With the passage of the Paulding County OSU Extension levy in 2020 and funds being released in 2021, the Paulding County Extension Office had the opportunity to expand the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program area. Our newest addition to Paulding County Extension, in the role of Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension Educator is Casey Bishop. The FCS Extension Educator will focus on information and resources in the areas of Health People, Healthy Finances, and Healthy Relationships.
Bishop is a graduate of Jacksonville University with a bachelor’s in Psychology, and the University of North Florida with a master’s in Counseling. Coming from Florida, she brings her experience in a psychiatric setting working with individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues. More recently, she worked at Cypress Creek Juvenile Offender Correctional Center. At CCJOCC, Casey gained her Professional Teaching Certification in Social Studies and Exceptional Student Education and became Lead Educator.
“At Cypress Creek, it was so much more than helping students reach their educational goals. We worked with the young men to set career goals, connect them with community organizations for their release, and so much more. We had to prepare many of them for adulthood and give them the skills they needed to be on their own. Working there for almost 10 years has given me insight into how a person and their community are interconnected, and truly rely on each other for success,” said Casey.
During the COVID-19 pandemic had nationwide shutdown, Bishop and her family moved to NW Ohio. In that time, Bishop was a substitute teacher in NW Ohio.
While it’s been over 20 years since Paulding County Extension had an Extension Educator in the role of Family and Consumer Sciences, Bishop’s programming will focus on the mission of empowering Ohioans with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make healthy choices, thus creating healthy communities of healthy people with healthy finances and healthy relationships. The position, formerly held by Nancy Stehulak, was cut due to funding reductions at the local, state, and federal levels in the early 2000s. Through in-person classes, virtual meetings, and Ohio State University Extension websites, blogs, and other media, Casey plans to utilize research-based materials and experts to connect Paulding County with education to enrich the community.
“It’s been a dream of mine to bring the OSU Extension Office back to full programming capacity since I joined late in 2013. After working at the state Extension Office while in college, I knew our community would benefit by bringing back this program area. With this position, our office is one step closer to covering all four program areas offered by OSU Extension,” shared Noggle.
Ohio State University Extension brings the knowledge of the university directly to you. We fulfill the land-grant mission of The Ohio State University by interpreting knowledge and research developed by Extension and other faculty and staff at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Ohio State main campus, and other land-grant universities – so Ohioans can use the scientifically based information to better their lives, businesses, and communities.
The Extension system is the world’s largest non-formal educational system. Extension’s hallmark is programming delivered by professionals to address the needs of the local community while also addressing state, national, and global issues. Our practical educational programs combine the needs of local citizens and communities with new research and technical information.
No matter which county you visit, you can find people who are helped by the four major OSU Extension program areas: family and consumer sciences, 4-H youth development, community development, and agriculture and natural resources. These program areas – and many other special topics – are continuously being evaluated and updated to meet the changing needs and issues facing each community.
Extension provides practical advice, sensible solutions, and realistic down-to-earth answers for ALL Ohioans.
Bishop is welcomed by Erika Lee (current SNAP-ED, Program Assistant) in the FCS program area. Lee’s role will remain with programming in the SNAP-Ed area while Bishop will have the opportunity to expand education further than SNAP participants.
For additional information on the Family and Consumer Science program contact Casey Bishop at bishop.807@osu.edu. You may call her at (419) 399-8225 Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Individuals can make an appointment to meet Casey at OSU Extension Office, 503 Fairground Drive, Paulding. With the COVID-19 restrictions, the Extension Office has limited staffing, so it is best to make an appointment to meet her.