Family and Consumer Sciences Commons^™

From Crayons To Career Education: Practices And Perspectives Of Elementary Educators, Christopher Sneed, Karen L. Franck, Ann A. Berry

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Career development is increasingly recognized as a lifelong process beginning in early childhood. While elementary students are developmentally ready to explore careers, few resources and strategies exist to support this age group. This qualitative, exploratory study investigates how Extension can support elementary career education by examining practices and perspectives of public-school teachers and administrators. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with educators in two urban elementary schools. Grounded theory methods revealed three key themes: barriers, facilitators, and supports/resources needed. Participants viewed career education as essential for helping students make meaningful connections between school and work. However, time constraints, state-mandated standards, and a …

Mississippi Early Childhood Math Resource Guide: Supporting Mathematical Development From Birth Through Age Eight, Melissa Luckett, Systems Change Lab, Mississippi State University, Social Science Research Center, Mississippi State University

Books

The Mississippi Early Childhood Math Resource Guide is a comprehensive, research-informed digital publication designed to support the development of foundational mathematical skills in children from birth through age eight. Developed by the Systems Change Lab at Mississippi State University's Social Science Research Center, the guide translates evidence-based early mathematics concepts into practical, accessible strategies for educators, families, and caregivers. 

Organized by developmental stages, the guide integrates learning domains, age-appropriate math skills, and everyday instructional practices to promote the use of "math talk" and embedded learning opportunities across settings. It incorporates activities, instructional strategies, and resources aligned to support both formal …

Early Childhood Echo (Ec Echo) Start-Up & Operations Manual, Lisa Long, I. Michelle Gaither, Ruby Brenner, Bradley Long, Emily Mcclelland, Malcolm Huell, Lauren Elliott, Katerina Sergi

Publications

The Early Childhood ECHO (EC ECHO) Start-up & Operations Manual is a practical guide to launching case-based telementoring and professional development using the Project ECHO® model. Prepared for early childhood programs and agencies. Adapted from Mississippi’s EC ECHO implementation (2023–2025) and aligned with Project ECHO® guidance.

The Power Of Core Memories In Financial Education For Gen Alpha Children, Karen Richel

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Financial education plays a critical role in shaping lifelong financial behaviors and decision-making skills. To create a lasting impact, it is essential to establish core memories associated with money management from an early age. This article explores the significance of these foundational experiences and their role in financial education for Gen Alpha children.

A series of eight immersive financial education events was developed to meet state and national standards for students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. These events employ play-based and object-based learning approaches, immersing students in engaging, age-appropriate activities that incorporate real-world scenarios. By creating a fun and memorable …

Referral Strategies For Recruitment And Engagement Of Community Adults Into Online Extension Health Programs, Cheryl L. Eschbach, Dawn A. Contreras, Holly B. Tiret

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article shares details behind building organizational capacity to establish program referrals for statewide recruitment of community adults into Cooperative Extension’s online health programs. This study explores the role of intentional recruitment strategies (active and passive) to increase participant program enrollment into health education and shares examples from one state that has created a trained workforce that offers ongoing research- and evidence-based programs. After many years of trying paper, phone, and electronic medical record methods to increase program reach, Michigan State University Extension tried an electronic referral process via a QR code and web link, accompanied by program marketing, to …

Creating Intergenerational Connections: A Multilevel Approach For Enriching Lives And Addressing Vital Community Issues, Matthew S. Kaplan, Nancy Z. Henkin

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

This article presents an overview of intergenerational programs and practices as an interdisciplinary field of inquiry and practice that fosters open communication, support, and civic engagement across generations. Numerous examples of how intergenerational programs and practices harness age diversity to improve the human condition are presented. This includes initiatives to promote healthier lifestyles, reduce social isolation and loneliness, strengthen families, enrich education and lifelong learning, enhance community quality of life, and transmit cherished cultural traditions and values. This article highlights Extension’s longstanding contributions to intergenerational programming, showcasing notable examples across program areas and exploring opportunities for deeper engagement, co-leadership, and …

Understanding Garden Resource Use By Low-Income Families With Children, Mai Thao, Rita S. Stephenson, Katherine R. Arlinghaus, Abby L. Gold

