2017 Innovate Extension Recap

We’d like to extend a huge thank you and congratulations to everyone who participated in last week’s Innovate Extension UrbanX event! We are thrilled to have spent an entire day dedicated to innovation and creativity in Extension. Your ideas were inspiring!

After an energizing keynote workshop led by ImprovEdge, each team spent nearly 5 hours during the hackathon developing a unique and innovative idea to address a challenge or opportunity related to urban – rural interdependence both internal or external to Extension. Teams created “Zen Statements,” or concise overviews of their ideas, and then pitched their ideas, concepts, and projects to a panel of judges at the end of the event, which included Extension administrators as well as influential community members.

Judging Panel

Judging Panel Photo

Pictured (from left to right): Quintin Jesse, Ryan Schmiesing, Julie Fox, Jay Clouse, Roger Rennekamp, Jackie Kirby-Wilkins, Brad Gaolach, Donte Woods-Spikes, Ben Lewis, and Jerry Thomas

Coaches and Key Informants

Creative Coaches

Pictured (front row, left to right): Ashley Miller, Scott Sheeler, Chris Hill, Daphne Richards (Back row, left to right): Melissa Miller, Loren Stone, Dan Montour, Joshua David McClurg-Genevese, Ryan Wynkoop, Karen Jeannette, Bradd Anderson, Jamie Seger, Hunter McBrayer, Erin Powell, Josh Dallin, Anand Khurma, Mike Letscher, Mike Ong, George Li, Byron Roush

Below is a recap of our teams, awards, and events of the day:

 

Teams

 

City Smarties Team

City Smarties Team Photo

Team members: Beth Boomershine, Sue Hogan, Mark Light, Laquore Meadows

Coaches: David Staley and Mike Letscher

Zen Statement: The journey of bringing diverse youth together to be drivers of change in the Smart Cities Challenge

Sub-award: Best Use of Claymation Award

Community Collaborators Team

Community Collaborators Team Photo

Team members: Laura Akgerman, Ed Brown, Lisa Pfeifer

Coaches: Anand Khurma and Mike Ong

Zen Statement: An adaptive toolkit for gardeners of curated content enabling Extension Educators to deliver programming focusing on assistive design technologies

Sub-award: Best Adaptability Award

Extension Leadership Network Team

Extension Leadership Network Team Photo

Team members: Laura Fuller, Tim McDermott, Brian Raison

Coaches: Ryan Wynkoop and Byron Roush

Zen Statement: A statewide network for Extension professionals that shares innovative leadership programs, resources, ideas, and energy to better reach the community and organizations we serve.

Sub-award: Best Prototype Award

Farm to School/Local Lunch Leaders Team

Farm to School Local Lunch Leaders Team Photo

Team members: Carol Smathers, Heather Neikirk, Amy Fovargue, Katie Riemenschneider, Tony Staubach, Amanda Osbourne, Patrice Powers-Barker

Coaches: Karen Jeannette and Scott Sheeler

Zen Statement: Creating and empowering school-based teams to foster Farm-to-School activities across the cafeteria, classroom, and community for the people who purchase, serve, and eat school food that overcome barriers to better school food and promote an appreciation for healthy food systems, enabling a greater voice among key customer groups through team-building and mentoring. Unlike efforts focused on singular groups at a time, we build community capacity using evidence-based programs across an accessible state-side network.

Sub-award: Big Umbrella Award

Live Healthy Live Well Team

Live Healthy Live Well Team Photo

Team members: Alisha Barton, Lisa Barlage, Pat Brinkman, Misty Harmon, Michelle Treber

Coaches: Erin Powell and Chris Hill

Zen Statement: Buckeye 365 will help you provide positive family discussions anywhere. We’ll give you the tools and conversation starters to encourage your family to start talking.

Sub-award: Will Ferrell More Cowbell Award

On-farm Research Team

On-Farm Research Research Team Photo

Team members: Carol Hamilton, Mike Estadt, Mary Griffith, Rob Leeds, Kaylee Port, Lee Richter, Elizabeth Hawkins

Coaches: Hunter McBrayer and Loren Stone

Zen Statement: An Extension research toolkit for Educators and consumers that offers non-biased information in a thrilling and engaging style enabling a better understanding and utilization in on-farm research.

Sub-award: Most Sparkiest Award

Rethinking Extension Advisory Committee Team

Rethinking Extension Advisory Committees Team Photo

Team members: Morgan Domokos, Joanna Fifner, Ashley Kulhanek, Kyle White

Coaches: Bradd Anderson

Zen Statement: A league of ambassadors for OSU Extension that advocate and connect, collaboratively identifying the solutions of tomorrow for emerging challenges and opportunities of today replacing current Extension Advisory Committees.

Sub-award: Killing a Sacred Cow Award

This is Extension Team

This is Extension Team Photo

Team members: Stacey Baker, Beth Frey, Amy Meehan, Jera Oliver, Amanda Woods,

Coaches: Melissa Miller, Ashley Miller, Dan Montour

Zen Statement: A virtual front door for all Ohioans that will provide simplified access to Extension services and new ways to engage and connect.

Sub-award: Biggest Challenge Award

Urban Ag Team

Urban Ag Veg Box Team Photo

Team members: Jim Jasinski, Jacquline Kowalski, Suzanne Mills-Wasniak, Elizabeth Roche, Mike Hogan

Coaches: Josh Dallin and Joshua David McClurg-Genevese

Zen Statement: Ready-made, customizable garden kit delivered to your door, connecting you to gardening and growing food.

Sub-award: Social Responsibility Award

ImprovEdge Photo

Keynote speakers, April Olt and Dan Montour from ImprovEdge in Columbus, kickstarted the day with an enthusiastic workshop.

The Three-Headed Expert, an ImprovEdge activity, was a fun way to get participants to say “YES!” to new ideas.

After an invigorating keynote workshop, teams starting working on their ideas.

After hours of hard work, each team had the opportunity to present their ideas to a panel of judges.

At the end of the day, OSU Extension Director, Roger Rennekamp also announced that the panel of judges awarded all nine teams with the opportunity to move their idea forward through Adobe Kickbox. Kickbox is an innovator program in a box. Adobe developed Kickbox by drawing on 30 years of industry experience in successful innovation. Teams will emerge from the Kickbox experience with a refined and validated project proposal to present to OSUE administrative cabinet in the Fall of 2017 for potential seed funding to pilot their projects. The OSU Extension Ed Tech Unit, along with Utah State University Extension Associate Professor and eXtension Innovation Lab Assistant Director Paul Hill, will serve as Kickbox mentors to guide teams through this exciting professional development experience over the next several weeks.

Teams with Kickbox

Teams were excited to look inside their Kickbox!

Teams with Kickbox

A peek at the amazing awards and door prizes that were handed out during the event.

Thank you again for everyone who participated and helped make Innovate Extension: UrbanX a huge success!

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