Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Carrie Derossett
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Dollars and Senseby Carrie DerossettMajor Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core CurriculumLogan County 4-H Dollars and SenseProgram Year: 2017-18By: Carrie Derossett, 4-H Youth Development Agent, Logan County 4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on experiences in order to build life skills. The 4-H It’s Your Reality (Dollars and Sense) Curriculum focuses on engaging youth in real life, age appropriate budgeting scenarios. Each student is given an allo
Author: Crystal Smith
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
On Thursday July 12, 2018 Letcher County had it's first ever Early Childhood Summit. I partnered with Oak Tree Learning Academy to hold the summit. Oak Tree Learning Academy received a grant from Save the Children Organization and ask if I would work with them to gather community partners. The purpose of the summit was to focus on educating our most vulnerable youth, that is those that are or have been affected by drugs both mentally or physically. The group came together to discuss non-trad
Author: Christina A. Martin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Russell County 4-H sewing volunteer leaders offered a five-day 4-H sewing day camp to seven youth. Developing life skills and crafting skills such as sewing have been shown to increase hand/eye coordination, improve critical thinking skills, and helps develop creative thinkers. Learning to sew produces a sense of confidence and accomplishment in youth as they learn new skills and complete projects. It also gives youth the opportunity to understand textiles, construction techniques
Author: Mary S Averbeck
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to Family Magazine, 76% of middle school age youth are babysitting either family members or other’s children. Childcare training develops life skills in decision making. The long term outcome is that youth having babysitting education and practice become more confident parents. Babysitting is often a youth’s first gainful employment experience and money handling skills are exercised. The Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H program offered 8 hours of babysitting
Author: Samantha Gamblin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
During summer break, 4-H offers day camps for youth from 5-19 years old. Bullitt 4-H and the Bullitt County Family Resource contact work together to make the camps a success. 4-H has many things to offer so there was much to choose from which makes it a new camp every month during the school year. During school clubs, youth were excited to learn about cooking and nutrition. So we decided to offer more cooking camps. This year had returning 4-Hers for these day camps. They have already learned ab
Author: Renata Farmer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
With the growing number of families eating on the run instead of cooking at home, many young adults don’t receive needed basic cooking skills. In addition, approximately 4 out of 5 children do not consume the recommended fruits and vegetables each day. In an effort to encourage more youth to get into the kitchen and to improve their diets Knox County 4-H Agent and FCS Agent teamed up to offer a three-day cooking camp. Twenty-three youths participated in this 3-day camp. Youth were taught b
Author: Caryn McCreary
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behavior that enable humans, young and beyond, to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of life. Why do we want our youth to learn life skills? When should they be learning certain “survival skills”? When are our children old enough to be home alone to self-sustain for hours upon end? These are all questions posed as Lawrence County 4-H developed their own series of skills lessons to be taught to our students in grades 3-
Author: Catherine Jansen
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H Homemakers Club 2018As an increase of substance abuse in Carroll County is upon us, several organizations have talked about what to do with youth to help solve the program. The Cooperative Extension Service, Carroll County School System, FUEL, TRIAD, and Three Rivers Health Department had several meetings and the solution seems to be to introduce youth to more life skills and the opportunity to spend time as a family.A 4-H Homemakers Club was started in Carroll County for youth and
Author: Amanda Wilson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The State of Obesity report states that Kentucky has the third highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17 in the nation. It is our goal to reduce this number in our county. One way we are currently working towards reducing these statics is by proving a county culinary team. The sole purpose of this team is to educate youth about nutritional facts of food, and the functionality of various items. The McCracken County Culinary team were are comprised of 3 members, who take pleasure in cooking. On
Author: Hazel Jackson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Sewing is an activity that requires critical thinking, problem solving and encourages the ability to follow directions. During the first grading term of the school year, 132 students in grades 6-8 participated in a basic sewing class during their Family & Consumer Sciences class at Rockcastle County Middle School in the first semester of school 2018-19. Each student made a small makeup or shave bag. Bags were made from fabrics and materials that were donated by Extension Ho
Author: Cathy Toole
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Abraham H. Maslow introduced the concept of a hierarchy of needs back in 1943. The hierarchy suggests that people are motivated to fulfill their basic physiological needs, before proceeding through rising levels of need – safety and security, love/belonging, self-esteem, to self- actualization. 4-H Home Environment projects nurture the fulfillment of these needs with the home. The Henry County Cooperative Extension Service helps fulfill these needs through 4-H Project Clubs offered af