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Home gardens are an important supplemental source of food for many families and provide multiple health benefits. However, the practice of gardening may be more challenging for low-income families with limited access to gardening resources. The University of Minnesota Extension offers gardening resources, but it is unclear how these resources are used by low-income families with children. Aim 1 of the project was to understand access to and use of Extension and other vegetable gardening resources by low-income families with children. Aim 2 of the project was to develop a set of recommendations for improving access to existing resources and …

Addressing Economic Instability And Workforce Turnover In Early Childhood Education: The Role Of Stipends, Wage Supplements, And Professional Development, Lucinda J. Leffler

Endeavors: Mississippi State Undergraduate Research Journal

Child care workers are vital to early childhood education, yet they face persistent economic instability, low wages, and high turnover rates. To address these challenges, states and policymakers have implemented stipends, wage supplements, and professional development programs aimed at improving financial security, job satisfaction, and workforce retention. This literature review examines the effectiveness of these initiatives across the United States, drawing on theoretical frameworks such as Vroom’s Expectancy Theory and Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory to contextualize their impact. Research indicates that financial incentives significantly reduce turnover, while professional development fosters job satisfaction and career advancement. However, sustainability concerns remain, particularly with …

Using The Perspectives Of Kentucky Family And Consumer Sciences Extension Agents To Develop A Sustainable Eating Curriculum, Lindley Barker, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Annie Koempel, Katie Pickford, Tammy Stephenson, Dawn Brewer

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Sustainable eating may benefit both the environment and human health. Currently, no Extension programs addressing healthy and sustainable eating are available that target adults in communities. Since sustainable eating is a sensitive topic, this project engaged Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Extension agents in Kentucky, to garner their community expertise and perspectives on sustainable eating to help develop an appropriate Extension curriculum. By following the Curriculum Development Process for Cooperative Extension Programming model, we involved FCS agents in developing and reviewing a sustainable eating curriculum. The proposed curriculum included content that reflected sustainable eating principles of reducing overconsumption of foods, …

An Evaluation Of Health Rocks! With A Control Group, Dan Wang, Yunqi Wang, Maria R. De Guzman, Yan R. Xia, Kieu-Anh T. Do, Zhenqiao Yang

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Youth substance use challenges their health and well-being. There is research and practical need for rigorous evaluation of substance use prevention programs in prompting positive youth development. This study examined the program effectiveness of Health Rocks!, a youth substance use prevention program, with a quasi-experimental two-factor mixed evaluation design. We gathered data from 584 participants (i.e., 475 youth in the treatment group and 109 youth in the control group) and conducted paired-sample t-tests for each group to compare youth substance use-related outcomes before and after the training. Results showed that youth in the treatment group reported significant increases in substance …

Beyond Assistance: Amplifying The Lived Experiences Of Marginalized Communities Navigating Support Service Systems In Mississippi, Karla Mccullough, Rodney Washington, Angela A. Omondi

Journal of Public Health in the Deep South

Background

Perceived dehumanizing experiences when interacting with social assistance caseworkers and providers can contribute to negative perceptions of the service system that may impede enrollment and retention of families in need thereby contributing to health disparities.

Purpose

This study aimed to use secondary analysis of qualitative data to explore the interaction between social services workers/providers and recipients from the perspectives of families seeking social support services in Mississippi.

Methods

This study analyzed secondary qualitative data from a sample of (n=15) representatives in Mississippi. Data was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.

Results

Participants reported perceived dehumanized experiences such …

Examining The Experiences Of College Students Simulating The Community Worker Role In The Community Action Poverty Simulation, Jessica M. Limbrick, Portia Johnson, Sheri Worthy, Diann C. Moorman, Leigh Anne Aaron

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Poverty is a pervasive issue impacting many areas of human sciences and Extension. Individuals living in the United States may have varying attitudes toward poverty. Research has shown that poverty simulations are effective in modifying attitudes toward poverty. The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) program is one such example that exposes its participants to the lived realities of poverty in the United States. While research on CAPS is plentiful, little research has examined the experiences of those who simulated the community worker role. This research explored the experiences of students who simulated community worker roles during a CAPS simulation. This …

