Crawford County program highlights 2017

MSU Extension supports family health and nutrition, empowers youth, promotes agriculture, engages future leaders and much more in Crawford County.

Supporting Family Health & Nutrition

Health outcomes in the County Health Rankings represent measures of how long people live and how healthy people feel. According to the 2018 County Health Rankings Report, Crawford County ranks 77 of 83. MSU Extension offers programs to help improve this statistic such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Education. 2,160 Crawford residents participated in 2017. Also offered are programs like Dining with Diabetes, Eat Healthy Be Active, Cooking Matters, Chronic Pain & Mindfulness and Food Preservation & Safety classes.

Empowering Crawford Youth

From 4-H to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) Programs to mock interviews, babysitting clubs and robotics, MSU Extension provides learning opportunities that help prepare youth for work, especially for jobs in science, technology, engineering and math. Over 80% percent of Crawford County 4-H seniors graduating between 2012 and 2017 enrolled in college after high school, while 49.4 percent of 18-24 year olds in the region did so.

Agriculture & Agribusiness

During the past year in Crawford County, MSU Extension provided gardening support and education through individual consultation, workshops, research opportunities, evaluation of practices, articles and more. Topics included vegetable gardening, farmers market education, soil testing, weed management, small farm conferences, pest management, outreach, etc. Forty Crawford residents attended, participated or consulted in these programs over the past year.

MSU Extension & Place-based Stewardship Education (PBSE)

Over thirty four Place-based Stewardship Education Project Teams across eight counties including Crawford were active, supported through the regional NEMIGLSI (NE Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative) network, and directly engaged students in PBSE activities with community partners. PBSE efforts provide opportunities for teachers and students, through their learning, to engage in and lead environmental stewardship projects in partnership with their communities. Over 40 Crawford County youth had an opportunity to participate in 2017.

Engaging Future Leaders

Research demonstrates that young people who participate in positive youth development programs are significantly more likely to exhibit academic competence. Grayling Elementary School offers an Extended Learning Year (ELY) which begins in August and adds additional days to the school year. Last year MSU Extension provided education to 87 youth in support of this program. Students had the opportunity to learn about Computer Coding, Roominates, Circuits, and Robotics, just to name a few.

Leadership & Engagement

MSU Extension offers leadership programs, civic engagement education, governmental policy training and more. For example, Communicating Through Conflict, Citizen Planning, Planning & Zoning for Solar in Michigan, Parliamentary Procedure, Township Government Training, Home Ownership & Retirement webinars, workshops on Marijuana Regulation + more. Over 40 residents of Crawford County participated in programs like these over the last year.

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