Author: David Littlejohn
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Bullitt County Board of Education and the administration at Hebron Middle School have notice a sharp rise (15%) in suspensions, truancy, drug-related incidents in the school and in the community during the 2017-2018 School Year. The administration at Hebron Middle School asked local local law enforcement, Youth Services Center and the Bullitt County Extension Service to conduct Truth or Consequences for the 8th graders at Hebron Middle School in Shepherdsville. Truth or Consequences is
Author: Aubrey Lawson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Madison County 4-H hosted the Madison County Migrant Education Program for a Cooking and Craft Day Camp that taught 28 high-school age Migrant youth important life skills. Around 89% of the participants had never cooked a meal before and over 75% of these youth were also responsible for preparing at least one meal for themselves on their own each day. During the day camp the participants learned how to make a complete and healthy meal with low-cost ingredients and minimal supplies. The stu
Author: Wade Raymer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self-confidence through cooking. In order to address the growing concern about children not knowing how to prepare food safely led to the Webster County 4-H program offering Super Star chef, a program developed by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension and The School of Human and
Author: Tracey Tashjian
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Youth shine in the kitchen with Super Star Chef campStudies show that children who help cook at home are more likely to enjoy fruits and veggies than those who don’t cook. This summer the Graves County Extension 4-H program offered twenty junior 4-H’ers the opportunity to work with University of Kentucky SNAP Ed interns and learn how to sauté, dice, chop, roast and whip! The 9 to 12 year olds gained hands-on cooking experience and were introduced to new foods and recipes
Author: Deana Reed
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Recent years of tough economic times have increased awareness of the need for financial literacy; however, Americans still have a long way to go toward making improvements. In 2014, the Jump$tart Coalition compiled a series of statistics that state that even though youth intend to work and save dollars, more students have increased 36% from the previous years of student and credit card debt. Youth are not getting the financial education which they will need for adulthood. According to the
Author: Ralph Hance
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Facing an energy crisis and rapidly changing economic conditions, the value of a dollar and a good education is even more important today. Young men and women, preparing to enter the workplace, are ill prepared to face the challenges of living on their own. Reality Store is designed to give students a “wake-up call” to the real world. For the past Fifteen years, the Trimble County Extension Service has taken the lead in collaborating with the Trimble County School system, educators,
Author: Bernita Cheirs
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
On September 24th, the Fulton County Extension Office and the Fulton County Schools Family Resource office collaborated together to host the fourth annual Family Day event. CASA Family Day is a national program sponsored by the Center for Substance Abuse which encourages parental engagement. Research shows that children with hands-on parents are far less likely to smoke, drink or use other drugs. Through funds provided by the Fulton County-Hickman County ASAP council, a dinner was provided
Author: Trent Adkins
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Pulaski County 4-H hosted our second safety day on October 18th. Last year was hugely successful and so we continued with the program this year. Close to 700 eighth grade students from the Northern and Southern middle schools were in attendance. Students visited eight stations where they learned about topics ranging from livestock, electrical, tractor, lawnmower, boat, and fire safety, to first aid, and drug and alcohol prevention. We worked with several community partners to put together the sa
Author: Christina A. Martin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The 4-H program offered two summer cooking classes; the program was taught by the 4-H Agent, 4-H/FCS Assistant, and SNAP assistant. Youth cooking programs are part of life skills development that the local County Extension Council and 4-H Council indicated as important youth development skills. The youth learned basic measuring skills, recipe reading, knife skills, and food and kitchen safety. They youth also identified the placement of their food items into the MyPlate food groups. The the
Author: Deana Reed
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Habits formed and nurtured in childhood are strong determinants of future health and getting youth back in the kitchen and teaching them preparation skills and healthy eating behaviors can make a difference. The 3rd Annual Tri-County 4-H Cooking Challenge was the culminating event of the year-long 4-H Cooking Club programs for members from Meade, Hardin and Breckinridge counties. Meade County Extension hosted the event for 12 members who came together to not only compete for the
Author: Bonita Jolly
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
In today’s fast paced society, we are often more concerned about social media than our own physical well being. For instance, according to the 2016-17 data from the National Survey of Children’s Health KY ranks 3rd in the nation (19.3%) of kids 10-17 years of age being obese or overweight. At the same time it is reported that youth 12-17 in KY have a significantly lower amount of physical activity (a minimum of 60 minutes per day) than the national average of 18.5%.  
