Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience is the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), which is the only federally recognized tribe in the state. This tribe is made up of 8 local communities spread across 5 counties in central Mississippi: Neshoba, Winston, Kemper, Leake, and Jones. Additionally, there is a community located in Henning, Tennessee. The goal was to engage tribe members of all ages in each community through various activities such as educational programs, demonstrations, workshops, health fairs, conferences, and school classes. By linking MSU Extension Service and tribal resources and services, the agent is continuously developing an educational based Extension program that serves individual tribal members, Choctaw Tribal Schools, the Choctaw Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Choctaw Fresh Produce, Choctaw Farmers Market, Early Child Development Centers, Choctaw Food Distribution, Choctaw India Fair, Choctaw Residential Center, Choctaw Elderly Center, Pearl River Teen Center, Tribal 4-H Program, and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. With the guidance of the Tribal Extension Advisory Council and the Director of MBCI Department of Natural Resources, the agent continues to focus programming efforts to promote modern production, marketing, and consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, provide adult and youth education in agriculture, health and nutrition, wildlife, forestry, financial management, child and family development and increased access to the tribal communities to Mississippi State University Extension Service resources and services. Changes/Problems:Advocating for the re-establishment of youth programming that was discontinued due to staff changes remains a significant challenge. The FRTEP Agent will continue collaborating with newly hired staff to restart youth programs such as CAPPS and the Choctaw Youth Conservation Corps. Increasing visibility in the Henning, Tennessee community is also crucial, though the distance poses a major challenge. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program Professional Development, September 7-11, 2023, Mystic Lake, MN Mississippi State University Extension Annual Conference; Starkville; October 24-25, 2023 Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) and Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Conference; Las Vegas, NV; December 11-14, 2023 Food Preservation Workshop; Hattiesburg, MS; April 24, 2024 Ripple Mapping Training; Zoom; May 1, June 10, July 10, 2024 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? E-Newsletters are distributed monthly to tribal members via tribal email blast. Social media: Timely posts on the MBCI Natural Resources and main MBCI Facebook pages provide educational information. MBCI Extension Agent Kaitlyn Ford regularly communicates with the Tribal Advisory Council, Tribal Department Directors, Early Childhood Centers, Choctaw Residential Center, Choctaw Elderly Center, and local Tribal Schools. Articles are submitted to the Choctaw Community News, which is distributed to tribal members across the United States. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The FRTEP will continue meeting with the Tribal Advisory Council to help achieve its goals. Efforts will continue with all tribal departments to increase the visibility of the Tribal MSU Extension Office. We will maintain existing partnerships and seek to form new ones. We will keep planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs. Ongoing visits with Tribal Community Development clubs will gather input on community needs.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Tribal Extension Advisory Council convened on November 2, 2023, to identify the needs in areas such as youth education, relationship building with all tribal communities, financial literacy educational programs, and partnerships with tribal departments. (Served, 6) In collaboration with the Tribal NRCS Liaison, an Arundinaria Gigantea workshop was conducted to educate tribal departments on the history, planting, propagation, and harvesting process of Arundinaria Gigantea. (Served, 6) Ongoing efforts with the Director of Natural Resources focus on developing preventative plans to combat invasive species such as cogon grass and kudzu. Employees from Choctaw Fresh Produce and Choctaw Vocational Rehabilitation participated in the Produce Safety Alliance Training on March 19, 2024. (Served, 13) In April 2024, Choctaw Farmer's Market Producers completed training on the importance of soil testing and how to interpret a soil sample. (Served, 4) The MBCI Tribal Extension Office distributes monthly E-Newsletters to tribal members, featuring past activities, horticulture and lawn tips, and future Extension