UW Extension Celebrates Outstanding Performance with 2021 Awards

by Andy Schwab

At its annual spring conference in Laramie, the University of Wyoming Extension congratulated the following 2021 award recipients for their dedication and service.

Goshen County educator receives UW Extension’s highest honor

Goshen County 4-H educator Megan Brittingham earned the Jim Debree Excellence in Extension Award—the Extension’s highest honor—for her outstanding performance, leadership and professionalism.

Left to right: Bridger Feuz, Megan Brittingham, Amanda Marney and Kelly Crane at the 2021 UW Extension Awards ceremony in Laramie, Wyoming.

In addition to leading traditional 4-H programming, such as project workshops and judging practice, Brittingham has also expanded non-traditional programs in her county. Local students look forward to her classroom programs, including hatching chicks, designed to present STEM lessons in a fun and interactive way.

As one nominator noted, “Megan strives to ensure all those around her grow as individuals, serve others and embrace the possibilities of expanding knowledge.” She is engaged, forward-thinking and “always puts her emphasis on education and 4-H members.”

Brittingham joined the UW Extension in 2010. She has previously received the Extension’s Newer Employee Recognition Award and Creative Excellence Award.

Newer Extension employee recognized for leadership in youth programming

Joddee Jacobson, Natrona County 4-H youth development educator, received the UW Extension’s Newer Employee Award. This honor recognizes excellent performance in employees with no more than six years in the UW Extension.

Joddee Jacobsen

Jacobson brings a passion for learning and teaching to the Extension team. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, her dedication and ability to think outside the box ensured that 4-H participants didn’t have to miss out on the annual county fair. It may have looked a little different than other years, but thanks to Jacobson, the show went on—and was a great success.

Nominators agreed that she “has a way of bringing out the best in people and ensuring that they are successful. She takes ‘team player’ to the next level.”

In addition to her role as an extension educator, Jacobson is a Wyoming representative in the Western Extension Leadership Development program.

Online convention team shines during the pandemic

Faced with a global pandemic, the Agriculture and Horticulture Online Convention 2021 Coordination team—Scott Cotton, David Keto, Kristi Hansen, John Hewlett and Jennifer Thompson—leapt into action, designing a multi-day web-based conference. For their efforts, the team earned the Creative Excellence Recognition Award.

(L-R) Amanda Marney, Kristi Hanson, Kelly Crane, John Hewlett, Bridger Feuz, David Keto.

In an impressive show of creative collaboration, the convention team facilitated real-time roundtable discussions, Q&A sessions via Zoom and access to recorded presentations. The new conference model increased engagement and accessibility across the state while successfully capturing a wide variety of extension programming.

UW Extension Director Kelly Crane commended the awardees for finding “new ways to deliver educational programs and reach new audiences.”

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UW Ag News – 2022

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