Author: Toni Humble
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Many students lack financial knowledge and skills to make wise financial decisions. Money management is one of the most important life skills to be learned. The Wayne County 4-H Council identified financial knowledge and money managing skills as areas for improvement and need for more programming. Local school systems agreed and requested the 4-H Reality Store program.The Wayne County 4-H Agent collaborated with Wayne County Middle School, Wayne Co. Youth Services Center, community partners and
Author: Chelsea Young
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Most youth, and many adults, have no understanding of how much it costs to survive on a daily basis. The expense of living is not something most of these youth are thinking about when they are in school, so they do not stop to consider how the decisions they make now will affect their level of comfort when they are adults. Many do not make the connection between school grades, GPA, level of education, and whether or not they can afford groceries when they are on their own. In Owen County, 2
Author: Hazel Jackson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Studies show that sewing help youth to develop fine motor skills, learn problem solving skills, encourages the ability to follow directions and requires patience. Sewing continues to have a renewed interest with 4H youth in Rockcastle County. This Fall 61 students participated in afterschool projects offered at each of the elementary schools. During the project meeting students completed bags according to their skill levels. 17 of the students were in Unit 2 and 5students
Author: John McQueary
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Studies show that sewing helps youth develop fine motor skills,learn problem solving skills,encourages the ability to follow directions and requires patience.Sewing continues to have a renewed interest with 4H youth in Rockcastle County. This fall 61 students participated in the after school projects offered at each of the elementary schools.During the 4H project meetings students completed bags according to their skill levels. Seventeen of the students were in Unit 2, and five of the students w
Author: Regina Browning
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Youth in school today will eventually enter the workforce and being prepared is crucial for success. In school, students learn core subjects but they don't necessarily gain the soft skills they need to enter the workforce. In an effort to teach kids about the skills necessary to have a successful career, Shelby County 4-H partnered with a local middle school for a career readiness program.The 4-H Agent presented lessons from the Workforce Prep and Career Preparedness curriculum developed by
Author: Glenna Bentley
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Upon request of teachers the Lewis County Extension Office collaborated with the Family Resource Centers to conduct the Dollars and Sense Program at three elementary schools in the county. It was important to do the program because the teachers requested it to help them fulfill requirements of their core curriculum. It was important for the Extension office to do the program because it helped fulfill an assessed need in the Lewis County plan of work of teaching economics to school youth. B
Author: Stephen Conrad
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
With the advent of social media and “network” gaming, teens of today have become used to everything being within easy reach. The concept of preparing, working toward, and attaining a goal is becoming a lost concept to most. To help the students realize a job is just not going to be handed to them and that the job hunting process requires preparation and dedication, The Boone County Cooperative Extension Service provides a program called Employment 101. Studen
Author: Vicki Boggs
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H It’$ Your Reality Program 2018 Partnering with Leslie County Schools enabled 137 Tenth Graders and 112 Eighth Graders to participate in our annual It’$ Your Reality Program. This 4-H program is an active, hands-on, real-life simulation which gives young people the opportunity to explore life choices. The pre-event classroom lessons include teaching and discussions concerning, needs, wants, decision making and career opportunities. This program stresses that study
Author: Leslie Workman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Much focus has been placed nationwide on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) for girls to increase the likelihood they feel comfortable choosing a similar career. In Eastern Kentucky, 60 girls are part of the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Camp for middle school girls. The camp comprises 3 weeks in the summer and one Saturday every month for the remainder of the school year. Big Sandy Community & Technology College received the grant
Author: Lacy May
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Kentucky 4-H believes that all youth should have opportunities for positive youth development in the four guiding concepts of mastery, belonging, independence, and generosity. 4-H Visual Arts programs foster mastery by teaching youth the basic principles of art, belonging by giving them the opportunity to work with others, independence by allowing them to use their skills to create their own works of art, and generosity by identifying ways they can use their art to make a difference. Membe
Author: Eric Comley
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The importance of financial education is self-evident. Exposing young people, as early as possible, to a healthy understanding of the most basic framework of financial decision-making, budgeting, record-keeping, and establishing personal values when it comes to money. According to an article by Elizabeth Johnson and Margaret Sherraden in Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, Overall, education, as viewed through the capabilities lens, is important not only because it permits a person to flour
Author: Raymond Cox
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Harlan County 4-H Agent, Program Assistants, Agriculture Agent, and Program Assistants, in collaboration with the Challenge Academy, Harlan County and Harlan Independent School Family Resource Centers conducted the 22th Annual 3 day 4-H Reality Store was held in November at the Extension Depot and Harlan County High School to provide youth skills education and a hands-on approach to career choices and financial management. Approximately 450 9th grade students attended from Harlan County High
Author: Joe Maynard
