Youth development and 4-H agent named

Submitted by Roxanne Creamer
Phone: (907) 474-5406
02/18/04

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service Director Tony Nakazawa has appointed Libby Jackson assistant professor of 4-H and youth development at Eielson Air Force Base.

"This position was originally created to provide a program for Eielson youth that makes their out-of-school time in Alaska a more meaningful experience," Nakazawa said. "Jackson’s education and vast experience working with families and youth, especially in a military setting, makes her the ideal person to continue this program successfully."

The position will develop collaborative efforts focused on the needs of at-risk youth on the base. Programming responsibilities will focus on youth and family issues associated with deployment of base personnel, youth prevention services and issues with living in Alaska, including a variety of other outdoor skills activities.

"I’m happy to be here and look forward to providing a unique Alaska experience for youth at Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force Bases, emphasizing positive decision making skills," Jackson said.

Before arriving in Alaska, Jackson served as a medical social worker at St. Mary’s Home Health Care in Athens, Georgia. She also brings extension experience from the University of Georgia where she worked as the statewide Children, Youth and Families at Risk coordinator and oversaw three projects, including the Youth Collaboration Project at Moody Air Force Base.

After Jackson received her master’s of social work in 1995, she did home based and crisis counseling with children and families in Maine and Indiana until accepting the position as CYFAR coordinator at UGA.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service is a unit of the College of Rural Alaska with 12 offices statewide located in communities of Anchorage, Bethel, Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Glennallen, Kodiak, Juneau, Nome, Palmer, Sitka, Soldotna and Thorne Bay. For more information contact CES at (907) 474-7246 or fyace@uaf.edu.