Wasco

Juntos opens pathways to higher education and opportunity for Latino families in Oregon

Latino students make up nearly 25% of Oregon’s K–12 public school population yet face persistent barriers to college access. Nationally, only 58% of Hispanic high school completers enrolled in college immediately in 2022 and ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

StrongPeople builds culture of health among older adults

Older adults in Oregon face several health challenges, including chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis and hypertension. Many older adults have mobility challenges due to muscle weakness, joint pain and low ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU research and education boost Oregon wheat production

Wheat is one of Oregon’s most valuable crops. In 2022, farmers planted approximately 740,000 acres of winter wheat and other varieties across the state. The crop had a direct value of $431 million, ranking sixth among ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

BEPA 2.0 has students stepping up their physical activity

Data show that among school-age children, low physical activity, poor diet, and extended periods of inactivity are associated not only with poor health but also with poor educational outcomes. In 2007, Oregon passed a law ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

OSU Extension helps Oregonians respond to avian influenza outbreaks

When highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was first detected in Oregon in May 2022, commercial poultry farms were forced to cull infected birds, backyard chicken owners worried about their flocks, and 4-H members faced ...

Jan 2025 | Impact Story

Using science to inform policy for a wildfire-adapted Oregon

In response to longer and more severe wildfire seasons, a growing population living in the wildland-urban interface and the extensive impacts of the 2020 Labor Day fires, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 762 in 2021, ...

Sep 2024 | Impact Story

OSU Extension Fire Program fosters place-based partnerships

As a land grant university, Oregon State University takes research and innovation out of the labs and puts them into practice in the communities and landscapes around the state through Extension programs. While OSU’s influence ...

Aug 2024 | Impact Story

OSU EXCITE initiative strengthens vaccine education and outreach

As COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in 2021, many communities faced challenges in accessing accurate information and overcoming vaccine hesitancy. In Oregon’s Latino communities, logistical barriers, lack of culturally relevant ...

Dec 2023 | Impact Story

Training and outreach improve mental health response in Oregon communities

Following the compounded crises of 2020 through 2022, Oregon saw a sharp increase in mental health challenges — including depression, anxiety, substance use and suicide. The state continues to rank near the bottom nationally for...

Apr 2023 | Impact Story

Revamped Juntos program in Wasco County boosts family engagement and builds Latinx leadership

Oregon State University Extension Service’s Juntos program helps Latinx youth and their families build pathways to higher education. “Juntos,” which means “together” in Spanish, creates partnerships between families and schools ...

Apr 2023 | Impact Story