Extension FCS Centennial Promotional Plan

The state FCS Centennial Public Relations subcommittee has developed various pieces to promote the past, present and future relevance of Extension Family & Consumer Sciences programming! We have a strong, proud history of delivering research based content to meet the needs of families and communities since 1914 - with a variety of successful methods.

  1. Branding Message – a 30-second story

The Centennial celebration of the Smith-Lever Act, Kentucky Cooperative Extension, and University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences county programming offers the opportunity to collectively brand and share “Who we are and what we do” with media and public relations work. Our strength is our content base that has and continues to be of great importance to Kentucky families. Marketing our relevance starts with each agent’s/FCS professional’s ability to verbalize a 30-second story to our most often asked question:

What do County Extension Agents for Family & Consumer Sciences do?

or

What do Family and Consumer Sciences Extension professionals do?

“We are educators, extending the University of Kentucky’s research knowledge to build strong families. The community is our classroom, aswe deliver programs focusing on nutrition & health, resource management, family development and civic engagement”

This statement format will enable each agent or FCS professional to consistently share our role as an ‘extension’ of the land grant university. We are educators focused on a research-based content foundation and our community is our classroom.

  1. FCS Extension Centennial Promotional Materials

A variety of materials are available for your use in promoting our centennial. These include stickers, lapel pins, folders and an emblem print. The FCS Centennial promotional card includes historic photos and a messageconsistent with our 30-second story. A FCS Centennial timeline poster (11 x 17) is in development. Additionally, materials are available by request for promoting the FCS Legacy Fund. See the order form in your resource packet for additional details.

  1. 2014 Media Message Scripts

The Public Relations subcommittee members will be providing monthly, seasonal, content-based media materials that showcase historic FCS programming facts or stories with current related content. These media tools will provide opportunity to celebrate the overall Centennial as well as promote our current relevancy in areas important to families. Pieces will include a monthly ‘Exclusive’ media script as well as four accompanying weekly social media posts, beginning in January, 2014. The first two months have been included in this packet, with additional scripts to follow every other month. The focus content topics that may complement other areas of programming are listed on the reverse side of this page:

  • January, 2014 - FinancialManagement - Moneywise (provided today)
  • February, 2014 – Nutrition & Health (provided today)
  • March – Nutrition Education Programs – EFNEP and SNAP-ED (to be available early February)
  • April – Charitable Giving – (FCS Extension Legacy Fund mention) (to be available early February)
  • May – Power of Community Leadership & Volunteerism (Extension Homemaker value mention) (to be available early April)
  • June – Building Strong Families -(Military Families mention) (to be available early April)
  • July – Food Preservation & Farmer’s Markets (to be available early June)
  • August – Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud (accessing local foods mention) (to be available early June)
  • September – Ovarian Cancer Research (to be available early August)
  • October –Physical Activity – Second Sunday (to be available early August)
  • November – Family Traditions & Strengths (Multi-generation mention) (to be available early October)
  • December – Giving the Best Gift – FCS Legacy Fund (to be available in early October)
  1. FCS Centennial Website

The FCS Centennial website ( provides a means to share our history with our clientele and stakeholders as well as provide resource links for agents. The site design incorporates our primary message and showcases historic photos, a message from Dr. Vail, and links to various documents that trace our history. Additionally, the agent resource link will take you to a password protected page where you can access graphics, the mass media and social media scripts and other historic support pieces. Please check out the historic documents for interesting stories, little known facts and other items for your Centennial programming use! The initial site has been launched, but items will be added and updated throughout 2014.

  1. Promotional Events

After the overall Cooperative Extension Service Centennial celebration in February and Smith-Lever Act Day in May, FCS Centennial activities will also be held at the May, 2014 Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association State Meeting; the 2014 Kentucky State Fair; the 2014 Ag & HES Roundup Week events; the 2014 Family Impact Seminar as well as the 2014 KEAFCS meeting and 2015 Kentucky General Assembly. Look forward to more details in 2014!

The overall FCS Centennial celebration will be held December 2, 2014 beginning at 11:00 a.m. Mark this date on your calendar for our grand celebration!

FCS Centennial Public Relations Sub-Committee

Janet H. Johnson

Sara Talbott

Jeanne Davis

Teran Ransom
Dayna Parrett

Kim Henken

Vicki Wynn