North Carolina Agricultural and
on
the
i
ove
Technical State University
College of Agriculture and
Environmental Sciences Newsletter
www.ag.ncat.edu
Preparing. Finding. Implementing solutions. October 2017 • voi. xvi. No. 5
Extension specialist prepares future leaders
through 4-H outreach
Dr. HP's Highlights
For students across North Carolina, the future
is filled with learning about robotics and
preparation to enter the workforce, thanks to
Dr. Misty Blue-Terry, 4-H STEM specialist for
Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T.
Blue- Terry works to ensure that limited-
resource youth have the opportunity to be
involved in 4-H robotics programs.
“That’s what is really rewarding and what
really drives me, to bring this technology and these
outreaches into communities that don’t get an
opportunity to have this type of hands-on experi¬
ence,” Blue-Terry says.
That dedication has
earned Blue-Terry the 1890
Excellence in Extension
Award for 4-H Youth
Development from the
Extension Committee on
Organization and Policy
(ECOP) and the USDA
National Institute of Food
and Agriculture.
“To be recognized
amongst your peers is a
wonderful feeling,” she
says.
The 4-H robotics
program has evolved from
using inexpensive “junk
drawer” materials to much
more advanced technology,
including sophisticated
robots. Youth learn techni¬
cal skills and how to apply
those skills to real-world problems by building
and programming their own robots. They also
develop other skills that are valuable in any field:
how to collaborate, solve problems and manage
projects.
Extension at A&T emphasizes outreach to
youth in economically distressed areas across the
state focusing on students who would normally
not be exposed to these robots. Blue-Terry’s work
involves creating support materials and effective
training for Extension field staff and their clientele.
She has also created a work-readiness cur¬
riculum that prepares middle school youth to be
leaders for tomorrow - beginning with teaching
them how to polish their soft skills to get jobs.
The “You’re Hired! If Your Soft Skills Work”
curriculum was developed in partnership with a
College of Business and Economics professor, Dr.
Maranda McBride. Trainers who work with youth
teach them five modules to prepare them for a
community work-like volunteer experience. The
volunteer sites provide feedback on the young
person’s performance in the workplace based on
the skills they learned in
the class.
Blue-Terry also
recently trained 40 4-H
agents, almost half of the
4-H agents in the state,
emphasizing the impor¬
tance of reaching non-
traditional youth in 4-H.
National 4-H initiatives
encourage greater diver¬
sity in the organization’s
outreaches to apply leader¬
ship skills among various
communities — suburban,
urban and rural — and
it’s a mission the specialist
wholeheartedly embraces.
Projects with Blue-
Terry as a principal inves¬
tigator or co-principal
investigator have received
$612,000 in external fund¬
ing since 2010. She is also one of the recipients of
a $1.5 million grant designed to develop the next
generation of scientists through formal and non-
formal learning systems in partnership with 4-H
program staff at North Carolina State University
and Clcmson University.
Blue-Terry is excited about opportunities to
further expand her work. Fittingly, she envisions
using technology to teach about technology. Her
next outreach is to facilitate a virtual robotics
camp tentatively scheduled for summer 2018.
Dr Misty Blue-Terry poses with one of the
robots from the 4-H robotics program.
Bragging rights for the CAES include our being
the largest agriculture program among all the
nation's HBCUs. That distinction makes us
stand out, but what makes us truly stand for
something is quantified in more than size. Who
we are at our core is key to our well-known
Aggie Pride. Captured in our strategic plan,
"Destination Excellence" are seven guiding
principles that govern our mission to educate
and improve communities. Our core values are:
• Shared Leadership: Our strategic plan is
a perfect example of shared governance
that influences decision making. The plan
was formulated by a committee led by
Dr. Valerie Giddings, associate dean for
research, but committee members, fac¬
ulty, staff and external stakeholders also
helped shape what is important to us now
and in the future.
• Integrity and Honesty: Our deeds will be
consistent with our words.
• Respect Aretha Franklin said it most
memorably that just a little bit goes a
long way. I want to ensure, though, that
we practice more than a bit; that we can
disagree without being disagreeable.
From administrative offices to the fields
of the University Farm and every point in
between, we must demonstrate fairness,
dignity and compassion with one another.
• Collaboration: From industrial partners to
split-appointments and interdepartmental
projects, our interactive alliances are in
large part what give us wings to prepare,
find and implementsolutionsforthe CAES'
varied audiences.
• Diversity: The CAES is one of the most
diverse colleges at A&T, committed to
protecting and advancing the interests
of diverse populations and cultures and
accepting others without bias.
• Innovation and Creativity: Critical thinking,
inquiry-based learning, scientific knowl¬
edge and practical application are our
work. New approaches and strategies are
what make us notable.
• Global Awareness: As we build greatness,
how we impact communities abroad as
well as at home is crucial to prepare our
students and develop our faculty and staff
for an ever-evolving age.
These values are our core. Know them.
Embrace what we stand for as we remain ...
on the move.