10 Broadcaster Press May 28, 2019 www.broadcasteronline.com SDSU Extension Volunteer, Jackie Rhode and Food & Families Capstone Recognized with National Awards BROOKINGS, S.D. – SDSU Extension volunteer, Jackie Rhode, Fort Thompson, and the SDSU Extension Food & Families Capstone were recognized for advancing health education and outreach with national awards during the National Health Outreach Conference held early May in Fort Worth, Texas. “It’s always an honor when our team is recognized on the national level for the work they do serving South Dakotans,” said Karla Trautman, SDSU Extension Interim Director. “For years, SDSU Extension’s Food & Families team has listened to communities to understand their needs and worked to provide innovative, research-based and effective education and foods, nutrition and health programming.” One such program is Voices for Food. The SDSU Extension program bolsters community support through a guide to help communities create citizen-led food councils and provides flexible tools to help community members build food security by transitioning food pantries to guided client-choice. Voices for Food was recognized with the Priester Award which honors South Dakota’s Afdahl Elected CSBS Chairman Extension programs that positively impact the health of citizens across the U.S. and provide leadership to expand Extension’s capacity to increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. SDSU Extension Food and Families Program Director, Suzanne Stluka was among a team of eight extension staff from six land grant universities who developed the Voices for Food program. Two other SDSU Extension staff also served on this team; Lindsay Moore, Voices for Food Project Coordinator, and Dr. Lacey McCormack, Assistant Professor, Department of Health & Nutritional Sciences. “We are elated by this honor, but more importantly, by the results of our work,” Stluka explained. “When the team began imagining this project seven years ago, people were not talking about developing food councils in rural communities. And, now we see the work that we did, putting data, research and extension outreach behind those pieces, paying off in the development of food councils in communities, addressing food insecurity across the nation.” Collaborations with private and public stakeholders strengthen the outreach mission of SDSU Extension. And, Jackie Rhode, a member of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe is one such stakeholder. A community champion, Rhode volunteers her time working with SDSU Extension on the Crow Creek Community Wellness coalition and assisting a local school with the Smarter Lunchrooms, an SDSU Extension program to encourage healthy choices using behavior economics without restricting choice and the Stock Healthy Shop Healthy program. Rhode was recognized with the Culture of Health Volunteer Award, which includes a $4,500 grant that will be used to support the Nourishing Native Children: Feeding our Future Bountiful Backpack Program. “Jackie does so much for her community. She is always willing to be a voice for change, inclusion, equity and equality within her community,” Stluka said. “She is passionate about ensuring youth have opportunities for success. She is a role model for health and wants her community to be a healthy one. SDSU Extension appreciates the work she does for South Dakota.” SDSU Extension Food & Families Capstone was recognized for advancing health education and outreach with national awards during the National Health Outreach Conference held early May in Fort Worth, Texas. The Voices for Food program received the Priester Award, which honors Extension programs that positively impact the health of citizens across the U.S. and provide leadership to expand Extension’s capacity to increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. SDSU Extension Food and Families Program Director, Suzanne Stluka (second from left) was among a team of eight extension staff from six land grant universities who developed the Voices for Food program. Two other SDSU Extension staff also served on this team; Lindsay Moore, Voices for Food Project Coordinator, and Dr. Lacey McCormack, Assistant Professor, Department of Health & Nutritional Sciences. U.S. Department Of Commerce Invests To Provide High-Speed Research Computing For Business tion for this strategic investment in Dakota this grant is yet another example that their Growth In South Dakota Opportunity Zone State University,” said Senator Rounds. excellence is being recognized nationally as WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary “This high-speed network will give students, well.” of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that faculty and staff of the MadLabs facility The project will procure research comthe Department’s Economic Development excellent research opportunities in computing equipment for two projects: The Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.46 puter science, cyber operations and digital Madison CyberLabs (MadLabs), an $18 milmillion grant to Dakota State University in forensics. These are fields where jobs are in lion, 40,000 square foot development that Madison, South Dakota, to help establish high demand. This grant is a product of the will house applied research projects for a high speed research network. The inTax Cuts and Jobs Act’s Opportunity Zones. faculty, researchers, students and corporate PIERRE, S.D. – The vestment, located in a Tax Cuts and Jobs It will help to make sure DSU remains a top partners; and for the Heartland Technology Conference of State Bank Act designated Opportunity Zone, will be choice school for students seeking an excel- Center, a business incubator housing DSU Supervisors (CSBS) today matched with $1.46 million in local funds. lent education that will prepare them to be spin-off companies, startup companies relyannounced the election “The Trump Administration is continuing future leaders in these vital fields. I thank ing on the expertise of DSU students and of Bret Afdahl, Director of to work diligently to bring new opportuniSecretary Ross for awarding DSU with this other affiliated organizations or corporate the South Dakota Division ties for growth to Tax Cuts and Jobs Act grant.” partners. This project was made possible by of Banking, as the new designated Opportunity Zones and ensure “Dakota State University is a leader in the regional planning efforts led by the First chairman for the CSBS our businesses have the resources they post-graduate technological studies not just District Association of Local Governments. Board of Directors. need to grow and prosper,” said Secretary in South Dakota, but throughout the counEDA funds the First District Association of For more than 110 Ross. “DSU’s new high-speed network will try,” said Senator Thune. “Thanks to the Local Governments to bring together the years, CSBS has been help deliver secure research to accommoTax Cuts and Jobs Act and its focus on Oppublic and private sectors to create an ecouniquely positioned as date new and established private sector portunity Zones, Dakota State will have the nomic development roadmap to strengthen the only national orstartups and partners.” opportunity to build off its well-established the regional economy, support private capiganization dedicated to “DSU is on the front lines of developing success by creating a high-speed research tal investment and create jobs. protecting and advancing South Dakota’s business workforce and cynetwork with help from this important fedThe funding announced today goes to a the nation’s dual-banking bersecurity talent pipeline,” said Governor eral grant and strong local support. I’m not Tax Cuts and Jobs Act designated Opportusystem. State financial Kristi Noem. “I’m grateful the Department surprised to see that Dakota State is deepnity Zone, which provides special incentives regulators are provided of Commerce is partnering with us to create ening its roots in the Madison area, which is for further private sector participation and a forum to coordinate opportunities and help generate cuttingwhy I’m excited to see what the future holds development. Created by President Donald supervision and develop edge research that will shape the future for this project and those that are surely yet J. Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, policy. of cybersecurity and business in South to come.” Opportunity Zone designations spur eco“We will be working toDakota.” “Dakota State is a top national leader nomic development by giving tax incentives gether to adopt changes “I thank in technology and cyber security,” said to investors in economically-distressed needed to ensure safety the Trump Representative Dusty Johnson. “Those of us communities nationwide. and soundness, consumer Administrain South Dakota have long known that, but protections and economic growth in our communities,” said Director Afdahl. “During the next 12 months, more initiatives TREE TRIMMING, REMOVALS & TRANSPLANTING under Vision 2020 will be advanced.” TREES FOR SALE Vision 2020 seeks to EVERGREEN • SHADE • ORNAMENTAL modernize the regulation Yankton 605-260-1490 of fintech companies and Hartington 402-254-6710 other non-depositories. 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