Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader. Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communications & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capaci
Author: Virginia Harper
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
In January 2017, Calloway County 4-H started a new family experience for Hispanic families called "!La Diversion Familiar!." The group uses the Hispanic Cultural Curriculum from National 4-H Council. Other topics of interest to the group are also explored. Each time the group meets at the Extension Office. During the summer the group has met for two hours classes. During the school year the meeting were an hour to an hour and one half in length. Each time the group practices some Engli
Author: Brandy Calvert
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Bell County 4-H'er Morgan Lawson never expected such recognition when she signed up to do the 4-H Country Ham project, but the experience has proved to be invaluable to her development. After winning a red ribbon for her country ham and speech in 2016, Lawson figured out what it took to be successful at the Kentucky State Fair. She wrote and re-wrote her speech and rehearsed until she was confident that she would do better than the year before. Lawson took first place in her age di
Author: Lora Stewart
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Why is music important? Music is academic. According to an UCLA research, music participation provides a unique opportunity for literacy preparation. Plato once said that music “is a more potent instrument than any other for education”. Recent research has found that music uses both sides of the brain; a fact that makes it valuable in all areas of development. Music is physical as it develops rhythm coordination. Music is emotional and provides an artistic outlet. M
Author: Gary Druin
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
The inspiration and power of 4-H Expressive Arts program play a vital role in enabling our young people to enhance their creative talent, play a central role in shaping their sense of personal, social and cultural identities, and provide opportunities for positive youth development in four guiding concepts: mastery, belonging, independence, and generosity. The 4-H Expressive Arts program fosters mastery by teaching youth the basic principles of art, belonging by giving them the opportunity to wo
Author: Ola Donahue
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Facebook, Twitter, texting are how today’s youth communicate. Social media has become an important form of communication for all of us. Communication is essential to youth success and social media can certainly enhance youth communication skills. However, it is effecting verbal communication among our youth and can affect their future success. Verbal communication skills, like anything else, must be taught. The proper ways to speak, make eye contact and use body language are all a part of
Author: Robert Tashjian
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
McCracken County 4-H prides itself on the 4-H public speaking program. Youth create a speech or demonstration which contain 3 key components: the introduction, body and conclusion. Approximately, 750 youth in 4th through 12th grades annually will write and deliver their personal narrative speeches for their peers and adult judges. Some flourish and continue going on from school to county, area and finally state competition. We never truly know what type of impact this can
Author: Kimberly Ragland
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
The Boyle County Extension and 4-H Councils identified improving the ability to communicate as a key life skill local 4-H programs should focus upon. Cooperative Extension Service personnel cooperated with teachers in the Boyle County, Danville, and Danville Christian systems to provide public speaking contests within their classrooms. CES provided educational materials, guidelines, judges, equipment, score sheets, and ribbons to 11 classrooms that conducted in-class Talk Meets with 240 youth. S
Author: Wade Raymer
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
“Researchers have found a positive association between arts participation and a number of desirable academic and social outcomes, such as school grades, test scores, enrollment in post-secondary education, attainment of a bachelor’s degree, and higher levels of literacy and civic engagement.” (Child Trends, 2013) Webster County 4-H Drama program is currently in its 6th year and is an important program to the community, since this is the only program offered to youth in the
Author: Novella Froman
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader.During 2017/2018 academic year, Pike County 4-H reached 3,754 of students in 20 schools with communication programs. Over 500 skits were presented during club meetings, and an additional 100 youth presented speeches during 4-H Fa
Author: Paul Adkins
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
As outlined in the county plan of work, Boone County 4-H supports communications education through school enrichment, school clubs, and all other areas of education to establish or enhance necessary communications skills that develop college and career ready youth in Boone County. Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an ind
Author: Christopher Boyd
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Proficient communication is a skill that everyone needs to develop. Whether it’s giving a speech in elementary, high school or college, interviewing for a job, or giving a presentation, you need to know how to confidently speak in front of people. Public speaking is a problem for many individuals in the nation and some even are afraid of it. Using the 4-H curriculum for communications, we have developed a program that reaches every school district in the county. Through t
Author: Jeremy Teal
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
The Hopkins County Cooperative Extension Service delivered programming on public speaking and preparing speeches and demonstrations to approximately 401 4-Hers over a three-month period. 4-Hers were instructed on effective communications skills and how to develop a structured presentation. Students learned how to select and research a topic and then develop their idea into a presentation. 4-Hers learned the subtleties associated with a good presentation; such as proper rate, intensity level, flu
Author: Heather Cassill