events. These E-Newsletters are posted on the MBCI Facebook page and shared via the Tribal Email blast. (Served via email blast, 2,130; via Facebook, 25,400) In collaboration with the FRTEP Agent, Kaitlyn Ford, and the SNAP-ED Community Wellness Planner, a school garden was initiated at Standing Pine Elementary School. (Served, 18) A container herb garden was planted at an Early Childhood Development Center, where students participated in planting and learned how to care for the garden. (Served, 8) The MBCI Extension Office provided gardening information for summer crops to participants of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians in May 2024. (Served, 15) 119 Tribal members planted home vegetable gardens. (Served, 119) A collaboration between Choctaw Food Distribution and the MBCI Tribal Extension Office resulted in an Herb Lunch & Learn workshop, where participants learned to grow, plant, and propagate herbs, as well as how to use different herbs to flavor food dishes. (Served, 7) MSU Extension publications on gardening, home chores calendar, and fruits are available at the Choctaw Farmer's Market, serving 371 tribal members as of July 18. The MBCI Extension Office set up an informational booth at the 2024 Choctaw Indian Fair, featuring a display board of MBCI Extension activities and distributing MSU publications on vegetable gardens, vegetable variety recommendations, home garden chores calendar, and home lawn management. (Served, 253) In February 2024, the MBCI Extension Office presented information on the health and therapeutic benefits of gardening to participants of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. (Served, 20) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford visited the Henning, Tennessee community for the community Trunk or Treat event, distributing pumpkin growing kits and educational coloring books. (Served, 25) The MBCI Tribal Extension Office participated in health fairs in the MBCI Tribal communities. (Served, 223) On May 15, 2024, the MBCI Tribal Extension Office took part in the National Hospital Week Health Fair, where the FRTEP Agent shared information about the positive health benefits of gardening and the activities, programs, and services offered by the Tribal MSU Extension Office. (Served, 198) Since September 2023, the MBCI Tribal Extension Office has partnered with the Choctaw Residential Center to provide monthly educational and fun activities for residents. (Served, 104) The MBCI Tribal Extension Office has also partnered with the Choctaw Elderly Center to offer monthly educational and fun activities for elders since September 2023. (Served, 81) In March 2024, MBCI Extension Agent Kaitlyn Ford educated MBCI 4-H members about eggs through demonstrations at several community 4-H meetings. (Served, 52) The Department of Early Childhood Development and Tribal MSU Extension Office collaborated to conduct a budget training session for parents. (Served, 5) Choctaw Vocational Rehabilitation and the MBCI Tribal Extension Office implemented The Real-World Budget Simulation, a financial literacy program, for their clients. (Served, 7) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford conducted The Real-World Budget Simulation, a financial literacy program, for students in the Health Science and Ag Science classes at the Career and Technical Education Center. (Served, 36) The MBCI Extension Office and Pearl River TAG (Talented and Gifted students) participated in The Real-World Budget Simulation as part of a lesson in The New Beginnings for Tribal Students program. (Served, 12) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford implemented The Real-World Budget Simulation, a financial literacy program, for students in the Supplemental Youth Services Program (SYSP). (Served, 22) The MBCI Tribal Extension Office hosted an educational session and booth at the first Choctaw Community Youth Alliance Leadership Conference since COVID-19. (Served, 87) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford conducts activities with MBCI Early Childhood Development, educating children on topics such as pumpkins, turkeys, and watermelons. (Served, 240) The Poultry Hatch Out Program was presented to students at Tucker Early Childhood Development Center, allowing them to watch chicks hatch in their classroom. (Served, 7) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford visited tribal schools to conduct educational activities, including those related to farm animals and turkeys. (Served, 51) FRTEP Agent Kaitlyn Ford also implemented a pollinator activity with youth at the Pearl River Teen Center. (Served, 26) The Choctaw Youth Conservation Corps (CYCC) is no longer offered to youth during the summer due to the resignation of the Director of Choctaw Wildlife. No 4-Hers attended the State 4-H Club Congress this year. