Released Nov. 14, 2007

AMES, Iowa-—Kimberly Greder, Iowa State University Extension family life specialist and associate professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies, received the Early Achievement Award sponsored by the National Council on Family Relations. She was honored on Nov. 6 for her contributions to parent education.

Greder is the primary author and leader of a campus-field team that developed “Partnering with Parents: Walking the Journey Together” (http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pwp/), an 11-part comprehensive peer reviewed training curriculum for parenting educators.

Delivered throughout Iowa and completely online, this interactive and self-reflective training was developed in response to the growing demand for parenting educators with knowledge and skills in designing, implementing and evaluating parent education.

Between 2002 and 2006, 319 parenting educators participated in Partnering with Parents. Five months after completing the academy, 95 percent of participants reported feeling much more competent as a parenting educator as compared to 32 percent of participants before the academy.

Greder also has provided content and administrative and marketing leadership for five national parenting education satellite programs reaching nearly 12,000 professionals in 42 states and two U.S. territories. Her topics have included couple and marital relationships, healthy teen development and bullying.

Evaluations reveal that parenting education satellite programs increase professionals’ knowledge in these parenting topic areas, which provides them with practical strategies and tools to use locally with families they serve. The information presented in these programs has resulted in professionals redesigning their own programming efforts.

The Early Achievement Award is given on an annual basis to an extension family life specialist who has demonstrated the impact of his or her work outside of his or her home state. The individual’s contributions must ultimately show impact on people’s lives in community as well.

-30-

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2007/nov/391301.htm

Contacts: Kimberly Greder, (515) 294-5906 or kgreder@iastate.edu

Laura Sternweis, (515) 294-0775 or lsternwe@iastate.edu