Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Amanda Clark
Major Program: Health
Health Rocks was implemented in Beaumont Middle School FCS class during the month of September. Middle Schoolers went through 8 hours of lessons about the dangers of smoking, drinking, and drug use. Stress and stress relief ideas were also implemented into the lessons. The students were given an evaluation at the beginning and end of the class. There were 50 students involved in the program from the evaluation- 48 students said they thought differently about drug, alcohol and tobaccos use, 50 st
Author: Joyce Doyle
Major Program: Health
Do not throw away Chop Chop Magazines! These magazines are one of my best resource materials. Children love the games and all the colorful pictures, and the parents and teachers love the recipes. In this lesson, fruits and vegetables were discussed and the children created their favorite fruit or vegetable using play dough. On this day, I taught 105 third grade students. Ninety percent of the students said that they would eat more fruits and vegetables. Seven
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Health
The 2022 Healthfair/Readifest was a collaborative program planned by the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service and the Family Resource/Youth Service Center. There were several other groups who helped sponsor the event with monetary and time donations. Churches and other local businesses also donated school supplies. For the past 2 years, the program has been a walk through outdoor event. The goal of this program is to help improve the community’s
Author: Jennifer Cole
Major Program: Health
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity and inclusion. In September 2022, Pulaski County Extension Agents: Jennifer Cole, Erica Spurgeon & TJ Adkins collaborated together to host a Progressive Ag and 4-H Safety Day for nearly 675 Pulaski County 8th graders at the Hal Rogers Fire Training Center. Students from Northern and Southern Middle Schools attended and Science
Author: Erica Spurgeon
Major Program: Health
Healthy living is one of three 4-H mission mandates and it encompasses: physical activity, personal safety, mental health, addiction prevention, and diversity & inclusion. In September 2022, Pulaski County Extension Agents: Jennifer Cole, Erica Spurgeon, & TJ Adkins collaborated to host a Progressive Ag and 4-H Safety Day for 675 Pulaski County 8th graders at the Hal Rogers Fire Training Center. Students from Northern and Southern Middle Schools attended, and Science Hill In
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Health
Unintentional injury, while declining, remains the leading cause of death among children ages 19 and under. (Source: Safekids.org) To raise awareness and demonstrate techniques children can use to prevent unintentional injury, the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service applied for and received a grant from the Progressive Agriculture Foundation to host a Progressive Agriculture Youth Safety Day. The grant provided access to training, along with educational and planning ma
Author: Ola Donahue
Major Program: Health
Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program. The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 433 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information abo
Author: Lora Stewart
Major Program: Health
Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program. The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information abo
Author: Carrie Derossett
Major Program: Health
According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Kentucky has one of the highest prevalence for pediatric obesity in the nation. Approximately 37% of Kentucky children ages 10-17 years are considered overweight or obese according to BMI-for-age standards. Half of Kentucky’s children in poor families are overweight or obese. According to the 2008 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System, 32.3% children ages 2-5 years in Kentucky are overweight or obese. To address th
Author: Ryan Farley
Major Program: Health
Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen Program. The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information abo
Author: Isaac Hilpp
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these c
Author: Michael Rose
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these communities
Author: Kimberly Ragland
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of Kentucky's children live in a high-poverty area, an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to fewer daylight hours and colder outdoor temperatures. Given physical activity is a key component of youth health, this c
Author: Lisa Dodson
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these communities
Author: Victoria Riehemann
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these communities
Author: Jeremiah Johnson
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these commun
Author: Glenna Bentley
Major Program: Health
According to the Centers for Disease Control website Kentucky has the second highest adult obesity rate in the nation and according to on-line source Kentucky Health News, Kentucky children aged 10 to 17 have the nation’s highest rate for that age group. 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. By teachin
Author: Melissa Schenck
Major Program: Health
Research has indicated that teaching cooking skills to children encourages healthier food choices. In an effort to teach these life skills, the Washington County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, the Washington County 4-H Youth Development Agent, the Washington County Nutrition Education Program Assistant, and a UK dietetic student worked together to offer Super Star Chef, a three-day camp for students ages 9 through 12 that is designed to teach kitchen safety, food safety, nutrition con
Author: Kelly Alsip
Major Program: Health
Through speaking and networking with Gina Leeper, an Eckstein Charity Program Officer, I was able to connect our 4-H Back Pack program to a donor of $40,000. This will feed the at-risk children for a year over weekends when it is unclear if they are being fed while not in school.The 4-H Backpack program was established eighteen years ago by McCracken County teenagers at a 4-H Issues Conference. Teens were to take an issue that impacted our community and find a way to make a difference. Many of o
Author: Joyce Doyle
Major Program: Health