Emotional Experiences Of Mental Health First Aid Trainees: A Qualitative Study, Alexander E. Chan, Emma T. Kniola, Raya Francis

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a program that helps participants identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use disorders. Research studies focusing on the emotional experiences of MHFA participants are lacking. Studying these experiences can help improve the training process for MHFA learners. This paper aims to identify participants’ motivations for signing up for MHFA and investigate their emotional experiences when applying MHFA knowledge in real-world settings. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews. Participants (n = 20) completed 30-minute interviews. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes related to the motivators and feelings of participants when applying …

Using Mentimeter In Online Book Clubs To Engage And Educate Extension Audiences, Nichole Huff, Miranda Bejda, Emily Dewitt, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Melinda Mcculley

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooperative Extension professionals, like many others, were tasked with quickly adapting to accommodate limited face-to-face interactions. The pandemic necessitated that Extension educators leverage online resources to deliver tailored programming in informative and innovative ways while providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences. This article highlights two studies using Mentimeter as a tool to educate and engage Extension audiences through subsequent installments of an online book club. The presented case studies examine the processes and outcomes of a unique educational approach to Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) in a non-traditional setting. The studies represent two distinct FCS disciplines: Family …

Strengthening Families Affected By Intimate Partner Violence: A Pilot Evaluation Of A Rural Extension Program, Pamela B. Payne, Jill Baker-Tingey

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

Heart and Hope (H&H) was designed to provide parenting education and social-emotional skills to children and parents exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural Nevada. The goal was to evaluate IPV efforts by measuring parent (N = 47) and children’s (N =100) knowledge and behavior change around building healthy relationships and improved parenting practices following exposure to IPV and the H&H curriculum. Results indicated significant increases in both perceived knowledge and behavior change, suggesting that the program is effective in strengthening family relationships, improving parenting practices, developing emotional competency, and helping families envision a positive future. One of the …

Pilot Evaluation Of Programmatic Elements For First-Generation And Historically Marginalized Doctoral Students And Their Families, Bridget A. Walsh, Sarah Mitchell, Emmanuel Kyeremeh Addai, Matthew Aguirre, Keira Hambrick

Journal of Human Sciences and Extension

While research demonstrates that family support is essential for doctoral students, research detailing institutional efforts to involve families is limited. We developed the GAIN Scholars program, consisting of two 3-week-long boot camps for incoming first-generation and historically marginalized doctoral students. Quantitative data were collected from 38 doctoral students in the GAIN Scholars program (n = 22) and the control (n = 16). One key component of this program was family support for doctoral students. Family members (n = 15) were invited to the opening ceremony, a day of programming, and online activities. Pre- and post-test measures indicate participants had a …

Exploring The Impact Of Extracurricular Activities On Adolescent Development: A Study Of Students Attending Schools In Poverty And Non-Poverty Areas, Clifton B. Thames

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature has indicated a relationship between poverty, participation in extracurricular activities, and developmental outcomes. The current study aimed to investigate and develop a deeper understanding of extracurricular activities (ECAs) and their impacts on adolescent development using two self-report tools, the YES 2.0 and the Delinquent Attitude Scale (DAS). The researcher surveyed 174 high school seniors from students attending schools in poverty areas and students attending schools not located in poverty areas in Mississippi, examining disparities in ECA opportunities, barriers to participation, and the positive and negative impacts of ECAs on development. Additional data were collected from school administrators, allowing …

Current And Future Perceived Needs And Concerns For Older Adults Aging In Place In Mississippi: Intergenerational Perspectives, Muhammad Riaz

Theses and Dissertations

The study's purpose was to identify the perceived needs and concerns of three generations in a family with an older adult aging in place in Mississippi. This mixed-methods study used snowball sampling in addition to recruitment by community leaders such as Extension agents to collect data through semi-structured interviews and structured questionnaires that asked about current and future problems among aging adults in rural communities in Mississippi. Three generations of Mississippians participated in the study, including older adults (G1; n = 22), adult children (G2; n = 23), and young adult grandchildren (G3; n = 19). Quantitative data were analyzed …