Extension
It Starts With Us
Educating, & empowering individuals & families to make responsible choices & develop lifeskills
Developing life skills
C. Durr, C. Hall, V. Holland, A. Holt, S. Lewis, W. Long, B. Pratt, M. Pearce and K. Smith
Home & Consumer Horticulture
Conflict Resolution
Nurturing Families (general)
4-H Youth Development Programming
Developing life skills and making responsible, healthy choices can have a profound impact on family stability, individual well-being and community sustainability. Budgeting, interpersonal relationships, communication, family management and other skills are necessary for success.
The consequences of the Great Recession and the extended period of slow economic growth which followed, encouraged Kentuckians to become more aware of their financial situation. Kentucky consistently lags behind other areas of the United States in key household economic indicators, including: personal income, population living below the poverty line, unemployment, and revolving debt. These indicators, especially unemployment numbers became more exaggerated during the period of the Great Recession. However, at present economist are cautiously optimistic regarding future economic forecasts. It is important to acknowledge the impact of current economic conditions on family financial management. The goal of the Securing Financial Stability Initiative is to help Kentuckians understand and respond to changing economic conditions, while promoting healthy financial behaviors across the lifespan.
The development of life skills, like leadership, allows youth to cope with their environment by making responsible decisions, having a better understanding of their values, and being better able to communicate and get along with others. (Boyd, Herring & Briers, 1992, Journal of Extension). Almost 30 percent of youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are to be involved in bullying as a bully, a target of bullying or both. A troubling statistic that needs to be addressed.
Healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Furthermore, children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes and drop out of high school than more advantaged children.
• Youth and adults will demonstrate the understanding of diversity, inclusivity, and multiculturalism in their daily life.
• Youth will use leadership and communications skills needed to be successful in the workplace on a daily basis.
• Create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life cycle.
• Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in Extension programs.
• Youth and adults will be responsible and contributing individuals and family members, gain and maintain employment through life skill development and contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.
• Youth and adults will learn to manage personal finances, make wise financial decisions and understand long-term financial stability.
• Youth and adults make more informed consumer decisions that result in increased family economic stability.
• Youth and adults will reduce stress levels by building personal strengths, self-control, interpersonal communication, life skills including wise decision-making.
• Reported using preventive and positive discipline techniques in response to misbehavior, and setting and enforcing logical consequences.
• Practice skills to strengthen and sustain relationships.
• Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
• Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.
• Change in awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding healthy aging.
• Commits to using logical consequences for misbehavior.
• Youth and adults will identify healthy lifestyle choices, risky behaviors and their consequences and healthy ways to handle stress.
Initial Outcome: Youth and adults will identify healthy lifestyle choices, risky behaviors and their consequences and healthy ways to handle stress.
Indicator: Ability to identify healthy lifestyle choices
Method: Pre- and post-surveys
Timeline: Before and after program
Intermediate Outcome: Increased adoption and mastery of healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Indicator: Youth and adults adopting and mastering healthy behaviors
Method: Pre- and post-surveys
Timeline: Before and after program and follow up
Long-term Outcome: Youth will develop into competent, capable, contributing adults as important developmental assets are met through their participation in Extension programs.
Indicator: Youth will display skills necessary to be competent, capable, contributing adults.
Method: Observation & interviews
Timeline: End of program
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Community Garden implementation; school garden
Content or Curriculum: Extension publications
Inputs: specialists; content curriculum
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Community Gardens
Content or Curriculum: CES publications
Inputs: agents, garden space
Date: July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: In-school clubs
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members
Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Reality Store
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members
Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Dollars & Sense
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members
Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Teen Summit
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Jr. MANRRS
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members
Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: SPIN Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Embryology
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Babysitting
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Camp
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members
Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Red Cross Pillowcase Project
Content or Curriculum: Acres of Adventures, What’s on Your Plate,
Exploring Food Science, Step Up to Leadership,
Cooking, Keeping Fit & Healthy, Be SAFE:
Affirming and Fair Environments, STEPS to a
Healthy Teen, Welcome to 4-H: New Members Guide
Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, outside
funding
Date: September 2017 – April 2018
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Savvy Sellers and Bargain Hunters
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association
(KEHA), Kentucky CES publications and resources
Date: September 2017 – May 2018
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Creating and Maintaining Family Traditions
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association
(KEHA), Kentucky CES publications and resources
Date: September 2017 – May 2018
Audience: Extension Homemakers and General Public
Project or Activity: Tackling Your Laundry
Content or Curriculum: KEHA Curriculum
Inputs: Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association
(KEHA), Kentucky CES publications and resources
Date: September 2017 – May 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: It’s Sew Fine Sewing Expo
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky CES publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
agents, program assistants, specialists and
volunteers.
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Audience: General Public and Seniors
Project or Activity: Stand Up to Falling
Content or Curriculum: Stand Up to Falling
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
agents, program assistants, specialists and
volunteers.
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Accepting and Loving Your Body
Content or Curriculum: Universe of Possibilities, Kentucky CES
publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
agents, program assistants, specialists and
volunteers.
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Personal Finance
Content or Curriculum: Real Skills for Everyday Life, Kentucky CES
publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
agents, program assistants, specialists and
volunteers.
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Holiday Finances
Content or Curriculum: Stretching Your Holiday Spending, Kentucky CES
publications and resources
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES)
agents, program assistants, specialists and
volunteers.