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is in the process of hiring more Tribal 4-H staff. This year, 89 youth participated in the New Beginnings for Tribal Students program. Curriculum development is on hold due to changes in the tribal departments involved in the process. MBCI 4-H members participated for the first time in the Mississippi Wildlife Art and Photography Contest sponsored by Mississippi 4-H. (Served, 2) With the retirement of the Choctaw Central Lead teacher, who also served as the Tribal School Liaison for the CAPPS program, a new contact for Tribal Schools needs to be established to implement the CAPPS program.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), the state's only federally recognized tribe, is comprised of 8 tribal communities, within 5 counties, located throughout central Mississippi. The five counties are Neshoba, Winston, Kemper, Leake and Jones. The tribe owns approximately 40,000 acres, which is abundant in natural resources and industrial facilities. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has approximately 11,000 registered enrolled tribal members. Clientele and audiences are from all eight tribal communities. FRTEP programming will have strong emphasis on tribal departments with currently working in the areas of natural resources, youth enrichment, tribal schools, family and community services, tribal health departments, and economic development. Changes/Problems:Reestablishing youth programs that were discontinued due to COVID-19 and staff changes is a major challenge. The FRTEP Agent will work to form new relationships with staff at local tribal schools to determine the need for the CAPPS, AG-CEL, and Choctaw Youth Conservation Corps programs. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?• Mississippi Association County Agricultural Agent (MACAA) conference in Biloxi, MS; September 6-9, 2022 • Special Needs Training in Starkville, MS; September 19-20, 2022 • Mississippi State University Extension Annual Conference; Starkville, MS; October 26-28, 2022 • ServSafe Training; Raymond, MS; December 1-2, 2022 • Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) and Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Conference; Las Vegas, NV; December 4-9, 2022 • Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) Professional Development; Fort Lauderdale, FL; February 5-9, 2023 • General Pest Management Workshop; Raymond, MS; March 22, 2023 • FRTEP/ IAC Zoom meeting with Mackenzie Martinez, Southern Region Technical Assistance Specialist; June 20, 2023 • MS Farm to School Network Workshop; Choctaw, MS; July 21, 2023 • Alliance and 4-H Training; Hattiesburg, MS; July 31, 2023 • Vegetable Pest Management in High Tunnels and Greenhouse Training; Hattiesburg, MS; August 30, 2023 • Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) Professional Development; Mystic Lake, MN; September 7-11, 2023 How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?• E-Newsletter are sent to all tribal members each quarter. • MSU Extension shares with information with several tribal departments via posters, signs, and emails. • Social Media: Timely posts on the MBCI Natural Resources Facebook page and the main MBCI Tribal Facebook page. • MBCI Extension Agent communicates on a regular basis with the Tribal Extension Advisory Council, Tribal Department employees, Choctaw Farmers Market Producers, Early Childhood Development Centers, and local Tribal schools. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?• The FRTEP will continue to meet with the Tribal Extension Advisory Council to assist in accomplishing goals. • Evaluate current goals to determine if adjustment is needed. • Will work with all tribal departments to increase the visibility of Extension. • Continue working with partners and form new partnerships. • Continue to plan, implement, and evaluate educational programs.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Tribal Extension Advisory Council met on October 31, 2022. The council determined the needs of youth education, working and partnering with tribal departments, financial literacy educational programs, and building relationships with all tribal communities. (Served, 6) Kudzo information was distributed to Tribal Council and the ongoing Cogongrass information was shared with the USDA/ NRCS Tribal Liaison. (Served 17 tribal council members) The partnership assisted with securing $75,000-$100,000 in yearly contracts with the USDA NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program. (Serving 8325 members). In conjunction with the Choctaw EPA, planning a workshop on ways to reduce air and water pollution for late fall or early 2024. Will conduct a Arundinaria gigantea (rivercane) workshop Fall 2023 when rivercane is