Chop Chop Magazines are my best resource for nutrition lessons. Children love the games and all the colorful pictures, and the parents and teachers love the recipes. Mrs. Hamilton, Cartmell Elementary teacher, posted the following on the school’s Facebook page. “#PantherLeaderUnit3 is underway, wrapping up its first 8 day rotation. We ended our last day together by trying a healthy drink recipe from the #ChopChop Kids Healthy Eating Recipe Magazine provided by our Carrol
Author: Louis Milligan
Major Program: Health
Louisville currently ranks 5th among its peer cities in food insecurity with 16.1% of residents experiencing food insecurity. Additionally, Louisville ranks 2nd in rates of children who live in a household experiencing food insecurity with a rate of 17%.. The Advancing Health Equity through Fight Food Insecurity project materialized as a result of a Grant from Verizon Wireless. The project intent was to expose the most vulnerable school-aged children in Louisville, KY to innova
Author: Cathy Toole
Major Program: Health
Girls Empowered and Motivated to Succeed (GEMS) is a program in Henry County for 5th grade girls held after school. The program has 12 participants. The Henry County Cooperative Extension Service was asked to provide hands on lessons for these youth that would build on life skills. The agents collectively decided that they would offer classes on nutrition, self-care and wellness, social media awareness, laundry and ironing basics, and basic sewing repairs.During the nutrition program the g
Author: Lori Clark
Major Program: Health
Today’s families are looking for ways to promote sustainable practices, reduce screen time, and encourage their children to engage in meaningful outdoor activities. One such activity introduced to families was maple syrup production. Not only is it a fun and educational experience for all ages, but it also has a multitude of benefits. According to Children and Nature Network the benefits for children include but are not limited to “improved behavior, better academic success and enhan
Author: Annette Buckman
Major Program: Health
Union County now has 28 teens who are certified in CPR. CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is a lifesaving procedure that is performed if a persons heart stops beating. If CPR is performed it can double or triple chances of survival. According to the American Heart Association in one year alone, 436,000 Americans die from a cardiac arrest. Bystander CPR improves survival. Most often out of hospital cardiac arrests will occur in homes at 73.4%, public settings 16.3
Author: Meagan Klee
Major Program: Health
The Casey County 4-H Program in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created a Health Ambassador Program where high school students are trained on specific healthy habits and present to 3rd grade students in the Casey County Public Schools. High school students apply to be a Casey Health Ambassador, go through a selection process, and meet with the 4-H agent to understand the trainings and presentations in which are required for the ambassadors. The ambass
Author: Anthony Tackett
Major Program: Health
Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries; and farming is one of the few industries in which family members who often share the work and live on the premises, are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. According to CDC statistics, over 100 children are killed on farms each year in the United States. The Bourbon County Extension Office including the Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Horticult
Author: Carolina Robles
Major Program: Health
The problem: Senior Citizens have a difficult time finding activities that promote being physically active. The educational program response: The response of the program was not well received. The individuals were not excited to learn about being physically active and did not want to do any activity that involves movement.The participants/target audience: Target audience was senior citizens over the age of 60Other partners (if applicable): n/aProgram impact or participant response: the prog
Author: Lois Carter
Major Program: Health
“Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. Farmers are at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries; and farming is one of the few industries in which family members who often share the work and live on the premises, are also at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. According to CDC statistics, over 100 children are killed on farms each year in the United States. The Bourbon County Extension Office including the Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, Ho
Author: Presley Grubb
Major Program: Health
Greenup County 4-H Youth Development Agent and Greenup County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent collaborated to offer the Superstar Chef Camp program to 14 students. 1 volunteer worked with students in a hands-on educational setting to teach important life skills. A pre-test/ post-test evaluation was conducted to determine learning outcomes.As a result of the program, students gained the following knowledge and skills:• 50%- identifi
Author: Stephen Conrad
Major Program: Health
Data from the last decade (The Recovery Village) shows rates of middle school substance abuse and addiction in kids as young as 11 or 12 years old have swelled across the United States. In 2015, more than 8% of 8th graders have reported using illicit drugs. To assist in the fight to turn the tide in this area, the Boone County Cooperative Extension Service (program materials, volunteer lunch, and manpower) partnered with Boone County Schools (morning snacks, guest speakers, community volun
Author: Lora Stewart
Major Program: Health
The Gallatin County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Youth Development Agent, Lora Stewart and Family & Consumer Sciences Agent, Ronda Rex collaborated with the Gallatin County Lower and Upper Elementary School Librarian to conduct LEAP once a month throughout the school year. The purpose of having this program is teach children healthy eating habits at a very young age. It also introduces them to new foods. The program reached 326 primary students (3- to 4-year-olds and K-3rd g
Author: Raymond Cox
Major Program: Health
Over 400 students attended the 20th Annual 4-H Safety Day held April 14 at National Guard Armory. All fifth graders from Harlan County and Harlan Independent Schools attended. Due to the increasing number of ATV and drowning related accidents in Harlan and surrounding counties, it was established a need for safety information presented to students by professionals. Water and boating safety, fire safety, emergency rescue, gun safety, bicycle safety, weather-related safety, ATV safety,
Author: Renata Farmer
Major Program: Health