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Overall, youth in Clark County report that speaking in front of a group of their peers is intimidating. Teachers in Clark County Schools share that fostering the development of public speaking gives youth the confidence needed to pursue future endeavors. As a community, Clark County strives to focus on work and career readiness. The Clark County 4-H Communication Contest had a participation of 826 participants in 2018. Thirty-seven classrooms, ranging from 4th to 8th grade completed the Clark Co
Author: Joyce Doyle
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Our public school system sees the importance of teaching communication skills. All of our fourth and fifith grade students are required to prepare and present a speech or demonstration. This is a total of 295 students. After the classroom presentation, those students who scored eighty or above are invited to present at the county competition held at the Extension office. Sixty two youth participated in the county competition with thirteen moving on to th
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
4-H Patriotivity ClubExpressive arts are a huge niche in our area. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, our high school recently lost their art department. Because of this the youth in our county no longer have an outlet to express their artistic abilities.Statics show that art provides a type of therapy that helps children and adults improve self-esteem, cope with depression and anxiety, relieve stress, and manage addictions.According to Kristin Wilson, MA, LPC, Director of Clinical Research at N
Author: Owen Prim
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Public speaking and communication skills have been proven to be the most valuable skills for individuals to obtain a job in the competitive workforce. To help youth develop these skills the Campbell County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Program involved over 300 youth in 4-H Talk Meets. By participating in these programs, youth develop, improve and practice communication skills and gain poise and self confidence while talking before an audience.They also learn to research their to
Author: Wanda Paris
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Over 150 Lyon County 4th and 5th graders wrote and presented 4-H speeches in the classroom with 4-H judges critiquing each of them. Classroom time was designated to help the students research their chosen topics and compose their presentations. Students were given time in the classroom and as homework to practice public speaking skills that were taught by the 4-H Agent. Volunteers judged students' speeches in the classroom using 4-H Speech Score Sheets. As is to be ex
Author: Krista Perry
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
As technology continues to advance, the easier it is for youth to communicate non-verbally using text, email and social media rather than verbally. In their future, this will present a challenge when it is time to interview for scholarships, careers, and even talking with others. Seeing communication being a strong need in the community for youth, the Franklin County 4-H Program conducted a Communications Lesson to over 400 4th and 5th grade students.The Communications Lesson consisted
Author: David Littlejohn
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
With Bullitt County having a significantly low unemployment rate (4.2% as of May 2018-US Labor Statistics) it is often misunderstood that jobs are plentiful and non competitive. In reality, even entry level jobs are competitive. According to theladders.com (HR portal and Professional Recruitment Company) Entry level jobs often have 115 applicants for one job. Of the 115 applicants, often only 4-5% are selected for initial interviews. For a new High School, or College grad
Author: Jennifer Tackett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader. Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communications & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capaciti
Author: Lee Ann McCuiston
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
The Todd County 4-H program offered a brand new county 4-H performing arts troupe for middle and high school youth. This troupe was patterned after the Kentucky 4-H Performing Arts Program. Todd County also has 2 members on the State 4-H Performing Arts Troupe. Research shows that children who sing/dance/act or play an instrument are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement compared with their non-performing friends — and they tend to have enhanced cognit
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Spencer County Schools and Spencer County 4-H partner together to provide Elementary 4-H School Club Programs for all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. Communication is the key component to this program. At every meeting or enrichment, all students are required to communicate with their classmates by participating in the activity where they say their name and something about them self. Throughout the year, it is the goal of the 4-H Agent to make each student more comfortable with public speaking
Author: Kelly Woods
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Public speaking skills are ranked number one among the skill sets of professionals. Other guiding factors for developing public speaking skills include leadership development, increased self- confidence, and ability to accept feedback. (University of California, 4-H Presentation Manual, revised 2016) Oldham County 4-H involved over 329 members in the 4-H Public Speaking program with 314 presenting at the club level, 29 attending the county event, 9 attending the District Event and 5 Oldham
Author: Chelsea Young
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Communication is an essential life skill that 4-H promotes and targets. This life skill leads to the building of confidence for youth. Skills are best learned through practice which is where the 4-H Communications Program works to provide many experiences and opportunities to offer reinforcement of the various techniques within communications, including written as well as public speaking communication. According to the “Targeting Life Skills Model”, communication, as a life skill, fa
Author: Alissa Ackerman
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
When meeting new people or presenting information in front of a small or large group, many children and adults experience fear and anxiety. Strong communication skills can come in handy when interviewing for jobs and completing daily tasks, such as ordering food at a restaurant or visiting the dentist. In order to enhance communications skills and with discussion amongst Clay County 4-H Council members, the 4-H Agent implemented 4-H communication lessons in school clubs across the county. A
