Welcome to Thomas County Extension

Welcome to Thomas County! Your local K-State Research and Extension office is a valuable resource for finding the information you need. Extension programs present useful information related to health, nutrition, crops, livestock, home and family, 4-H and youth development, and much more.

Our philosophy is to help people help themselves by taking the research conducted at the university to where people live, work, play, develop, lead, and grow. We work at being responsive to the needs of the people by focusing our resources on providing quality information, education, and problem-solving programs for real life concerns to Thomas County residents. We are happy to serve you!

Summer Intern Position Opening

Summer Intern Position

Do you know an individual that wants to start a career in Extension or would be a great candidate to work in our office? The Summer Internship Position is open for the 2025 season!

Please submit resume and application by April 18th, 2025, to th@listserv.ksu.edu or bring it into the office. Please contact us at 785-460-4582 with any questions.

Thomas County Extension is an equal opportunity employer. Click below for the application.

Summer Intern Application

Walk Kansas registration opens March 4th

Popular program encourages teams, individuals to make physical activity part of a lifestyle

At a glance: The popular Walk Kansas program will mark 25 years as a statewide program this spring. Registration opens March 4; participants are encouraged to get their teams together.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Registration opens March 4 for Walk Kansas, an eight-week team-based challenge that encourages teams of six to exercise and live more healthfully while walking a distance equivalent to the length of the Sunflower State.

Now in its 25th year, Walk Kansas begins March 30 and runs through May 24. Registration is available online through the end of March. The cost is $10 per person.

“When we created Walk Kansas in 2001, we were looking at the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend a minimum 150 minutes of activity per week,” said Sharolyn Jackson, a K-State Research and Extension northeast area specialist and the state leader for Walk Kansas for more than two decades.

“So we determined that if six people would collectively meet the minimum guidelines of physical activity, they could virtually walk across the state of Kansas, which is 423 miles, in about eight weeks.”

Jackson said many forms of activity count toward “miles” accumulated. She said miles are calculated based on minutes of activity, with adjustments for moderate or vigorous forms of activity. To reach 150 minutes a week, she urges participants to make a goal to exercise 20-30 minutes per day.

From April 6 through May 18 – Weeks 2 through 7 of Walk Kansas – Jackson said organizers will offer a series of weekly webinars, covering such topics as:

Heart disease, with a focus on how diabetes and pre-diabetes might affect one’s health.
Foot care, basic foot care and specifically if you have diabetes.
Resistance exercises to help build strength.
The secrets of Blue Zones, or those communities around the world where people are living longer and are predominantly more healthy.

“This year, we are going to focus on the prevention and management of chronic disease, and more specifically diabetes,” Jackson said. “That is a chronic disease that so many people are at risk for. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control found that lifestyle changes that focus on weight loss and physical activity can save each person up to $2,000 per year in health care costs due to reduce medical visits and lower use of prescription drugs.”

Jackson added that healthy eating and physical activity also lead to increased productivity and energy, and often weight loss “so everything just connects” when people exercise regularly.

Walk Kansas offers opportunities for individuals to form a team of six, or participate by themselves. Each team of six chooses one of four challenges to complete:

8 Wonders of Kansas, which requires each team member to complete 150 minutes per week while tracking their team’s distance between landmarks and various sights in Kansas. 435 miles total.
Follow U.S. Route 56, which is a scenic stroll along Highway 56, challenging team members to complete 200 minutes each per week. 640 miles total.
Cross Country, a challenge for each team member to complete four hours of activity per week while winding from Troy to Elkhart. 764 miles total.
Little Balkans to Nicodemus, which will push each team member to complete six hours of activity per week. The path covers the part of southeast Kansas known as the Little Balkans, and ends up in Nicodemus. 1200 miles total.

The solo challenge, for individuals, is called a Purple Power Trail. Each person is tasked with covering at least 150 minutes of activity per week – 30 minutes per day for five days.

Jackson said approximately 5,000 individuals participate annually in Walk Kansas, which is not exclusively for residents of the state. She encourages participants to sign up coworkers, family members or friends, including those from outside Kansas.

More information about Walk Kansas is available online and at local extension offices in Kansas.

Deadline for registration is March 30th.