We teach, learn, lead and serve, connecting people with the University of Wisconsin, and engaging with them in transforming lives and communities.

Sally Schoenike Honored Nationally for Lifelong Dedication to 4-H

Sally Schoenike, a retired 4-H Youth Development Educator from Dodge County who now lives in Oconomowoc, was inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony held in Atlanta on Oct. 27.

OneOp Recognized for Innovation and Collaboration by NEAFCS

OneOp, a professional development resource for military family service providers, recently won multiple awards from the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences. Jessica Beckendorf, a Community Economic Development Specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, contributed to these award-winning efforts through her work on the 2024 Military Family Readiness Academy, an […]

Gov. Evers declares National 4-H Week in Wisconsin

It’s official — the entire state is celebrating National 4-H Week! By proclamation of Gov. Tony Evers, Oct. 5-11, 2025, is National 4-H Week throughout Wisconsin. See the proclamation, also signed by Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski, below.

A community visioning exercise maps out community goals

Design Wisconsin Named Outstanding Program by International Community Development Society

Design Wisconsin, a community visioning program, was named the 2025 Outstanding Program by the International Community Development Society. A program of the UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Community Economic Development Program, Design Wisconsin was recognized for exemplifying best practices in community development and empowering communities through the approach it brings to the community visioning process. Design […]

National 4-H Week: Celebrating youth college, career, and life-readiness

Starting his 4-H journey as a member of the Clinton (Mo.) Cool Cats, John Zumbrunnen, Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at UW–Madison, has a lot to say about the role that 4-H played in preparing him for his career. “I was the emcee at New Student Convocation with literally thousands of new […]

Gleaning with purpose: FoodWIse builds bridges between farmers and families in need

Thanks to a new gleaning program, food pantry guests in Watertown are taking home locally grown, fresh produce on Tuesdays. Gleaning is collecting excess fresh foods from farms, gardens, grocers, or any other sources to provide it to those in need. Through a collaboration between the Watertown Farmers Market, the Bread Basket Food Pantry, and […]

A wagon full of squash, boxes of cucumbers and beans, and bundles of broccoli and rhubarb next to colorful zinnias and greens growing in garden beds

FoodWIse: Growing valuable community resources in Oconto Falls

Access to healthy food is challenging in rural areas, and many Wisconsin families struggle to afford healthy food on a limited budget. As food prices increase, more families are turning to emergency food providers, like food pantries, to help put food on the table. Emergency food providers also face challenges in procuring food, particularly healthier […]

A grandfather and 2 boys sit at a round table while the teacher stands beside them watching

From pixels to parks: Turning Minecraft skills into community action at Grandparents University

When it comes to Minecraft, Camdyn and Dawson consider themselves builders. After going to Grandparent’s University (GPU) with their grandmother, Sara Draeger, they see Minecraft in a whole new way. As part of this year’s GPU, UW-Madison Extension Community Development educators debuted a new course called “Using your Minecraft skills IRL* to make your community […]

Update on FoodWIse and Extension’s service to Wisconsin communities

For over 30 years UW–Madison Extension has been providing local nutrition education funded by the federal SNAP-Ed grant program. Our FoodWIse educators have been a cornerstone of Extension’s mission to improve the health and well-being of Wisconsin residents. FoodWIse reaches over 133,000 people with nutrition education and community-based strategies to support healthy eating and active […]

Update on AmeriCorps and Extension 4-H

Extension’s 4-H program has had AmeriCorps members working across the state to boost programming for youth and was planning for summer work for more than 30 AmeriCorps members in 23 counties. Due to immediate cuts in federal funding this past spring, our work with AmeriCorps became uncertain before UW–Madison offered limited bridge funding to support […]