Author: Jessica Morris
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Having the ability to effectively communicate is something that is important for our youth today. The Wolfe County High School Volleyball Coach knows this to be important on and off the court. He wants his kids to be employable after their volleyball careers are over which is why he sought the help of the Wolfe County 4-H program to develop those skills that will take them farther than the court. For our second year I have worked with the entire volleyball team (25 youth). The skills we wor
Author: James Cecil
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Clinton County had another successful year with Speeches and Demonstrations. We had a total of 616 kids participate in the speeches or demonstrations this year. We had a total of 4 students make it to the state competition this year. We are blessed to have a community and school system that supports 4-H and Extension so that we are able to make this important program a success. We have wonderful volunteers that come from five different counties and two different states to
Author: Thays Flores
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
In 2017, it was reported that there were 1.1% Hispanics or Latinos living in Estill County, Kentucky. There are 55,199,107 Hispanic people in the United States and of the English-speaking Hispanics in the USA; an estimated 57.5% are bilingual. Being bilingual is something that many jobs are asking for, it allows you to communicate with a greater part of the population, and it is something that schools want their students to become. The Estill County students do not start to learn a different lan
Author: Laura Huffman
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
For the past five years a fourth grade teacher from Cub Run Elementary has contacted the Cooperative Extension Service interested in offering 4-H Demonstrations to 4th grade classroom students to use as a writing portfolio piece as well as a public speaking opportunity. The 4-H Youth Development Agent delivered a six day program to 28 students this spring. The lessons included how to select and research a topic, how to write your demonstration, how to make an effective presentation, and how
Author: Rebecca Konopka
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 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. The C
Author: Kaitlyne Metsker
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
In Christian County, the 4-H program is fortunate to have great relationships with many organizations throughout the county. These organizations will partner with the 4-H program to host a variety of events, including the 4-H Communications Contest. In years’ past the 4-H team has worked with one of the local schools to host the Christian County 4-H Communications Contest. While this has been a great partnership, another facility was needed to meet the needs of a growing program. Chr
Author: Jan Gibson
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
October has become the traditional month for the annual 4-H Talk Meet. Grateful for the facilities at Hazard Community and Technical College as this program attracted 245 youth for speech competition. This program fosters matery by teaching youth how to effectively communicate, belonging by giving they the opportunity to work with others, independence by allowing them to present a speech in front of the their peers and genoristy by fostering a love of community. And the communi
Author: Laken Campbell
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Communication skills and public speaking have been proven to be one of the most important skills necessary for people to obtain a job in the workforce. However, public speaking is a common fear among children and adults. The Lee County Extension Council saw this as a need for Lee County. The Lee County Cooperative Extension Office partnered with both the Lee County Elementary School and the Lee County Middle/High School to help students improve their public speaking ability. Multiple lessons edu
Author: Lawrence Caudle
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
The communications program in Kentucky 4-H is based around the concept of helping youth to explore, develop, and define their communication abilities in regards to such areas as public speaking, personal expression, interaction with others, and professional correspondence. The communication programs presented take a variety of approaches and techniques to improving youth skills, including but not limited to project books that involved personal evaluation and reflection of skills, competitive spe
Author: Amanda Sublett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Positive youth development researchers theorize that youth who are confident and who have strong communication skills are more likely to make substantial contributions to their family, their community, and society. One way that youth can develop confidence and their communication skills is by completing a speech or demonstration project. In the 2017/2018 program year, approximately Seven hundred and nineteen youth from Taylor County completed a speech and/or demonstration project with seventy ad
Author: Meagan Klee
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Sedita Whited, an Art Instructor from Jones Park Elementary, expressed interest in working together to provide art workshops for our youth following guidelines for Kentucky State Fair exhibits. A series of 6 workshops over several months were offered. Funding for all art supplies and materials was covered under the Memorandum of Agreement with the Casey County Board of Education. Throughout the workshops participants obtained skills in using color pencils, watercolor pencils, water color paints,
Author: Anna Meador
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
Allen County 4-H'er, Daphnica Wood, finishes her owl ornament by detailing feather patterns onto her owl.New this 2018: Allen, Warren, and Logan counties hosted an Arts & Crafts Day Camp to encourage arts education and participation within the arts field. As a result, all 21 spaces provided during this day camp were completely filled by youth desiring to participate in creativity & imagination, critical thinking, and emotional expression through experiential application on art
