I have a passion and a bias. I am passionate about the important role of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in civic renewal. My bias is that extension workers (also known as agents or educators) are the key to civic renewal throughout the United States. No other institution has the same ability to reach all of America with education and organizing efforts. With extension workers in every county in the nation, this group of professionals and their work cut across age, race, ethnicity, religion, geography and many other demographic characteristics. Extension has a long history of being active in civic renewal from public health projects in the 1920’s to youth citizenship work of today’s 4-H after school clubs.