According to the CDC, empty calories contribute to 40% of daily calories for children and adolescents and most do not consume the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. In a world full of hectic schedules, fast food and convenience, the challenge for families and children to eat healthy is difficult. 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 they will be more likely to eat healthier as ad
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Health
The 2000 data from Kentucky Kids Count states children living in food insecure households showed the State of Kentucky’s rate for this is 16.1% compared to Spencer County’s rate of 8.4%. Spencer County has limited access to fresh food resources and public transportation. There is only one grocery store and several dollar stores in the area. Issues such as these are barriers to healthy lifestyle choices related to nutrition and physical activity. During the summer when schools ar
Author: Molly Jordan
Major Program: Health
The ending of school for the summer means kids are ready to be active outside! The need to be safety aware is heightened during summer break. The Bracken County 4-H, Bracken County Soil Conservation District, and the Bracken County FRYSC recognized this and developed Safety Day. Through this event students in grades 2nd-9th visited stations that encountered a variety of safety areas kids need to be aware of. Lawnmower/lawncare safety, outdoor/ATV safety, and seat belt safety were just a few of t
Author: Alyssa Cox
Major Program: Health
Regular physical activity in children and adolescents is associated with improved bone health, weight status, cardiovascular and muscular fitness, cardiometabolic health, cognition, and reduced risk of depression. Lack of physical activity is a significant risk factor driving the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States. There is also evidence that engaging in physical activity can improve academic performance and other cognitive and memory functions. Exercise also increases the chances o
Author: Paula Jerrell
Major Program: Health
Obesity is an issue in Ballard County and in the country. Youth obesity is a growing concern.Ballard County Extension Programs partner with the school systems 21st Century program with a focus on nutrition education. Youth learn about My Plate, food groups, serving sizes and portion sizes. Nutrition games are played like nutrition Jeopardy and Bingo. Food lessons are shared to raise awareness of food groups, a balanced diet and portion control. Physical activity is a part of the lessons as well.
Author: Tyrone Gentry
Major Program: Health
Youths feel overwhelmed often for totally different reasons than adults, but the stress affects them in unhealthy ways just the same. For students, those stressors can show themselves as "fatigue, anxiety, depression, and poor academic performance"*. It may be the youth who is distracted. Who feel unconfident in themselves. Who avoids positive opportunities. 4-H recognizes that all of these contribute to preventing youth from being successful.Green County 4-H or
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Health
According to the Kentucky Health News report from 2022, Kentucky now ranks the highest for childhood obesity rates for children ages 10-17 in the Nation. Not a list Kentucky wants to be the top of and consequently the age group it listed fits right into the 4-H age group. In an effort to get kids moving and exercising the CES 4-H Agent attended a 4-H Soccer Training the weekend COVID hit, so the idea of hosting any type of event would be placed on the back burner. However, the
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: Health
Sometimes as humans, we forget about the importance of being inclusive to those individuals who are physically challenged. Often, students who are visually impaired miss out on opportunities to learn concepts incidentally as they may or may not be able to observe and effectively interreact with their world. To shorten this gap, it is important to expose those youth to meaningful experiences and interactions that they can touch, hear, smell, and see (if they have some any vision). &nb
Author: Paula Tarry
Major Program: Health
The mission of the Progressive Farmer Agriculture Safety Day program is to “provide education, training, and resources to make farm, ranch and rural life safer and healthier for children and their communities”. (Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Planning Manual) Barren County had participated in the AG Safety Day program for many years but had not been conducted for the past four years. The Barren County School Superintendent ask this Agent if Barren County 4-H would be willi
Author: Sue Ann McCandless
Major Program: Health
Ag Safety Day is an event that teaches elementary students grades 3-5 in Hardin County the importance of being safe in their community, at home and on the farm. Hardin County is a very ag based community which makes programs like this important to ensure the safety of our youth and families. The event includes several stations including electricity, fire arms, water, lawn equipment, dog, ATV, fire, soil conservation, and chemical look-a-likes. Agents, community members, school staff
Author: Kimberly Thomas
Major Program: Health
18 youth, ages 9-13 years old attended the Poultry BBQ Day Camp at the Taylor County Extension Office on June 16, 2023, led by University of Kentucky Extension Specialist Dr. Jacquie Jacob. The youth in attendance had a variety of skills levels coming into this Day Camp. During this event youth learn proper food handling, kitchen safety, grilling safety, and cleanup. They learned these skills while leaning how to prepare and cook turkey burgers and chicken thighs on a charcoal grill.100% of the
Author: Shelley Crawford
Major Program: Health
The 2021 Kids Count data ranks Kentucky as 38th nationally in youth health, and 14% of children live in a high-poverty area, which is an adverse community environmental factor that impacts a child's ability to thrive (KYA, 2022). These high-poverty communities often struggle with equitable access to indoor and outdoor spaces. This inequity is heightened in winter due to a reduction of daylight hours and a decrease in outdoor temperatures. This creates a barrier for youth in these communities
Author: Erica Spurgeon
Major Program: Health
Within the Kentucky 4-H program, most clubs and activities become available to youth at age nine. By this age most children have already developed interests and extracurricular involvement. This is why engaging with youth from ages five to eight is so important. Pulaski County has a thriving Cloverbud Club where youth ages five to eight can explore what 4-H has to offer. The Cloverbud Club boasts 40 members who attend meetings monthly or attend special outings and day camps. Agent Erica Spu
