Acquiring Life SkillsPlan of Work

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McCracken County CES

Title:
Acquiring Life Skills
MAP:
Developing and Enhancing Life Skills
Agents Involved:
Henderson, Wooley, Wimberley, Baysinger, ANR, Tashjian
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Home & Consumer Horticulture
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Securing Financial Stability (general)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Communications and Expressive Arts 4-H Core Curriculum
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Family and Consumer Sciences 4-H Core Curriculum
Situation:

It is critical for a healthy and sustainable community to have contributing members of society with necessary life skills. Currently in McCracken County there is a need to learn and practice healthy habits, create and live within a budget and form positive relationships with others.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.

Gain and maintain employment through life-skill development.

Contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.

Residents utilize the skills gained through education and involvement in Extension programs.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Practice life skills in projects and life situations.

Be responsible consumers and financial decision makers.

Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future.

Initial Outcomes:

Gain knowledge and develop skills that enhance healthy life skills.

Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Youth and adults learn basic life skills

Indicator: Youth and adults participate in programs, read newsletters with basic skills information.

Method: Attendance, recipients of newsletters.

Timeline: Ongoing



Intermediate Outcome: Increase of self-esteem and life skill abilities

Indicator: Increased availability and request of information and participation in Homemaker projects, FCS workshops and presentations.

Method: Testimonials and/or surveys from all participants.

Timeline: Ongoing



Long-Term Outcome: Increase of self-esteem and life skill abilities enabling youth and adults to increase life skills.

Indicator: Increased participation in Extension programs and/or activities that deal with life skill issues and reaching new clientele.

Method: Testimonials from all participants. 4-H group of youth forms. Increases in life skill programs conducted by 4-H, Horticulture, Agriculture and Family and Consumer Sciences.

Timeline: Ongoing








Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth and adults

Activity: Camp, Fashion Show, McCracken County Fair, sewing workshops, food workshops, summer programs, gardening with youth, Juvenile Justice Program, Dog Club, Job Skills Workshops, Art Club, Reality Store, Rotary Luncheon, Coins for Change, Garden Club, Money Wise Budgeting Classes.

Content or Curriculum: State 4-H curriculum, UK publications, videos and other research-based information. KEHA manual, UK Specialists, Horticulture Newsletter

Inputs: 4-H Volunteers, RSVP, Homemakers, English's Sewing Center, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club , Kiwanis, Rotary Club, UK Specialists, UK Specialists, UK Publications, AQS Agriculture Tours, Master Food Volunteers, Early Childhood Publications, Master Food Volunteers, Early Childhood Council and area schools, Councils, Department of Juvenile Justice and Paducah Parks, Purchase District Health Department, Money Smart curriculum, Active Parenting Now Curriculum, Nurturing Families Curriculum.

Date: August-June






Success Stories

Floral Design Class Teaches Skills for Area Residents

Author: Kathryn Wimberley

Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture

Situation:  It is critical for a healthy and sustainable community to have contributing members of society with necessary life skills. Currently in McCracken County there is a need to learn and practice healthy habits, create and live within a budget and form positive relationships with others. McCracken County manager asked if the Fall County Extension Council (CEC) meeting could be a luncheon meeting with table decorations of fresh flowers. The addition of tablecloths and fresh flowe

Full Story

"Story Walk" literacy event

Author: Denise Wooley

Major Program: Nurturing Families (general)

"Story Walk" literacy event

Parents want their children to succeed. All the successes in life are built on a foundation of early brain development. Brain research tell us that by the age of 5, more than 90 percent of the make up of the brain is already in place. We can dramatically boost our children’s chances for successes by providing early experiences for a strong foundation for the learning.The UK Cooperative Extension Service partners with the Community Early Childhood Council (CECC) in McCracken County to encou

Full Story

Embracing Aging

Author: Denise Wooley

Major Program: Keys to Embracing Aging

Embracing Aging

 People are living longer. Kentucky’s current population of seniors (65+) is 13.3%, and in McCracken County's it is 19.4% a number that is expected to double in the next 40 years. Whether it is the graying of America or extended life expectancies, aging is a lifespan process. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the changes that accompany aging, in regard to health, independence and life quality throughout all stages of life. The Family and Consumer Science

Full Story

Cultivating Friendships

Author: Amanda Wilson

Major Program: Agriculture 4-H Core Curriculum

Eight 5th graders girls at McNabb Elementary agreed to join the McNabb Self Esteem club. The club met bi-weekly at the school for 7 months, and focused on the following topic: Self Worth, Body Image, and Friendships. The area of concentration for this report will be Friendships. In February, all 8 girls traveled to Paducah Tilghman High School, where there teamed up with a group of mentors called BABES. They all made floral arrangements, and the younger girls kept the arrangements to serve as a

Full Story

Money Wise Budgeting

Author: Denise Wooley

Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)

In the current economy, financial stability is important. That stability rests with families securing and managing the income they have. There are 15.2% of McCracken County residents that are categorized as living in poverty. The poverty rate in the city of Paducah is even higher reaching 24.7%. One out of every 4.1 residents of Paducah lives in poverty. The poverty rate across the state of Kentucky is 18.3%, meaning Paducah has a significantly higher than average percentage of residents below t

Full Story
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