Salt Lake and Utah County Extension;
Dean Miner, Trisha Cutler, Marilyn Albertson, Sara Oldroyd, Maggie Shao, Maruja Luis, Sarah Petersen
As Utah’s Hispanic population approaches 14% there is a growing need to provide research based and unbiased information to this Spanish speaking population. The recognition of these changes in Utah’s demographic picture and the need to provide information to them was realized by Salt Lake and Utah counties who pioneered efforts to provide information to the Latino populations in their growing communities. The leadership of Marilyn Albertson, Dean Miner, Trish Cutler, Sara , Maggie Shao, Sara Oldroyd, Sara Petersen and Maruja Luis from these two counties was instrumental in creating Utah’s first Extension Spanish newsletter publications.
To date nearly ten issues have been created by these two counties focusing on finance and housing education, nutrition & healthy recipes, food safety and food preservation, consumer and resource management, family and human development, cleaning and laundry tips, scientific information on pests and plant varieties, family gardening activities, historical highlights and general gardening tips.
In the winter of 2009 this Spanish newsletter pioneering effort was expanded with a uniquely designed county specific electronic publication provided to a collaboration of ten additional counties in Utah who now publish a Spanish newsletter under their individual county banner.
Epsilon Sigma Phi honors these pioneer leaders for their work in reaching out to diverse populations in the state of Utah with Spanish newsletters. Their inclusionary efforts are bringing Utah State University and the Extension system research based information to a population not formerly served in this way by Extension. Their efforts provide a state model openly inviting Extension Faculty to write and publish relevant information designed to meet the needs of this statewide growing population. ESP honors you each as unique members of county teams worthy of the ESP Team Diversity Award 2009.