For more than a century, University of Georgia Extension has provided Georgia families with the information and support they need to make the most of every school year. Throughout 2014, UGA Extension is marking the 100th anniversary of the Cooperative Extension System by renewing its commitment to helping Georgians grow safe and nutritious food, strong families, sustainable economies and young leaders.

Since the passage of the federal Smith-Lever Act in 1914, which established this network of county agents from land-grant universities across the U.S., UGA Extension has built and maintained strong ties to the local communities it serves. Today, Extension personnel continue to fulfill the basic mission of bridging the gap between Georgians and the academic research and resources available from UGA. One of the most important parts of that mission is using that research and those resources to help improve student achievement.

Through information regarding child and family development, lesson plans that help teachers bring the natural world into the classroom, and leadership training and environmental education opportunities through 4-H, UGA Extension works with local communities to provide the resources that Georgia parents, teachers and students need to succeed.

These resources provide advice that Georgians can trust. The strategies and resources provided by UGA Extension are rooted in research-based information—not a particular ideology, old wives tale or hearsay. So whether you’d like to build a safer environment for your children, deal with the stresses of daily school life, teach your children to make better food choices to prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, train food handlers in your school’s cafeteria, or enhance the life experiences of your children through youth development opportunities, UGA Extension is the place to start.

For more information about what UGA Extension can offer Georgia families as they start the school year, visit extension.uga.edu or call your local UGA Extension agent at 1-800-Ask-UGA 1.