College of Human Sciences extension specialists Johnson, Duke-Marks highlight importance of Alabama Extension work during Discover Alabama Extension Week

The inaugural celebration of Alabama Extension Week, running Oct. 23-28, is highlighting the important work and the positive impact extension specialists are making across the state of Alabama through a variety of programs, initiatives, groundbreaking research and more.

Two of those extension specialists within Auburn University’s College of Human Sciences have been recognized recently for their award-winning extension work that aims to improve the quality of life for young Alabamians.

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Dr. Portia Johnson’s nationally recognized financial resource management research is creating greater higher education opportunities for high school students and Associate Professor and Extension Specialist Dr. Adrienne Duke-Marks’ community engagement outreach aims to curb youth vaping through her vaping prevention program “Escape Vapes.”

Combined, both of their efforts continue to show why Alabama Extension continues to deliver solutions for life’s everyday challenges and make such a meaningful impact.

Established in 2021, Johnson’s work with Alabama FAST (Free Application for Federal Student Aid Application Survival Toolkit) provides information and resources to high school students, parents, school counselors, career coaches and administrators across the state to help them navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. The Women’s Philanthropy Board in the College of Human Sciences awarded Johnson a seed grant becoming a primary source of funding for Alabama FAST.

“We’ve reached 83 high schools and we worked with 33 career coaches this past year and they were really helpful to us,” Johnson said. “To get a state award was really nice but to be recognized nationally for the work, it just let me know that it was really worth it. A few other states have asked if they can adopt it and use it in their state too so that makes me feel really validated.”

Johnson’s work with the Alabama FAST community program led to her and the program being recognized as the national winner for the 2023 Past President’s New Professional of the Year award collecting seven state awards, five regional awards and three national awards overall.

For Duke-Marks, her award-winning research with Escape Vapes is a youth-focused prevention program that aims to increase adolescents’ understanding of the health risks of vaping devices and the strategies manufacturers and marketing agencies use to promote vaping products.

Most recently, Duke-Marks was named an honoree for the Auburn University Award for Excellence in Faculty Outreach due to her outstanding commitment to outreach that exemplifies the highest qualities and purposes of community engagement. Duke-Marks’ work with Escape Vapes has affected more than 7,000 youth and adult participants and she continues to collaborate with regional agents to design a publication series to present the most recent research on vaping.

“Escape Vapes has been a highly requested program in middle schools and high schools across the state for several years,” Duke said. “I attribute our success to all the Human Sciences Extension Regional Agents who have done a tremendous job connecting with school administrators and counselors. To support our programming, I have written several publications for parents and youth concerning vaping with our team, but we have a specific series coming out this fall that should be especially helpful for parents.”

These are just two examples of the great work Alabama Extension specialists are doing in partnership with county agents and how research is put into action to make a difference.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has proclaimed Oct. 23-28 as Alabama Extension Week. During this week-long celebration, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System encourages people all over the state to engage and see what Extension has to offer by attending a local Extension Week event or visiting a county Extension office.

For more information about details related to events and programming throughout Alabama Extension Week, visit the Alabama Extension Facebook page.