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Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Week is April 6-11. With county extension offices, specialists and staff located in all 99 counties, ISU Extension and Outreach connects Iowans throughout the state with education and resources.
“ISU Extension and Outreach Week is one way we show our appreciation for the people who participate in our educational programs, as well as the many volunteers, community leaders, organizations, agencies and other partners who support our work in Clarke County,” said Carolyn White, who serves as the county director.
White is joined by local extension staff members Jasmine Jensen, who serves as the Clarke County youth coordinator, and Sara Wollner, extension education director.
ISU Extension and Outreach is part of the federal Cooperative Extension Service — a network of more than 100 land-grant institutions including Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across the United States. Every county in Iowa has an elected extension council that decides how to support ISU Extension and Outreach educational programs at the county level.
The Clarke County Extension Council members are Leslie Ruby of Murray (chair), Darbi DeVore of Osceola (vice chair), Josh Manternach of Osceola (treasurer), Paula Hein of Osceola (secretary), Linda Abbott of Osceola, Amy Ewing of Murray, Kim Hamilton of Osceola, Julie Horton of Murray and Dianna Moffit-Robins of Murray.
These individuals set the annual budget, hire local staff, and determine how property tax dollars are spent at the county level. Council members serve as community advocates, relationship builders and stewards of public resources — all while volunteering their time to ensure life‑changing programs are accessible to Clarke County residents.
“You can find educational resources online and in Clarke County – for you, your family, community, business or farm,” White said. “Our office is the hub for the Clarke County 4-H Youth Development program, which consists of more than 100 4-H members in grades 4-12, 45 Clover Kids in kindergarten through third grade, and nearly 30 adult volunteers. We also provide resources and adult programs focused on agriculture and natural resources, families, health, finances, and community and economic development.”
Examples of programs and resources provided by ISU Extension and Outreach Clarke County include, but are not limited to:
- Summer day camps and hands-on youth workshops
- School enrichment opportunities, such as classroom hatching and the Clarke/Murray Ag Club
- Iowa Master Gardener training
- Farm transition and succession planning
- Farmland leasing education
- Private and commercial pesticide continuing instruction courses
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
- ServSafe Certified Food Protection Manager courses
- Parkinson’s disease support programs
- Child care provider continuing education
- Family, farm and small business finance programs
ISU Extension and Outreach Clarke County operates through a three‑way funding partnership of county tax dollars, state appropriations and federal support. Additional funding comes from grants, fees and local fundraising. Statewide, extension levies represent about 0.4 percent of all property taxes collected in Iowa. This small levy produces a high return through non‑tax revenue, volunteer support, and impactful education.
For more information about ISU Extension and Outreach Clarke County, visit www.extension.iastate.edu/clarke or stop into the office located at 709 Furnas Dr. in Osceola.