Maureen Toomey

Impact Statements

• Toomey, M., G. Wittman, M. Cummins and R. Davids. 2016. Healthy Living for Challenged Youth.
• Wittman, G., M. Toomey, L. Vega, J. Buck and G. Silkwood. 2016. 4-H Healthy Living Teen Advocates teach nutrition education classes.
• Greenway, S., M. Toomey, J. Peutz, G. Wittman and R. Lanting. 2016. 4-H Food Smart Families: Implementation in two states’ diverse settings.
• Vega, L., N. Deringer, M. Toomey and J. McShane. 2014. 4-H Afterschool — Giving youth life skills for tomorrow.

Research Reports

• Toomey, M., J. McShane, L. Vega. June 2015. Assessment of Needs for Children, Youth and Families Farmway Village, Caldwell Idaho.
• Toomey, M., S. Kane. July 2013. Interests, Opportunities & Engagement — What do the Youth Say?, Boundary County Youth Community Needs Assessment. 

• Toomey, M. Video review: History of afterschool in America. December 2019. Journal of Youth Development 14(4) 285-290.
• Toomey, M., E. Jeffries and J. McShane. 2018. Elements and Principles of Design Card. University of Idaho and National 4-H Council. https://shop4-h.org/collections/creative-arts-curriculum/products/elements-and-principles-of-design-card.
• Smathers, C., M. Toomey, L. Washburn, K. Johnston, A. M. Iaccopucci and E. Johannes. 2019. Positive youth development for health: Extension’s readiness for multilevel, public health approaches. Journal of Extension. 57(1) 1FEA1. https://www.joe.org/joe/2019february/a1.php.
• Toomey, M., C. Smathers, A. M. Iaccopucci, K. Johnston and E. Johannes. 2018. Youth workers’ role in engaging youth health advocacy for community-level change. Journal of Youth Development. 13(3) 12-23. https://jyd.pitt.edu/ojs/jyd/article/view/18-13-03-TLC-01.
• Smathers, C., L. Washburn, M. Toomey, E. Johannes, A. M. Iaccopucci and K. Johnston. 2018. Organizational readiness to engage in policy, system, and environment changes supporting positive youth development for health: Case studies from the Cooperative Extension System framed by the transtheoretical model. The Journal of Human Sciences and Extension. 6(2) 81-101. https://www.jhseonline.com/article/view/722.
• Toomey, M., A. Zamudio, L. Fabregas. April 2016. Latino Youth Outreach: Best Practices Toolkit v3.0, When You Don’t Speak Spanish. National 4-H Council. https://4-h.org/professionals/marketing-resources/latinooutreach/.

Impact statements

• 4-H teen health advocates teach vaping prevention at national youth health summit
• Young children taste fresh, local vegetables through Farm to Early Care and Education
• Young children learn about healthy eating through Farm to Early Care and Education
• Teen advocates partner with Extension to assess community health needs
• Marsing’s Community Conversation utilizes teen and adult input in decision-making
• Extension professionals deliver 4-H Yoga for Kids improving youth wellness

Maureen Toomey is an experienced youth development educator focused on delivery of quality healthy living programs to ease the challenges families’ face, especially those who have few resources. She directs the statewide 4-H healthy living program focused on nutrition, social well-being and physical health through building strong partnerships within and outside the university system. As PI or co-PI, she leads programs in nutrition education, social-emotional wellbeing, physical activity and the visual arts. These programs include 4-H Healthy Habits, Well Connect Communities Initiative, Five-for-Five: Five Minutes to Better Health, 4-H Create Art Now, Farm to Early Childcare Education and 4-H Teen Health Advocates.

Under Maureen’s leadership 4-H healthy living teen advocates are trained on nutrition, healthy behaviors, community change, food preparation, leadership, public speaking and critical thinking skills. The teens co-teach with Eat Smart Idaho nutrition lessons to limited-resource youth. The health advocates not only experience teaching kids, but also working across generations with college interns and adult nutrition advisors.

Maureen contributes to ensuring that 4-H reflects the population demographics, diverse needs, and social conditions of the country for all youth through service on national committees:

• 4-H Healthy Habits Land Grant University Advisory Council, Co-Lead, September 2019- August 2020.
• Latino Advisory Committee, Co-Chair 2019, Member 2015-2018.
• Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, Positive Youth Development for Health Action Team, 2015-2017.

For all her 4-H contributions, Maureen received the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents Excellence in Healthy Living Programming Team Award, 2017; the University of Idaho Extension Diversity Award (team), 2016; and the Idaho Association of Extension 4-H Professionals, Meritorious Service Award, 2015.

• Toomey, M., G. Wittman, S. Johnson, J. Peutz, R. Lanting, J. Buck, D. Gillespie, S. Greenway, L. Vega, B. Morrison-Aman and A. Roe. 4-H Food Smart Families, Excellence in Healthy Living Programming Award, National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, First Place National and First Place Western Region Award, 2017
• Wittman, G., M. Toomey, S. Johnson, J. Peutz, R. Lanting, J. Buck, D. Gillespie, S. Greenway, L. Vega, B. Morrison-Aman and A. Roe. 4-H Food Smart Families, Excellence in Healthy Living Programming, Team. Idaho Association of Extension 4-H Professionals, First Place, 2017
• Wittman, G., M. Toomey, S. Johnson, J. Peutz, R. Lanting, J. Buck, D. Gillespie, S. Greenway, L. Vega, B. Morrison-Aman and A. Roe. 4-H Food Smart Families, Florence Hall Award, National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, First Place Western Region, 2017
• Toomey, M., G. Wittman, S. Johnson, J. Peutz, R. Lanting, J. Buck, D. Gillespie, S. Greenway, L. Vega, et al. 4-H Food Smart Families. Diversity Award, University of Idaho Extension, April 2016
• Toomey, M. Idaho Association of Extension 4-H Agents, Meritorious Service Award, 2015