DECATUR - MacArthur High School students Cory Washington, Keira Woods and Temisan Shebi spent part of their time Friday testing and preparing a nutritious meal at the University of Illinois Extension Macon County office.

They were there as part of the Super Nutrition Activity Program. While they were staying out of trouble and being productive, they don't know where they would be if not for the program and other 4-H activities Extension offers.

However, with state funding for Extension programs in question, the students are left to wonder if they and their peers will be able to continue with the program.

"It's messing things up for us right now and for future generations," Temisan said. "I don't know where I would be without it. There's no telling what else I could be doing, but I'm happy I'm not. I'm happy to be doing something positive."

"We have a lot of other opportunities we could be doing that are not right, but we chose to be here," Keira added.

The students help lead and plan the programs they're involved with, including outreach activities in local schools.

"We put so much time into planning the programs," Cory said. "I've seen myself grow into a leader because of this program."

Not only are people like the MacArthur students who rely on Extension's programs left wondering about its future, but its staff is preparing for a potentially devastating summer.

In springtime, they usually are busy preparing for many of the summer's programs, but earlier this month, they were told to expect 450 of 900 staff members statewide to be out of jobs if state funding isn't provided.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office wants to recover $35 million to $40 million for this year's $750 million revenue shortfall by holding onto dollars that the 2008 budget designated as paying salaries and supporting state agriculture programs.

State agricultural leaders told lawmakers about the overall effect of the plan Wednesday during a hearing in Springfield, but the impact locally could be severe if the funding isn't released by May 1.

The state is leaving it up to each county to develop a plan to meet reduced budget requirements, said Amy Leman, the Extension's 4-H and youth development educator.

Complicating the situation is the fact that Macon County Director Doug Harlan is serving with the National Guard for a year in Afghanistan. Although the staff has been communicating regularly with Harlan, they haven't been told what the plan to meet a reduced budget would be.

Leaders, who remain hopeful of retaining most of the budgeted money, haven't told the staff whether the possible cuts will be made to the educators or from support staff.

Either way, Leman said, it would have a negative impact.

With their programs and jobs in jeopardy, staff members don't know what they should be planning for.

"I'm trying to proceed with business as usual and make plans, but it's difficult for me at this point to plan programs too far in advance because we don't know exactly what will happen," said Jennifer Schultz Nelson, the Extension's horticulture educator.

One option would be to start charging participants for programs that previously had been offered for free or with little cost. Another would be to search for and secure other sources of funding.

Schultz Nelson and Leman strongly oppose both ideas.

"We're going to have to charge for 4-H to be a member starting in the fall," Leman said. "That's going to be huge. If you start charging for programs, you're limiting your audiences. Those people that need the programs aren't necessarily the ones who can pay."

Schultz Nelson said the intention of Extension was to bring research-based information from the university to the people throughout the state. Citizens, including farmers, have come to rely on the information to do their jobs.

"I really don't want to pass stuff on to the consumer, and to look for other sources of money is more time away from doing what I really want to do," Schultz Nelson said. "They really appreciate we're not selling something. We're just giving out the information. I will tell you every way I can think of to tackle a problem, and I'm not trying to sell you a chemical."

The effect of those who work with the Extension has been felt within the community, said Bill Buechsenschuetz, a volunteer with the Master Gardeners program.

"Decatur needs things like the arts and all that, and this fits right in with it," Buechsenschuetz said. "They're a very invisible group of people, but a group of people that have a real impact on the city."

Buechsenschuetz credited Schultz Nelson's connections within the community for helping stop an illegal chemical spraying last year in some inner-city gardens. Without those connections, those affected probably wouldn't have had resources to turn to, Schultz Nelson said.

In recent years, Schultz Nelson has helped build up the Master Gardeners program.

"Given time, it will be a big program," Buechsenschuetz said. "If the Extension office goes away, it's going to be floundering again."

Schultz Nelson is distressed to think it could all be dismantled in a matter of weeks.

"I've spent a lot of time and effort to build it up to where it is," Schultz Nelson said. "It makes me very upset to think of it falling apart."

Even the unit's family nutrition program would be in jeopardy, although it receives federal funding. The federal funding requires state matches.

Extension is paid for with a mix of federal, state, county and university funding.

Losing that program would affect families that need help, Schultz Nelson said.

"They have an incredible impact in Macon County," Schultz Nelson said. "I think that would be a terrible thing to lose."

Not being able to help the students is what seems most troubling to the Extension staff.

Leman said holding the 4-H show in June now appears doubtful.

Leman is unable to hire summer help as usual, and scheduled programs are in jeopardy of being canceled.

The students want the politics to stop so they can go about participating in a program that has benefitted them in ways they never would have expected.

"I always thought it was pigs and cattle," Temisan said. "But then I saw all the things 4-H can do; 4-H can be just about anything. Why would you want to limit something like that?"

Chris Lusvardi can be reached at clusvardi@herald-review.com or 421-7972.