Debra Cotterill, Director of the Nutrition Education Programs, was the recipient of the Visionary Leadership Award. She was honored for her leadership of the USDA-funded Expanded Foods and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and Supplement Nutrition Assistance Education Program (SNAP-Ed), both aimed to help low-income Kentuckians become better nourished. Since becoming director in 2011, funding, reach and quality of Kentucky’s programs have increased dramatically. Cotterill has directed the expansion and revision of the program’s curriculum, the launch of a social marketing campaign, research and program evaluation
  enhancements, and the expansion of programming to include policy, systems and environment efforts.
   
   

• The recipient of the Early Career Service Award was Amanda Dame, the McLean County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education. Within her 5 year tenure, Dame has provided grass roots programs to her community addressing various topics within the FCS field. Additionally, she has served in various leadership roles within the Kentucky Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences.

• Lynette Allen, recipient of the Mid-Career Service Award, was recognized for her service to the families of Breckinridge County over the past 18 years. Her experiences as a 4-H and FCS Agent has allowed her to grow professionally with the goal of building diverse programs to meet the needs of the local community. Lynette says her Extension career has enriched her life, and she looks forward to the continued opportunity to strengthen families and build leaders in Kentucky.

• Fleming County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Donna Fryman, was presented with the Individual Achievement Award. Fryman led future leaders in a week of discovery through the Community Passport Adventure Camp. Grade school youth participated in four full days of activities to learn more about their community, future job opportunities, and the work skills needed to perform these jobs and have a greater appreciation of the community they live in.

• The Program Achievement County Team Award recognized Nellie Buchanan, Morgan County Extension Agent Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and Sarah Fannin, Morgan County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Education. Given dire county statistics indicating poor health and eating habits, lack of exercise and high rates of different cancers, Buchanan and Fannin collaborated to offer programs to promote growing, harvesting, preparing, consuming and preserving locally grown produce. Acquiring over $65,000 in grant funds, their joint efforts capitalized on a variety of resources, expertise and marketing methods to enable learning and life changing opportunities for the residents of Morgan County.

Nellie Buchanan, recipient of the Program Achievement
County Team Award (not pictured: Sarah Fannin)

• Green River Area Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences Education earned the Program Achievement Multi-County Team Award for teaming up to host Plate It Up, Kentucky Proud displays and tastings at area events. The Plate It Up, Kentucky Proud program objective is to increase consumer purchase, preparation, and preservation of Kentucky grown and value-added commodities through marketing and educational collaborations. The team sought to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables, encourage healthy lifestyle choices for families and individuals, and promote proper food safety techniques among clients. The team included Mary Higginbotham (Daviess County), Amanda Hardy (Henderson County), Tiffany Calvert (Ohio County), Amanda Dame (McLean County), Melanie Bealmear (Union County) and Katie Alexander (Webster County).

From left to right: Amanda Dame, Amanda Hardy,
Katie Alexander and Mary Higginbotham,
recipients of the Program Achievement
(not pictured: Tiffany Calvert and Melanie Bealmear)

• The Distinguished Team Award was presented to a group of Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education and Agriculture & Natural Resources (ANR) Education agents from Extension District 1. The team collaborated on “Planning for Family Financial Transitions,” a seven week series focused on educating people on the benefits and steps for successful estate planning and family property transition planning. Utilizing UK Extension estate planning resources, the program series presented via Skype throughout seven weeks reached more than 200 families in the eighteen District 1 counties. Team members recognized included ANR agents Lyndall Harned (Boyd County), Tad Campbell (Mason County), Courtney Jenkins (Magoffin County), and David Appelman, (Bracken County), along with FCS agents Leslie Workman (Pike County), Nicole Gwishiri (Bath County), Eugenia Wilson (Boyd County). 
   
• The 2017 Outstanding Retiree Service Award honored Dr. Linda M. Heaton, retired Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Specialist. Dr. Heaton’s career in higher education spanned 36 years and included positions at four universities. She was a member of the UK Extension faculty from 1980 to 2004, serving as clothing and textiles specialist. Her professional reputation was outstanding, and she demonstrated a willingness to go beyond expectations throughout her career. That commitment has continued since her retirement in 2004, and her leadership has benefitted multiple organizations, including the National Association of Retired and Active Federal Employees. In 2015, Ms. Heaton was inducted into the School of Human Environmental Sciences Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding legacy in family and consumer sciences.

Congratulations to all of the Epsilon Sigma Phi award recipients!