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to City-Data.com only 54% of Martin County citizens have a high school diploma, 37% live in poverty and only 25% hold jobs. Of the people employed, the median household income is only $21,859 compared to $40,267 for the state of Kentucky. Due to facts like these and others, the 4-H council along with teachers and administrators at Sheldon Clark High School and Martin county Middle School put a lot of effort into hosting “It’s Your Reality” every year.It’s Your R
Author: Caroline Hughes
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
In Robertson County, the majority of families have at least one parent that works outside of the home, and the majority of those are employed outside of the county itself. It is easy to see where this leads to a time shortage, which in turn causes family time, especially meal time to be a rush. Too often fast food is served and traditional recipes fall to the wayside. Meanwhile, the leader of my 4-H Cooking class had retired. I decided this was an excellent time to revamp this popular
Author: Verlene Congleton
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
This Fall the Jackson County 4-H offered a 4-H Healthy Cookie Exchange during the month of December. 4-H Age youth and a parent/adult were invited to participate. This program was held on Mondays for three weeks in the evenings from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Extension Office. The criteria for this program was for each person to bring a dozen healthy cookies already baked to exchange along with the recipe to give out. While they were at the Extension Office each child/adult
Author: Christy Eastwood
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Obesity is a concern in communities all across the Commonwealth. According to the Alliance for a Healthier Generation more than 1 in 3 children in Kentucky is overweight or obese. Studies show that overweight kids are likely to become overweight or obese adults. There are a lot of reasons for obesity: bad eating habits, poor nutrition and low or no physical activity. This trifecta puts our community’s children at risk for serious health issues that start when they are young. Parents have i
Author: Courtney Brock
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Tough economic times across the country often serve to highlight the continued need for building financial skills among young adults and youth. A 2014 Federal Reserve report found that students who were exposed to personal finance education had credit scores that were 7 to 29 points higher than those of students who weren’t. Financial literacy has been consistently identified by 4-H leaders, teachers, community leaders, and extension volunteers as an important area for continued educationa
Author: Christina A. Martin
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Nutrition education and healthy lifestyles were identified by local leadership councils to be an educational priority for youth to help combat obesity crisis in the state. According to the Trust for America’s Healthy Survey and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kentucky’s obesity rate for children ages 10-17 has increased to over 21%. Instructing children with the aspects of healthy nutritional choices at a young age is critical to addressing issues of weight. The
Author: Shelley Meyer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Service Learning integrates community needs, intentional learning objectives, and offers a positive rewarding and meaningful experience for youth and adults involved. With that concept in mind, Pendleton County 4-H reached out to the North Central Camp Ground with ideas on service projects that could be completed by youth and volunteers attending the camp with the 2018 District 4-H Middle School Retreat. The camp director suggested replacing the worn and faded window and door curtains for each o
Author: Shannon Farrell
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
On November 21, 2018; nearly 350 8th grade students participated in the 4-H It’s Your Reality financial series. Partnering with the 8th grade counselor at Campbell Jr. High, materials for the curriculum were distributed to the 14 classroom teachers. Students receive lessons in Needs versus Wants, Budgeting Basics, and Financial Goal Setting. As the culminating exercise, the students work with community partners and volunteers to keep track of an expense ledger at 19 diffe
Author: Aubrey Lawson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
In 2018 the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service completed a community assessment by asking community members to participate in focus groups, surveys, and stakeholder interviews. The results of the assessment summarized the top priorities for each of those three audiences. In two of the three audiences, better life skills training for youth and families identified to be a top priority. Local teachers also recommended this topic as a necessary topic for the youth in the community. Working
Author: Lisa Hagman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
High school graduation rates in the U.S. are at an all-time high. At 84 percent, the national rate means that more than 4 out of 5 high school students earn a diploma in four years, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Kentucky graduation rates are much higher than the national average at 93.1 percent (US News, May 2018.) The end goal of graduating every high school student is the biggest factor in the Hancock County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development condu
Author: Mary S Averbeck
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The “Big Three” features of effective youth serving programs are positive and sustained relationships between youth and adults; activities that build important life skills and opportunities for youth to practice these life skills as both participants and as leaders according to Lerner. (Lerner, R. M. 2005, September. Promoting Positive Youth Development: Theoretical and Empirical Bases). Learning to sew through 4-H programs encompasses all three of these facets. Youth ar
Author: Stephen Conrad
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Teachers have communicated a need for help with financial education lessons for 5th & 6th grade students. The teachers state they are pushed for time and resources in preparing their students for this portion of the state test. To help with this need, The Boone County Cooperative Extension Service offered a series of lessons on money and economics for 200 5th & 6th grade students. Topics covered were needs vs wants, scarcity, money, opportunity costs and delayed gratifi
Author: Jacob Brandenburg
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H Reality Store 2019…Huge SuccessOn Friday, March 15th, the Owsley County Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with the Owsley County High School, Owsley Drug Awareness Council, Youth Service Center and Farmers State Bank held their seventeenth (17th) annual 4-H Reality Store. The event was held to give students a glimpse of their future in a fun and exciting way; to help youth become aware of their need for basic skills in financial planning, goal setting, decision making and c