propagated. MSU Extension publications are available to tribal members, when requested and are distributed during tribal events. Agricultural educational information is shared via tribal email blast, which reaches approximately 2,130 tribal employees in all tribal communities. Timely agricultural educational information is posted on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) Natural Resources Facebook page (110 followers) and the MBCI main Tribal Facebook page (23,000 followers). New employees will participate in the Produce Safety Alliance training scheduled for September 2023. The MBCI Tribal Extension Office sends out monthly E-Newsletters to tribal members. The E-Newsletters includes information on horticulture, lawns, and future Extension events. The E-Newsletters are posted on the MBCI Natural Resources Facebook page and the MBCI Tribal Facebook page. (Served email blast, 2,130) (Served Facebook 23,104) A greenhouse training was conducted in September 2022 (Served, 13) for employees of the vocational rehabilitation department. The Choctaw Farmer's Market Producers completed a training in April 2023 regarding updates on pesticides used in gardening (Served, 11) In the process of planning an organic produce workshop for the Choctaw Fresh Produce. Waiting availability of Mississippi State University specialists. 118 tribal members planted home vegetables gardens (Served, 118) MSU Extension publications on gardening, fruit, and vegetable are available at the Choctaw Farmer's Market. The Choctaw Farmer's Market began in July. During the Tribal Advisory Council Meeting, the MBCI Extension Office was advised to focus on providing health-related activities to children. Also, being visible in tribal communities would also allow tribal members to know the MBCI Extension Office is a resource for health-related questions and resources. The MBCI Tribal Extension Office implemented lessons during the month of May 2023. The participants learned how to garden and the health benefits that each crop. (Served, 15) The MBCI Tribal Extension Office partners with Choctaw Public Health and participates in Community Health and Resource Fairs. The community health fairs are held in the Fall, Spring and Summer. The MBCI Tribal Extension office participated in the Fall 2022 Health Fair. (Served, 176) The Spring and Summer Community Health Fairs are still occurring. As of June 30, 136 tribal members were served. For National Hospital Week, the MBCI Extension set up a booth and distribute MSU Extension health publications during the Health Fair. The Health Fair took place at the Choctaw Health Center. (Served, 149) Formed a new partnership with the Choctaw Food Distribution Center. Health and crop related publications were distributed. The MBCI Extension Office presented a Fruit of the Vine Lunch and Learn. (Served, 6) As a result of COVID-19 and departmental retirement, the Choctaw Challenge is not a priority. Multiple tribal departments who participated in the past, decided not to host this year. COVID-19 posters are posted in tribal buildings. Tribal members continue to receive COVID-19 info in MSU Extension newsletters. Will collaborate with the SNAP-ED Community Wellness Planners on school nutrition programs. The FRTEP Agent, Kaitlyn Ford, implemented several educational programs with the Early Childhood Educational Program. She conducted several agriculture programs in the different tribal communities through the Early Childhood Development Centers. Ms. Ford implemented programs on pumpkins, watermelon, turkeys, farm animals and tractors. (Served, 122) She continues to partner with the Early Childhood Development Centers. MBCI Extension Agent, Kaitlyn Ford, educated MCBI 4-H members on poultry. She presented poultry workshops at several community 4-H meetings. (Served, 66) The Poultry Hatch Out Program was presented to students at an Early Childhood Development Center. Students were able to watch chicks hatch in their classroom. (Served, 8) Welcome to the Real World, a financial literacy program, was conducted for MBCI students. (Served, 30) After COVID-19, the Choctaw Tribal Schools decided not to continue the CAPPS youth program. However, an effort will be made to meet with the new Director of Tribal Schools about offering this program in the future. Will meet with the TAG (Talented and Gifted) lead teacher about implementing the AG-CEL program. There were no 4-Hers who attended 4-H Club Congress this year. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians are in the process of hiring a new Tribal 4-H Coordinator. The new Director of Choctaw Wildlife discontinued the Choctaw Youth Conservation Corps program. 29 youth participated in the New Beginnings for Tribal Students Program.
Publications
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