This summer has been so hot! So take a few minutes to come inside, cool down, and learn something new with us! As always, if there is a topic you would like us to cover, please let us know!

Our monthly online ActiveCampaign sessions are offered on September 8th and September 10th, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. Join our Managing Contacts session on September 8th to learn more about managing your contacts. To learn more about creating and sending campaigns, join our Creating Email Campaigns session on September 10th.

Accessibility Fundamentals: Fonts

Join us for an Express (30-minute) training covering the fundamental accessibility principles of fonts. Considering accessibility when choosing fonts is crucial because it makes digital content more readable for a broader audience, including individuals with visual impairments, learning disabilities, or low vision, as well as anyone who is distracted or multitasking. Learn how to choose fonts that help make content more accessible.This session is on September 15th from 2-2:30 pm, and you can find it in XLMS.

Accessibility All-Stars

One of our primary functions in Extension is sharing information, and these days much of that knowledge is communicated online. Join us for some quick tips to ensure your web content is user-friendly for everyone and reaches the widest audience possible.  We'll go over some basic guidelines for inclusive design and some tricks and tools to make it easy! Join us on September 17 from 2-3 pm. Sign up in XLMS.

Accessibility Fundamentals: Headings

Join us for an Express (30-minute) training covering a fundamental accessibility principle. For this session, we will cover how to use heading levels to organize and structure your digital content appropriately. Well-organized content allows users to understand and navigate information effectively. This session is listed in XLMS, and will be on September 24th from 10-10:30 am.

Digital Accessibility for Extension Professionals (In-Person)

Deep dive into digital accessibility topics and learn to create web content that works for all users. 

One of our primary functions in Extension is sharing information, and these days much of that knowledge is communicated online. Join us for some quick tips to ensure your web content is user-friendly for everyone and reaches the widest audience possible.  We'll go over some basic guidelines for inclusive design and some tricks and tools to make it easy!

Join us at the Duplin County Center on September 23rd, from 10am-12pm. Sign up in XLMS.

Our monthly online Eventbrite session is on September 1st from 9-10:30 a.m. This session covers Extension Eventbrite requests through event publication, including budget forms, adding details to the event, online events, modifying ticket information, adding custom questions to the order form, making your event live for registration, and managing attendees once your event is published.

We are offering two Express sessions this month. Topics change each month, depending on questions received, suggestions, etc.

30 Minutes to Email Sanity

Between field visits, grower meetings, and endless county requests, your inbox can quickly turn into a digital wild west. If you are tired of drowning in unread messages and hunting for lost threads, this quick, high-impact session is designed just for you.

In just 30 minutes, we will cut through the clutter and help you build a personalized email management system that works for you, not against you. Sign up in XLMS to join us on September 16th from 10-10:30 am.

Signs of the Times: Master Your Office Digital Signage in 30 Min

Want a quick and powerful way to market your local programs and reach visitors the moment they walk into your building? Join us for a fast-paced, 30-minute session where we will demystify the Extension digital signage system. You’ll learn how to navigate the web app, quickly build slides using built-in templates, and properly upload your own custom graphics using Canva. Boost your office's visibility and keep your community informed without adding another heavy task to your to-do list! Join us on September 23rd from 9-9:30, by sigining up in XLMS.

This month, the Publications Database training is being offered on September 2nd, from 11am-12pm. Learn how to navigate the database and how to use the publishing tools to create new factsheets. This session is primarily for specialists, but agents are welcome to join to learn how to navigate the database and find useful information. Register for this session in XLMS.

Extension Websites 101

This session will cover the basics of using our NC State Extension website platform to update your county center or topic website. We will demonstrate how to use the content block editor to create a new page or news post. We will cover image best practices, modifying your menu, and checking for accessibility. This session is appropriate for both county staff and specialists. All new employees or employees unfamiliar with our new web platform who will be working on Extension websites are encouraged to take this course. Additional training sessions will be offered for more advanced website editing. Join this session on September 9th from 2-3:30 pm. Sign up in XLMS.

Customizing Your NC State Extension Topic Site

This session is for Extension specialists and anyone who works on an Extension Topic Site. We will cover how to customize and organize your topic site in the Extension website platform. We will demonstrate how to add content blocks to your topic site homepage, like static images, icon menus, text, video, and more. We will cover how to control your newsfeed displays, including adding or removing news blocks, controlling news priority, and featuring articles. We will also cover how to modify and organize your pages and menu. This session is appropriate for specialists and anyone who manages a topic site within the ces.ncsu.edu system. Please note this session is not meant for admins of county sites; however, county staff who work on topic sites are encouraged to attend. Sign up in XLMS to join this session on September 22nd from 10-11 am.

Beyond the Chatbox: CRAFTing Better AI Conversations

Ever feel like interacting with an AI is a bit of a gamble? Sometimes you get gold; other times, you get a hallucinated mess. The secret isn't in the model—it’s in the framework.

In this hands-on session, we will break down the CRAFT framework, a professional-grade strategy designed to transform vague requests into precise, high-quality results. Whether you are drafting reports, generating code, or sparking creative ideas, CRAFT provides the structural "blueprints" you need to succeed every time. This session takes place on September 29th at 10-11:30 am, so make sure to sign up in XLMS!