Author: Glenna Bentley
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
In an effort to encourage healthy eating habits and to prevent youth and adult obesity, which is a major health concern in Lewis County, the Lewis County Extension Office conducted the Professor Popcorn program. According to stateofobesity.org. Kentucky has the eighth highest adult obesity rate in the nation, and the 14th highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17. According to Kentuckyhealthfacts.org 80% percent of adults in Lewis County are overweight and of the 80%, 47% are cons
Author: Heather Coleman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Floyd County 4-H and our 4-H Adult Council President Patricia Hackworth, who is the Senior English Teacher at Betsy Layne High School collaborated to start the first Floyd County 4-H After School Sewing Program at BLHS. During the spring semester of 2017, 11 students had the opportunity to learn the basic techniques of sewing, cutting fabric, pinning, safety procedures and how to press fabric. Each participate made a crazy nine patch pillow to take home. One participate Summer
Author: Mary Jane Little
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H childcare education teaches life skills, home safety, and personal safety that are not available to all youth in middle schools and high schools. This program was implemented November 6th, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church in Maysville. Mason County 4-H conducted a 6-hour interactive workshop using the National 4-H Babysitter Clinic Curriculum. We had 6 youth registered for the program, ages 12 to 18 years old. The participants learned about infant care then practiced using a &ldqu
Author: Kayla Walton
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
As a general population, most people living in America, and Kentucky, do not understand personal finance management. In fact, 78% of American report that they are living paycheck to paycheck. (According to an employment website- CareerBuilder) If we can teach our students important financial principles such as budgeting, saving, avoiding debt and preparing for a marketable career that they love they can experience financial peace and stability instead of knowing only the stress and anxiety of fi
Author: Staci Thrasher
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Fleming County 4-H Program annually hosts the “Welcome to Reality” Reality Store for the entire 5th and 7th grades in the community. In 2018-2019, these 5th and 7th grade students felt reality when they participated in the elaborate reality store involving more than 15 real life stations. Throughout the program, youth draw a profession, research it and its educational background, then apply their monthly salary to a monthly budget. It takes the support of the entire community of
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
IT’s Your Reality 2018-19 31.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Knott County, KY (4,784 out of 15,153 people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 14%. In 2016, the median household income of the 6,064 households in Knott County, KY declined to $28,165 from the previous year's value of $30,411. &nb
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Daviess County 4-H provided a series of six healthy living based programs for eighteen 3rd -5th grade after school program students at Estes Elementary as a 21st Century grant partner. The school is located in a low-income area next to the Rolling Heights apartments, operated by the Owensboro Housing Authority. The lessons included proper breathing activities and techniques for calming and stress relief, proper hand-washing, stretching exercises and healthy snacking. For healthy snac
Author: Caroline Hughes
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The 4-H Cooking Class in Robertson County is evolving! It has changed from a simple after school activity, something for the kids to do till the parents got off work, to a place that encourages confidence for novice young cooks as well as teaching new skills to those with more experience.After working with the group as they learned about breads in the Fall 2018 semester, I decided for the Spring of 2019 I would introduce them to recipes from the 4-H Cooking 101-401 Cookbook. Principa
Author: Paula McCuiston
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
After seeing statistics of how poorly college students were prepared for the real world of, "Adulting," the Hickman County 4-H and FCS Programs decided to facilitate a two day workshop based on the Hardin County FCS model to begin to address the issue. The Hickman County ANR Agent also facilitated this program.Topics like what is credit, how to sew on a button, how to plan a budget, how to cook basic meals, how to change a tire and check fluids, how to do use table manners and more wer
Author: Paula McCuiston
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Hickman County’s FCS, 4-H and ANR Agents worked together to facilitate a one day program for all 53 4th grade students in Hickman County. The program was held at an off-site location. The program was designed to target several skills such as kitchen safety, food preparation, manners and proper table etiquette. Our schedule consisted of three rotations including, manners in general, kitchen safety, and table manners etiquette. Next, students participated in preparing
Author: Lauren Neltner
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to the Union County Kentucky Education Profile from CEDIK, only 68.4% of youth in Union County are enrolling in college following graduation. Many youth are ending their educational journey the day they graduate high school and the most common reason (after asking many students) is the expense of college. Therefore, the school system wanted a program to teach students how much college cost and the ways they can pay for a higher education. After analyzing, the Union County 4
Author: Raymond Cox
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The success of the 4-H Reality Store for high school students encouraged the beginning of a program for elementary students to teach financial planning and success. The 4-H Dollars and Sense program shows students how important it is to be good money managers for their financial futures. Each student is given an allotted amount of money for an allowance for a week. With this money, students have the freedom to choose to buy a pet, toys, fast food, candy, pet food, bicycle, roller blades or skate
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Benefits of learning to cook as a teenager is a skill one can use throughout their lifetime. In the past couple year’s society has gotten away from teaching younger generations this skill set; due to prepackaged foods, fast food, and overly busy lifestyles. This is why the 4-H Agent, Agriculture Agent, FCS Agent, and program assistant partnered with the Spencer County High School FCS Teacher to provide cooking and nutrition classes.Each month, once a month, the Extension Office would
