The purpose of this article to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health Preconception Peer Educators program at a small private historically black college and university (HBCU). Peer educators were college students who completed a two-day training that…

The process of innovation involves numerous contradictions not adequately addressed by business-oriented approaches, in particular the problem that what seem to be mutually antagonistic factors are involved. Psychological research on creativity, especially the 4 "Ps" (process, person, product, and press) and the paradoxes of creativity…

Differences in vegetable production methods utilized by American growers create distinct challenges for Extension personnel providing food safety training to producer groups. A program employing computers and projectors will not be accepted by an Amish group that does not accept modern technology. We have developed an outreach program that covers…

Understanding one's community is essential for effective Extension programming across all program areas. The use of current and reliable demographic data is crucial for Extension to develop effective education and programming to track change and to uncover hidden community characteristics. We discuss what demographic data are, present…

In order for a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program to meet its full potential, a director of physical activity (DPA) is needed. To train physical educators for this new role, a task force recently created a professional development program endorsed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education that certifies current…

From its founding as a Quaker school for boys to its evolution into a military school and, ultimately, into the thriving coeducational civilian institution it is today, Widener University has been no stranger to change and transition. It may come as a surprise, therefore, that although it had a mission statement and goals, prior to 2004 the…

The need for school-based interventions targeting the childhood obesity epidemic has been well documented. The risk factors associated with childhood obesity are physical, mental, psychosocial, academic, and economic. With training in developing comprehensive programs and interventions, professional school counselors are positioned to assist…

This article describes how High School Visual Arts Teacher Jethro Gillespie built a portable art gallery for his students--essentially an 8-foot cube made from plywood and lightweight boards that can be assembled with bolts and taken apart in sections. The ceiling pieces of the gallery have track lights, the interior walls have been painted gray,…

Just as with print resources, as the number of Web-based resources continues to soar, the need to evaluate them has become a critical information skill for both children and adults. This is particularly true for schools where librarians often are called on to recommend Web resources to classroom teachers, parents, and students, and to support…

This fictional case study examines crisis response in higher education settings. Information about current crisis response procedures, plans, and trends was gathered from informational interviews, current crisis management literature, and multiple college and university websites. The information was synthesized into a fictional case study using…

Youth mental health is an area of profound disparity between the demand and supply of services, particularly in schools that serve students at risk of school dropout. This article describes the conceptual foundations and implementation of "MAGNIFY", a program that provides free group counseling to small alternative schools with students…

This document is a guide for implementing widespread use of evidence-based practices for improving the outcomes for young children with or at-risk for delays or disabilities and their families. The evidence-based practices are selected practices from the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices (RPs). The guide is written for…

Museums often court corporate audiences through special event rentals and development and promotional partnerships. But we rarely approach them as potential adult learners. In overlooking them, we miss the potential of reaching a large number of often novice museum participants who can gain from gallery learning and develop a relationship with our…

The International Baccalaureate[R] (IB) examination system has grown exponentially in the United States from 268 schools involved in 1999 to 1,090 schools in 2009. The fact that 49,100 students of a total of 87,800 students in 122 countries were from U.S. schools in 2009 has posed problems in strategic planning, assessment and training, the…

There is growing recognition that after-school programs (ASPs) provide opportunities for positive youth development. Many ASPs focus on behavior and socio-emotional challenges, provide evidence-based interventions to improve homework completion and academic skills, and offer physical activities and nutritious foods. Generally speaking, ASPs offer…