Date: July 2017 – June 2018
Author: Phillip Long
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Extension’s Urban Ag Program Benefits Visually Challenged Students­­­­­State the SITUATION­­­Blind or visually challenged students at Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) have little access to vegetable gardening on the school’s campus. Although food production is part of the Math/Biology/Chemistry/Engineering curriculum, safe access to available areas and tools has been a challenge. Funding from the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service, throu
Author: Bethany Pratt
Major Program: Food Preservation
The Jefferson County Agent for Horticulture Education, partnered with the Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District, Louisville Grows and the University of Kentucky Nutrition Education Program to host three one-day food preservation classes for residents in Jefferson County during September. Forty-four participants completed the 2018 Jefferson County Food Preservation Program including thirty-one participants (66%) new to Cooperative Extension programming. They learned the wat
Author: Kelly Smith
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
A partnership between University of Kentucky Extension (UK), Jefferson County Extension, and Louisville YMCA Safe Place, made possible by a Children, Youth, Families At-Risk (CYFAR) grant, is focusing on those homeless youth in Louisville. Through the grant, UK hired a “Life Skills Coordinator,” based in the Jefferson County Extension office and the YMCA Safe Place. This Life Skills Coordinator delivers life skills programming to homeless youth ages 12 to 23 in the YMCA Shelter House
Author: Bethany Pratt
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
Addiction is on the rise in Louisville and across Kentucky. Louisville hosts many recovery centers for adults in addiction recovery. One of those centers is the Volunteers of America (VOA). VOA has multiple addiction recovery programs in Louisville depending on client needs. Two of those centers, Shelby Men's Recovery Center and Women's Freedom House, sought out the help of Cooperative Extension's Horticulture Agent to help facilitate a gardening program at each of these sites. After
Author: Lawrence Caudle
Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum
Sometimes, adolescent males can be some of the roughest audiences to groom, especially when there are factors in play that do not promote positive development or growth. Jefferson County 4-H was charged with developing a safe place where young boys at Cochran Elementary could learn positive youth development. The lessons taught to the young boys were lessons from the 4-H Leadership Curriculum. They learned skills in positive communication, self-reflection teamwork, respect for their peers and ad
Author: Patrice Thompson
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
Kuumba Youth Liberation Academy(KYLA) of Louisville Kentucky, is a homeschool dedicated to reprogramming, rebuilding, and restoring traditional greatness to African American youth and families. The population of students ranges from grade K-12. This past Fall and Spring, I worked with the high school group of 10 on STEM as well as preparation for the Jefferson County Communication Competition. There were 3 of the 10 youth that participated in the communications competition. One of K.Y.L.A' s
Author: Kelly Smith
Major Program: Master Clothing Volunteer
Studies indicate that sewing is not only a productive hobby and life skill, it can reduce stress and increase an individual’s feeling of self-worth. The Shelby County Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Agent and Jefferson County 4-H Agent served as the Cooperative Extension Service’s Louisville Area Master Clothing Volunteer (MCV) Contact and Assistant Contact Agents. The FCS and 4-H Agent coordinated the Louisville Area Master Clothing Volunteers (MCVs) statewide training attendance
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: Kelly Smith
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
Several years ago, community members within the Louisville Area began the discussion of the need for education within areas of Agriculture. With the access to a historical farm site and number of educators willing to get involved, the Family, Farm and Forage Day event was created. Several members from the community, Metro Council of Louisville and the Extension office were represented to plan the event. This event included; Demonstrations and Speakers on-forage crops, high tu
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: Health 4-H Core Curriculum
Many students struggle in the areas of science and math. As a way of alternative learning, Jefferson County 4-H has introduced Science in the Kitchen to 160 youth in afterschool programs and community center settings. Before participating in this program, 85 percent of the students did not realize that “real” science takes place in the kitchen! As a way to introduce fun and education while cooking, students practiced cooking by leaning and utilizing practical hands
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
Several years ago, community members within the Louisville Area began the discussion of the need for education within areas of Agriculture. With the access to a historical farm site and number of educators willing to get involved, the Family, Farm and Forage Day event was created. Several members from the community, Metro Council of Louisville and the Extension office were represented to plan the event. This event included; Demonstrations and Speakers on-forage crops, h
Author: Chanda Hall
Major Program: Science, Engineering and Technology 4-H Core Curriculum
This summer 130 students from Sowing Seeds with Faith Summer Camp entered the world of robotics and learned the basics of coding. Utilizing Ozobots, students solved puzzles, designed mazes, and developed codes to get their Ozobot from one endpoint another. Ozobots have color sensors which recognize color patterns students draw on paper with markers to control the actions of the robot. The Ozobot will follow a solid black line but when students add short color sequences that mat
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: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Keys to Embracing Aging
Brain ActivityOften there is talk about the importance of exercising the body, but exercising the brain is equally important. Previous research indicated the brain’s capacity to learn and grow stopped with age, recent studies show the brain is continually able to learn and adapt through the creation of new neural pathways. Scientists have change what they think about brain function with this research and holds new hope for older adults. As the population ages, risks for cognitive decl
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Embracing Life as We Age (general)
Act Fast- Stroke AwarenessStroke is the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and the third leading cause of death in both the nation and Kentucky. Ischemic stroke accounts for 85% of all strokes. The only approved treatment for acute ischemic stroke has to be given within three hours of the beginning of a stroke. Stroke patients who receive this treatment have at least a 30% chance of having minimal to no disability. This translates into higher rates of patients being discharged to home or re
Author: Valerie Holland
Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)
Sewing is cool again! Not too long ago, hand-sewn items were considered “homespun”, “plain-Jane” and “unsophisticated”. But with the popularity of TV shows like Project Runway, Fashion Star and more recently Threads, sewing is now thought of more in terms such as “stylish”, “innovative” & “fashion-forward”. Keeping that in mind, the "It's Sew Fine for Home and Family Sewing Expo (Sewing Expo) committe