Author: Heather Coleman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to the American Heart Association teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime and will help to build confidence. Youth who can prepare foods are also more likely to eat a healthier diet as adults. The Floyd County 4-H Youth & Development Agent, 4-H Teen Volunteers, the Floyd County Family & Consumer Science Agent and University of Kentucky SNAP-ed program collaborated to offer the Super Star Chef program during Augu
Author: Cecelia Hostilo
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians and Trigg Countians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancers. The Healthcare Profile for winter 2014 indicates that 33.8% of adults are obese and 35.3% are physically inactive. 11.8% of adults in the county have diabetes. 28.7% (23.2-33.45) of Trigg Countians report having been diagnosed with high
Author: Julia Wilson
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Today’s families are stretched thin for care of children school-age and younger between heavy workloads, single parenting in many cases, elder caregiving, and children’s out-of-school activities. Extended family members often live too far away to be daily caregivers after school, evenings, weekends or in the summer. Younger children are not able to responsibly take care of themselves alone at home. Qualified short-term adult caregivers for younger children are often hard to find in t
Author: Esther "Susan" Turner
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to the Kentucky Health Facts, one of the critical health challenge facing Monroe County is that 38% of our population is obese. Understanding that obesity often begins in childhood, the Monroe County Extension Council identified the need to assist youth in developing healthy habits in nutrition and exercise as a key area of focus for Monroe County 4-H Youth Development. The 4-H Youth Development Agent delivers nutrition programming to eighty-six youth ages three to five in the Head Sta
Author: Regina Browning
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Money is an everyday part of life, critical to achieving freedom, independence and success. Unfortunately, a survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling found that 67% of adults don’t follow a budget and 76% of college students wish they had more help to prepare for the financial futures. Shelby County 4-H presented a program called Money Matters to 617 4-H members to help them develop a solid foundation in money management.To tie into the goals of the Shelby County
Author: Madison McAlmond
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Super Star Chef program is provided by the University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program and gives youth in many different counties an opportunity to attend a three-day program to learn basics of cooking, nutrition and fun! There was a pre and post evaluation to see what was learned over the course of the three days and comparisons of participant responses to the assessment instrument show that the program enhanced participant understanding of the nutrition concepts covered in the progr
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Today’s youth are unfamiliar to the financial responsibility that their future holds so the goal of the Spencer County Extension Office was to enlighten youth through the 4-H Reality Store, an event that provided participants the opportunity to partake in the journey through adult life. In March of 2019 approximately 242 Spencer County Middle School 8th grade students were given the opportunity to understand the importance of decision making and financial responsibility.Spencer County Coop
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
This youth program for the Mission Hope for Kids located in Elizabethtown, KY focused on enhancing life skills for teen audiences and improving eating habits of the youth. The teens engaged in programs where they learned resume writing techniques and cover letters. In addition, they got the chance to explore various careers in Agriculture, STEM, Healthcare, Business, Education, and Family & Consumer Sciences. Each teen got a chance to really explore some of the requirements
Author: Carrie Derossett
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Success Story 2018-2019Adulting 101Rachel Hance and Carrie DerossettMany basic life skills are not the focus of regular classroom curriculum that students learn in the classroom. To address this issue, the Logan County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development pulled together 4-H and Family Consumer Science curriculum to build an Adulting 101 program. The agents then partnered with the Assistant Principal and Family Resource Director at Auburn School to pre
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Nutrition education utilizing the WIN curriculum Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic across the commonwealth, especially in Knott Co. The Knott Co extension council has identified this need for extension to address for numerous years now. Fall of 2018 Knott Co 4H and an elementary school focused on Wellness and nutrition education. The WIN curriculum was utilized and all grades K through 8 were reached, while grades 4-8 were evaluated.  
Author: Isaac Hilpp
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
SituationThe 4-H Fashion Leadership board give teens opportunities to learn fashion-related skills and put their leadership into action on behalf of the Kentucky 4-H program. Young people from across the state apply to participate as a board member and are selected based on their leadership skills, interview performance, and references. For the 2018-2019 year, seven young people were accepted as Fashion Leadership Board Members. One of the key duties of the Fashion Leadership Board is to organiz
Author: Brandy Calvert
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Recognizing the need to establish programming in Clark County that focuses on financial literacy and allows potential young leaders and entrepreneurs opportunities, Clark County 4-H Agents established the American Private Enterprise Youth Program (APES) in 2019. Clark County 4-H received a $500 start-up scholarship from the Kentucky Council of Cooperatives to help get the program founded. The high school juniors (Youth Scholars) and seniors (Junior Leaders) who participate in The Ameri
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Problem: Financial awareness of high school studentsProgram: It's Your RealityPartners: Heritage Christian AcademyParticipants: Business Math StudentsProof of impact: Students making financially sound decisions during simulationFor several years the "It's Your Reality" financial management program has been offered to ninth-grade students of the local public high schools. While the program has been successful and beneficial to those students, expanding the program into other loc
