Producers Input Helps Guide MSU Ag Programs

Members of CAS recently traveled to the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona and met with producers of row crops, livestock and other agricultural products to discuss services they need from the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Randy Loper, Interim Head of Computer Applications and Services, and Mariah Smith, Extension Instructor for the Computer Applications and Services Resource Center, discussed new technologies such as the new iPads, iPhones and smart phones, and their use in agricultural production.

Commercial Dispatch Sept 23, 2010

Mariah Smith, an instructor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, says parents are in a better position than school officials to deal with cyberbullying. She says 75 percent of online bullying of teenagers takes place at home and only 35 percent report the incidents to their parents. An article by Smith titled "Preventing Cyber-bullying" is available at msucares.com/pubs. The article describes methods for gathering evidence in the event of cyberbullying and explains Mississippi laws on cyberstalking. To see the online article, click here.

Extension Instructor Featured on WCBI

Mariah Smith, Extension Instructor for the Computer Applications and Services Resource Center, was recently interviewed by WCBI-News about Internet safety.

Mariah addressed concerns about how parents can be more responsible for what their kids see on the Internet, especially since they are out for the summer.

To see the video interview, click here.

Greenwood Commonwealth: Learning at Any Age

John Giesemann of the Mississippi State University Extension Service hopes to help other older adults learn how technology can enhance their lives, whether it is staying in touch with family or giving them skills to return to work.

He has been traveling across the state for 25 years teaching people how to do everything from opening a program and saving a file to sending e-mails and uploading pictures.

“I teach a lot of senior citizens because for a lot of them, they have just been given their first computer by the children or grandchildren,” Giesemann said. “Unlike kids, they need someone to go step by step with them while they learn or they will get frustrated.”

Monroe County 4-H Robotics Club

Monroe County 4-H'ers are at the building block stage with their newly implemented robotics meetings. according to Randal Nevins, Monroe county 4-H Agent. "As fast as technology is advancing, anything like our robotics meetings will give students an advantage". Mariah Smith, Extension Instructor with Computer Applications and Services, said "By preparing Mississippi students for different educational avenues, we're setting the stage for possible scientists and engineers."