Family and Community Wellness, 2024 Q2

Katelyn Jespersen, Extension Agent, B.S. MLS, M.A. Ed.
Katelyn.Jespersen@ndsu.edu

Wow, I can’t believe the first half of 2024 is already in the books! Those spring days of second quarter seem so long ago, especially now that we are well into summer and different programming. This last quarter involved wrapping up school year programs, preparing for 4-H fair season, increasing the availability of quality programs for everyone, and continuing to provide weekly wellness tips.

As the school year wrapped up, so did the classroom programs of “On the Move” and “Bread Fair.” In May, I presented a career exploration lesson from our 4-H curriculum at Marketplace for Kids. This lesson is a fun and creative way to introduce students to the importance of every type of job by discussing every single type of job that went into making a common object (iPhone, can of soup, and shoes).

Preparation for the fair started immediately upon the end of the school year. There was much to do in getting everything organized for our 4-H achievement days that take place during the Upper Missouri Valley Fair and it is always an “all hands on deck” kind of approach. Our fair proved successful as we had many 4-H exhibits that qualified for the State Fair. Much of July will be prepping the 4-H’ers and their exhibits so that they are able to do well at the ND State Fair at the end of July as this then rounds out the end of the 4-H year.

Much of April and May, I was able to take several trainings and attend professional developments, both online and in-person. Because of these opportunities provided much through grant funding and NDSU program leaders, I am able to improve both the quantity and quality of programs available to Williams County. New programs I am able to offer include: RealColors, QPR, and Aging Mastery Program. RealColors is a one time class that provides perspective into the way people think, act, and speak that is meant to provide better communication and understanding among groups of people. QPR, also known as Question Persuade Refer, is a 90-minute suicide prevention training that anyone can take as another version of mental health training, which highlights the steps of questioning a distressed person, persuading them not to act on it, and referring them to professional help. Aging Mastery Program is a new program developed by the National Council on Aging that NDSU will be piloting in our county. This program is meant to be a fun and engaging way to learn about topics related to aging and empower individuals to increase their own longevity. Along with these new certifications, there are several previous programs that have been updated and are ready to go through a trial process. I am very excited to bring these all into this next quarter!

I continue to provide weekly wellness tips through Wellness Wednesday articles and videos. I have had successful feedback from people in the community that very much enjoy watching or reading the topics every week and find them very informative. I have continued to gain a following through the media and plan to continue providing this timely, relevant tidbit of information as long as it is proving successful.

I am very excited to bring these all into this next quarter!