Author: Mary S Averbeck
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Recent years of tough economic times have increased awareness of the need for financial knowledge. Extension advisory groups and county surveys have identified financial life skills as essential for youth, but lacking for many young people. Parents and teachers request classes on this topic. Greek philosopher Plato believed that “a good decision is based on knowledge’. The Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Youth Development program in conjunction with commun
Author: Misty Wilmoth
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The LaRue County Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with LaRue County High School and eight local businesses to conduct the American Private Enterprise Program (known as APES) for 25 high school juniors. The APES Program taught participants about business and economics and included presentations from six local business leaders and tours of two local manufacturing plants, SouthEast DME and Nationwide Uniform. Participants were educated about entrepreneurship and how the United States econ
Author: Chelsea Young
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Kentucky has one of the highest rates of drug abuse in our country; we fall in one of the top ten states in several drug use categories (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). According to new KIP data and drugfreenky.org marijuana use among 10th graders is showing an upward trend. Therefore, there is a strong need for substance abuse prevention and intervention for our youth. The Owen County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development partnered with the Youth Services Co
Author: Lawrence Caudle
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Cooking can be a daunting task, especially for youth who have little to no experience in the kitchen. Learning the different cooking utensils, safe cooking temperatures, safe storage duration, and reading a nutrition label can be overwhelming to a child, but the Super Star Chef Program takes the angst out of the cooking process. The Super Star Chef Program is a 3 day program that teaches youth ages 9-12 the importance of nutrition, but also the safety skills that go along with being in the kitch
Author: Renata Farmer
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Approximately 35 percent of the Knox County population falls below the poverty level. Structure and peer interactions among youth can be difficult for families to maneuver in the summer months when schools are out. Simply put, many families lack the monies to fund extracurricular activities and the travel to and from those activities. Knox County 4-H Council identified several day camping programs for the summers of 2018-2019 that would promote interactions among peers and posi
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Spencer County, with a population of 18,500+ from to the 2017 United States Census Bureau, continues to recognize the need for aid with substance abuse issues. According to the KASPER Trend Report in the first quarter of 2018, there were 696,671 controlled substance prescription usages in the Spencer County community. The 2016 Kentucky Incentives for Prevention (KIP) data for Kentuckiana region, where Spencer County is located, revealed a decline in tenth grade students using narcoti
Author: Alexandria Brasher
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults and build self-confidence through cooking. In order to address the growing concern about children not knowing how to prepare food safely led to the Henderson County 4-H program offering a three day cooking camp involving the dairy alliance, fuel up to play 60, UK Snap-Education resources, and a UK Poultry
Author: Novella Froman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.”-Moli Keaton won a $1,000.00 toward his college education during the 4-H American Private Enterprise Seminar. It was held on the campus of the University of Kentucky. Zachary won the $500.00 leadership award for college scholarship money during these workshops to teach youth the mechanics of business and prepare them for the work world. In all, our youth won $1,800.00 during the program.
Author: Lois Carter
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The 5 C’s of Positive Youth Development (according to the NE Department of Health & Human Services) include: Connection: A feeling of safety, structure, and belonging; positive bonds with people and social institutions.Confidence: A sense of self-worth and mastery; having a belief in one’s capacity to succeed.Character: Taking responsibility; a sense of independence and individuality; connection to principles and values.Competence: The ability to act effectively at school, i
Author: Kelly Smith
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Sewing is a learned life skill that can provide self-worth, sustainability within the home with textiles and more, enjoyment with hobbies and it can also reduce stress. Kelly Smith, Jefferson County 4-H Agent served as the Cooperative Extension Service’s Jefferson County Master Clothing Volunteer (MCV) contact agent. The 4-H Agent provided program updates, helped to promote sewing programs taught by the Louisville MCVs, helped to ensure funds to pay for statewide trainings, provided feedba
Author: Julie Brown
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Our challenge is to use our economic resources wisely to satisfy our needs and wants, starting now and into the future. The vital part of having a successful economics system in the future is still in high school. The American Private Enterprise System is designed for juniors and seniors in high school to learn how our economy works at the local and national level. The Cooperative Extension Service collaborated with Bowling Green Women’s Club, Warren County School System,
Author: Kelly Mackey
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
“Sewing is a discipline that helps develop self-esteem, confidence, focus, patience, fine motor skills, problem solving, process thinking and visualization. Additionally, sewing encourages creative ability.” (The Creative Art of Sewing; www.North Jersey.com; September, 13, 2012.) In an effort to increase our number of participants in 4-H Sewing Club and Fashion Revue, I decided to hold a 3 day sewing camp. The camp focused on four projects using recycled clothing items. The camp
Author: Cecelia Hostilo
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Each year 4-H Youth Development, Trigg Family Resource Center, and a 7th grade Social Studies teacher from Trigg County Middle School team up to present 4-H Reality Store, a financial simulation that provides students an opportunity to experience making real life financial decisions based on certain perameters such as career choice and grad point average. This year 157 seventh grade Trigg County Middle School students went through the simulation. The Trigg County FCS agent spent days
