From October 20–23, I attended the NEAFCS Annual Session 2025 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This year’s theme, “Spark: Connections, Innovations, Communities, and Growth,” truly reflected the energy of the event. The conference was filled with inspiring sessions, meaningful conversations, and practical ideas. I’m excited to bring many of them back to St. Lucie County.

As a recipient of the First-Time Attendee Award from the NEAFCS Endowment, I began the week with the First-Time Orientation. It was a great way to break the ice and meet fellow attendees from the University of Kentucky, University of Wyoming, Michigan State University, and more. This session helped me feel welcomed and ready to dive into the experience.

One of the most impactful sessions I attended was “Eating Healthy on $2/Meal/Person” by Carol Smathers, Candace Heer, Laura Halladay, and Margaret Jenkins from The Ohio State University. She addressed food insecurity and showed how families can eat nutritiously using MyPlate guidelines — all for about $2 per person per meal. This session sparked a new idea – Several other family and consumer sciences agents and I want to try this challenge ourselves. We believe that to teach it, we should experience it firsthand. It’s a great way to explore healthy eating on a budget. This ties directly into my ongoing food budgeting blog series, How Do I Plan Meals? – A Food Budgeting Series – UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County. I also plan to offer additional materials and workshops to support healthy eating in our community.

Another favorite session was: “Expanding Youth Knowledge of Food or Wellness Careers and Education Opportunities Utilizing the 4-H Food Challenge Contest” by Kasey Fioramonti and Andrea Haubner from Virginia Cooperative Extension. This session blended competition with experiential learning. It reminded me of our County Line Camp from this past summer. It’s a great example of how 4-H and FCS agents can collaborate to create meaningful, skill-building experiences for youth. I’m excited to work with John Ferguson, our St. Lucie 4-H Agent, to bring this idea to life locally.

I also attended several sessions focused on cottage food laws and food entrepreneurship. These topics are increasingly relevant in our area. I’ll be sharing more reflections on these sessions soon, especially as I explore ways to support local food businesses and promote safe practices.

The entire conference was inspiring. One moment that really stuck with me came from keynote speaker Mark Ostach. He shared a visual comparing the number of times we swipe our phones each day to walking five miles on a treadmill. That image made me pause. It inspired me to be more present, more engaged, and less tethered to my screen. I’m now more committed to building real connections — both personally and professionally.

As an FCS agent, this conference was an incredible opportunity to learn from seasoned professionals and gather ideas to build my 2026 program. I plan to implement webinars and hands-on workshops inspired by Carol Smathers’ presentation and Safe Food, Healthy Kids by Michigan State University. Both programs address real needs in St. Lucie County.

I also had the chance to network with agents from across the country. One connection stood out — an agent from the University of Wyoming who, like me, has a background in university housing and residential life. It was amazing to reconnect and discover how our current roles align. I look forward to following up with several new contacts and continuing the conversations we started.

The NEAFCS Annual Session reminded me that growth happens when we connect, innovate, and stay curious. Whether it’s trying a new budgeting challenge, launching a youth program, or simply putting our phones down — we all have the power to spark something meaningful.