Extension
It Starts With Us
Author: Amy Branstetter
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
The county youth development agent encouraged and provided transportation for this young person to audition for the Performing Arts Troupe.Oh, Kentucky 4-H, you have no idea how good you’ve been to me! Because of 4-H I was introduced to and accepted onto the KY 4-H Performing Arts Troupe. Many of you may not know what that is, and some may not even know that I’m involved in 4-H at all, but let me tell you about what 4-H has done for me…. I don’t talk about it much
Author: Lora Stewart
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Art is all around us. It can be as grand as a painting in the Lourve or as subtle as a sparkling drop of dew on a blade of grass. Art encompasses so much emotion and feeling, and we look at a piece of art every once in a while and feel that special connection that we haven’t felt with anything else. Gallatin County 4-H offers an art cub for several different groups including the middle school, the upper elementary school, and homeschool children for about 60 children. . A
Author: Paula Jerrell
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
After a few years without having 4-H School Clubs in the 4th and 5th grades, we now have them going again. Fourth grade clubs started back last year focusing on Communications. This year we have added 5th grade clubs focusing on Communications as it relates to Leadership. The 4th grade will be required to plan, prepare and deliver a speech plus have a variety of lessons on communications. The 5th grade is incorporating civic engagement in their writing classes and having clubs in their soc
Author: Anna Denny
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
As a young person progresses in their 4-H career, and in their life as they become an adult, public speaking and performing in front of a audience is inevitable in a professional setting. In the 4-H Treble Chorus, young people in grades 3rd through 5th implement one of the 4-H essential elements of Mastery by learning different performing art skills, such as reading music, playing instruments, and practicing their singing. This 4-H club met twice a month, from August all the way up to November,
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
4-H Country Ham Day at the Kentucky State FairOn the opening day of the Kentucky State Fair in 2022, 75 counties participated in Ham Day, where over 800 youth participated in giving a 3-5 minute speech on a top designed around country ham. Over 800 hams were judged by the University of Kentucky Meats Lab professor and workers. With the 4-H Country Ham Project youth are given a topic to write a speech and two green hams to cure. From January to August the youth cure, clean, and prepare their hams
Author: David Gabbard
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Around the beginning of August, the Owen County 4-H Youth Development agent received a phone call from a parent wanting to get their child involved in Cloverbuds, while talking to the parent they mentioned volunteering, so as we do, we went through the approval process for the volunteers, and in October we started Cloverbuds in Owen County. Since having a couple years without this the Owen County 4-H agent and the volunteers were skeptical on how it would go, but after advertising on social medi
Author: Anna Denny
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Breckinridge County 4-H kicked off the first Cloverbud meeting of the 2022-2023 program year with a Holiday Workshop on Thursday, December 15th, 2022. We had a total of fifteen youth members in attendance. This was an informative meeting for parents, as well as a chance for Cloverbud youth to get to know each other, learn the basics of 4-H, participate in fun Holiday crafts, and enjoy decorating cookies together. The children made Scandinavian Christmas Gnomes, and made wooden ornaments.
Author: Lucas Powell
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
In my first year as an agent in Fayette County I noticed that we have an overall lack of communications programing within our clubs and school visits. 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. As a 4-H Youth Development Agent I am presented with the curriculum and ability to bring commu
Author: Paula Tarry
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Thank-you is a word that can have multiple meanings depending on the circumstances. This Agent was chased down in a grocery by a 4-H Alumni's parent to say "I have been meaning to stop by and talk to you! I want to thank-you for encouraging my daughter to stay involved in 4-H. It has made a big difference in her life. Thanks for 4-H she received a promotion at her job and now does some TV and radio interviews. The other day, we saw her on TV and my husband said "Thanks to 4-H
Author: Catherine Webster
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
How we live life is ever changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Many schools no longer teach basic life skills classes which means basic life skills for positive youth development are not consistently being taught in schools. Hands-on extension programming equip youth with these much necessary life skills! 4-H offers basic learning activities in seven core areas of interest to youth, however it’s the unlimited addition of 4-H activities where members report
Author: Ari Veach
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Project Days are a fun way for youth to get involved with 4-H. It not only is allowing youth a safe space to be creative but it allows them to take a break to be creative. I have been partnering with the FRYSC for the last year and a half to do monthly project days. This is centered around the fair projects and what would be eligible to turn into the state fair. Last year we had 20 youth participate through DRE, 40 through MCE, and 10 at GCMS. These youth had a potential to enter 9 projects
Author: Catherine Weaver
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Public speaking and communication skills have been proven to be the most needed skills in order for citizens to obtain a job in the workforce. In order to provide this experience for youth at an early age, CES planned and implemented lessons in which over 1423 youth throughout the county were educated on the importance of communicating well, and on how to properly give a speech and demonstration. CES also implemented 4-H Speech and Demonstration contests at all 6 of the county elementary schools
Author: Jennifer Tackett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
During March 19-26, 2023, The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture celebrated National Agricultural Week.In partnership with UK Ag Week, Kentucky 4-H facilitated the Thank a Farmer Visual Letter Contest. A visual letter in when you use art to express how you feel instead of just words. Youth ages 5-18 were asked to create a picture expressing their gratitude for our Kentucky Farmers. They could use any type of medium they wanted use including crayons, markers, or paint. &nbs
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Chandra DeRamusApril 10, 2023-Revised“CYFAR Grant Uplift Empowerment Builds Self-Confidence in Youth with Life-skills Program in Hardin County”Within the communities of Kentucky, there is a wealth of youth who are willing to learn and grow into leaders that will take us into the next millennium of new technologies and improved systems. One of the biggest challenges facing the commonwealth is our forever changing economy. With new concepts in our workplace evolving everyday, we
Author: Amanda Sublett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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. This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006)Positive youth development researchers theorize that youth who are confident and who have strong communication skills are more likely to make substa
