Davidson County
State ESP County Performance Award

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Staff Cooperation:
The Davidson County staff has been a stable staff historically but has added 5 new staff members in the last 2 years due to retirements and restructured staffing patterns. In rebuilding the staff in the affected program areas were involved in the hiring of new personnel. The staff worked cooperatively to identify nearly half of the candidates as prospects for the vacant positions in an effort to develop strong applicant pools. The current staff has shown energy, enthusiasm and positive attitudes for CES. During the 2003 environmental scan the Davidson staff held a retreat where members shared their values for meaningful programming, and assessed preferred work patterns for cooperative efforts. The staff identified new program areas in forestry, cooperative programming with IES and the community college in areas of leadership and humanities programming. Marketing strategies for accountability groups were also assessed. A comprehensive county plan followed along with success stories as a marketing tool. The ALS followed through on identified needs not assumed by staff members. The entire CES staff works annually together on the Davidson County Fair where 5 livestock and animal shows are held and county residents submit over 1200 entries. The fair bridges the gap of the urban and agricultural communities through exhibits and displays and is considered one of the best county agricultural fairs in the state. The entire CES staff also works on a monthly full-page newspaper article entitled "Extension Update" which offers timely information, tips and upcoming events to county residents. The staff recognizes their unique talents and strengths in working cooperatively on joint programs. 4-H summer programs, environmental days, pesticide training, farm tours, agricultural alternatives, agri-tourism and marketing fairs are examples of 3 or more staff working together on organizational programs. The district secretary's day, agricultural agents association and program assistants held their meetings in Davidson County this year with all staff assisting one another to host the meetings.

Resource Utilization:
State evidence how your staff uses the resources of the University for training and program support. Identify ways the staff uses community resources to the extent needed to do an outstanding job. T The Davidson staff volunteered to be a pilot for the County performance based budget program. Under the plan departments meeting goals and saving the county money are provided the opportunity to share in the savings. This enables staff to share in bonuses for meeting goals and accrue operating funds for program and equipment needs. This year the county could potentially accrue $3000 in savings. Pesticide grants and North Carolina Beautiful grants have provided $1000 for recycling education and landscaping F the agricultural building. The Davidson staff has been a part of larger networking groups that acquired Boone's Cave state park as a county park. The park is a part of the master recreation plan also initiated by the grass roots tourism group. A gift of $300,000 has been received by the committee for the planning and expansion of passive recreational sites. Test plots involve the support of University faculty such as the plant pathology and crop science departments. Small grain fields days involve the soybean and field crops specialists. The master gardeners have provided donations and built a water garden at Southwest school. They have also underwritten a portion of the cost in developing planters around the agricultural building. Through a grant they secured 100 azaleas for foundation planting around the center. This saved the county money and labor. Davidson and Randolph Counties called upon PODS to assist with a staff workshop on "letting go" as county needs increased while staff size decreased. The Biological and Agricultural Engineering department helped the Davidson County landfill with issues of utilizing methane gas and meeting EPA standards.

Program Impact:
List evidence that your programs are resulting in significant changes in the lives and actions of your clientele.4-H environmental days impact approximately 250 youth annually as CES staff offer sheep shearing, horticultural, corn and soybean, forestry and wildlife programs. The hands on programs reach a vast number of Afro-American and Hispanic audiences stressing the value of agriculture and resource conservation. Also the summer programs provide short term living skills related programs all summer for approximately 250 youth. Marketing fairs provide an opportunity to relate the breadth and scope of CES programs. The multicultural festival and environmental days are examples. The addition of a full time horticulture position gave rise to 46 showing an interest in viticulture as an agricultural alternative and the establishment of a master gardener program. The field crops, livestock and horticulture programs provide pesticide licensing mandated by NCDA and fills a much-needed role for county residents. Agri-tourism efforts have made new partners and in Davidson county has resulting in netting Boone's Cave Park, initiating plans for a master plan for recreation, and the identification of agri-tourism sites. One hundred percent of participants in the dining with diabetes indicated a life style change as a result of the program. Similarly 100% of the participants in the give your heart a healthy beat program reported cholesterol, weight or blood pressure changes.