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The primary goal of the Kentucky 4-H Sewing program is to teach youth about the art and skills of creating useful items using needle and thread. This includes not only the use of a hand needle and thread, but also the sewing machine and serger. Sewing can be used to create clothing and wardrobe essentials, as well as useful items for daily living.Five Daviess County 4-H’ers worked with a volunteer leader for 12 hours over four nights and an undetermined amount of additional hou
Author: Laura Huffman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Hart County Chamber of Commerce has been looking for ways to bring new businesses into the county. The 4-H Youth Development Agent and the Hart County Chamber Director decided to focus on a younger audience to see if an Entrepreneur Program would help youth start thinking about establishing businesses in the county. In November, the Hart County 4-H Program collaborated with the Chamber of Commerce to offer the Entrepreneur Challenge (E-Challenge) Program for 7th -12t
Author: Laura Huffman
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The Hart County 4-H Program and the Hart County Chamber of Commerce collaborated with the Hart County School System to offer a Work Readiness Day for all high school juniors to better prepare students for the workforce. The goal of the Work Readiness Day was to create an awareness about career opportunities within the county and show students what is require to help them succeed in the workplace. 178 High School Juniors started the day by touring two of the local manufacturing companies to
Author: Catherine Weaver
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H CookingThe Jessamine County 4-H Program has had an increase in cooking for youth over the past several years. In order to meet this need, Jessamine County 4-H partnered with volunteer leaders and the Jessamine County Schools to hold several cooking programs. The 4-H Kitchen Stars is a cooking club open to 9-18 year olds and held once a month during the school year. Due to demand, two separate clubs were offered and 32 total youth participated. Those 32 youth received 14 ho
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
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Author: Kelly Smith
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Financial management is a major issue in life that is often poorly identified by today’s youth. A 2011 Charles Schwab survey revealed that of the 1,132 teens between 16 and 18, were surveyed, 42% stated they wanted their parents to talk more about finances and money. A mere 32% of these teens stated they knew how credit card interest and fees work. For a group of teens and young adults who are nearing the end of their high school career, these kids are in jeopardy of struggling on th
Author: Lloyd Saylor
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Adulting Class:Life Skills in Butler CountyPublicity about students being unprepared for the real world of, "Adulting," the Butler county 4-H Council decided to address the issue. Greg Drake our Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent assisted.What is credit, how to plan a budget, What to know when taking a car loan, to cooking basic meals, changing a tire and check fluids, . What is insurance? Interview skills were also addressed. The 4 evenings of the program were broken to Lea
Author: Caroline Hughes
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The "Touch Screen Generation" is terrifyingly tech savvy. The internet is their lifeblood, as essential as eating and breathing. We are told that kids living in this computer age are smarter than ever before, but basic life skills are on the endangered list. That is one reason why sewing is considered a valuable survival skill and the continued interest in the 4-H Sewing Project by four young 4-H'ers is something I consider exceptional. They have already learned b
Author: Kimberly Lane
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H aims to engage youth through hands-on experiences in order to build life skills. The 4-H It’s Your Reality (Dollars and Sense) Curriculum focuses on engaging youth in real life, age appropriate budgeting scenarios. Each student is given an allowance and how many pets they have to take of financially. In the orientation, they learn about budgeting his/her money. Students then have the responsibility of purchasing needs and wants in accordance to their budget at the Dollars and Sense sch
Author: Jessica Morris
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Over the last 4 years, Wolfe County 4-H has partnered with the two local Family Resource Centers to provide the Countdown to Kindergarten program to get incoming kindergartners ready for school. When we started, 31% of incoming 5 year olds were ready for school. We developed a program that teaches them the skills they need in order to be deemed kindergarten ready but successful as well. They attend 5 sessions with their parents from January to June. Then in July we have the students only for 5 s
Author: Leslea Barnes
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
What do I want to be when I grow up? What do I want to do with the rest of my life? What college will I go to? Do I want to go to college or maybe learn a trade? What are my options? What can I do? These are many questions youth ask themselves for many years, especially in high school. It was a need in Crittenden County. School tries to prepare them for the future, but we were missing something and that's how Building Your Future day was started. This was
Author: Valerie Stewart
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Teachers from the Powell County School System requested Powell County Extension staff to conduct monthly lessons with their 4-H club meetings on subjects that are being covered in class. Powell County Extension staff developed and conducted an entreprenuership series with all the 5th grade classes in Powell County to re-enforce concepts learned in the classroom setting. All Powell County 5th grade classes participated. Over the course of the school year, students learned about
Author: Anna Meador
Major Program: Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
The IcrEDIBLES Cooking Club Member, Abbi, puts the final touches on the May Cooking Club Chicken Stir-Fry recipe. The IncrEDIBLES 4-H Cooking Club was developed in the Fall of 2018 in part by Allen County 4-H and the 4-H'er, Lexi and 4-H Agent, presented the Fire Department with a Thank You For Your Service Tray after April's Service Learning project. Allen County SNAP-Ed Program. The objective of the club is to provide an educational opportunity for youth to learn