Author: Gregory Drake
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
The CEC has identified “things for our young people to do” as an important issue for the Butler County Extension Service. As we emerge from the Pandemic getting kids engaged is more important than ever. Extension staff formed The Butler County Performing Arts club in response to this need. This program gives teenagers that are interested in music and its performance an opportunity to learn to work together and get along as a band. This program provides Teens w
Author: Gary Druin
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
The 4-H Expressive Arts program plays a vital role in enabling our youth to enhance and inspire their creative talent, play a central role in shaping their sense of personal, social and cultural identities. This 4-H program 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: Jennifer Tackett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Research shows 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)This year in Kentucky 4-H, 14,095 hours were contributed to bringing communication and expressive arts programming to 77,405 youth in Kentucky. Seven thousand five-hundred and thirty-two you
Author: Sherri Farley
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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 capacities. This i
Author: Allison Denny
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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
Author: Mary Anne Garnett
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Public speaking is an important skill that is losing to a very digital age of pre-recorded video for entertainment and knowledge. This spring 71 students from 5 local schools held a communications contest for grades 4th-12th. Two winners from each division moved on to the Christian County 4-H county level contest where a record of 21 youth participated. “I had a difficult time scoring these youth on their speeches, each worked very hard to preparing for the event and had to courage to stan
Author: Lucas Powell
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Kentucky 4-H state fair projects ignite curiosity and cultivate skills. These skills can be adapted into larger life lessons youth will take with them for many years to come. At the heart of 4-H lies project work, an initiative that empowers 4-Hers to choose a topic of personal interest and passionately delve into it. Projects are available in seven core areas: natural resources, agriculture, communication and expressive arts, family consumer sciences, health and wellness, leadership and science
Author: Lawrence Caudle
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Kentucky State University’s 4-H Youth Development program held the 2023 4-H Ignite Conference on April 21st. The conference drew in 100 middle school youth participants, 40 volunteers, 10 chaperones, and 10 extension staff members. During the conference, the participants got the opportunity to participate in 3 of the 6 available workshops of their choosing. One of the workshops offered was a workshop based on Photography, which was led by a community volunteer. This workshop exposed the wo
Author: Mary McCarty
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Public speaking is a skill that is only mastered each time one practices in a public setting. Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills are of great importance to Menifee County and to Kentucky. However, according to the Washington Post a public speaking is one of Americans biggest phobias. These statements are why Menifee County Central Elementary School and Menifee County 4-H have a long history with the 4-H Communicat
Author: Alissa Ackerman
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
In today’s society many youth struggle with stress, anxiety and depression due to circumstances at home, social media factors, peer groups and other aspects. Mental health awareness has become more common in recent years than ever before. School leaders, parents and other leaders in in the community are looking for avenues for opportunities and encouragement for our youth. Luckily, the Cooperative Extension Offices across the state of Kentucky offer a variety of 4-H youth programs that fos
Author: Mollie Tichenor
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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 pub
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Strong writing, reading and presentation skills present youth with the dexterity of being good communicators as well as allowing them to form receptive relationships with peers and adults. When young people are confident and capable in presenting their thoughts and feelings, they are more likely to accept roles of responsibility in their communities and enhance their contribution to society. This development of internal and external assets, as researched by the Search Institutes &ldqu
Author: Cathy Toole
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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. This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006)This year 181 youth participated in State Communications Day. These youth have gained knowledge in public speaking through county and area grou
Author: Bridgett Poteet
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
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. This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006)This year 181 youth participated in State Communications Day. These youth have gained knowledge in public speaking through county and area grouping contest
Author: Charles Comer
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Fear of speaking in front of an audience ranks as one of the top things people fear most. But becoming an effective public speaker is the difference between success and failure in life. (Fischlschweiger, S. 2018, Public Speaking: A Vital Skill for All Youth). In Kentucky, providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is important. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individu
Author: Kimberly Thomas
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
The Taylor County 4-H Annual Open House, known as “4-H For All” was held on Saturday, September 17th from 11am-2pm at the Taylor County Extension Office. The goal of this event is to showcase all the clubs, events, and activities that Taylor County 4-H has to offer. Attendees were able to learn about 4-H through interactive stations that allowed the youth in attendance to do something hands-on associated with each club or activity.This year we had over twenty volunteers to share thei
Author: Julia Wilson
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Multiple studies have shown the benefits of 4-H membership. However, it is difficult to get youth involved in a program if they are not interested in the classes being offered. The Hart County 4-H Agent, the 4-H Program Assistant and volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide a variety of educational opportunities for local 4-H youth. Throughout the year the 4-H Agent facilitated a series of classes, inviting youngsters to explore various
Author: Mary Lawson
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Public speaking is a skill that can benefit someone for a lifetime. It takes dedication and a bit of bravery to master this skill at any age, yet most are hesitant to even attempt to speak on a topic, let alone in front of an audience. In this case, Menifee County youth are taking on the challenge of learning this new skill. The ability to enhance and develop communication skills are of great importance to Menifee County and to Kentucky. Menifee County Central
