Extension
It Starts With Us
Improving Basic Lifeskills, Well-being, and Quality of Life
Strengthening Community Lifeskills
Connor Cooper, Erika Wood, Curtis Dame, Katie Jury, and Katherine Jury
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum AND Natural Resources
4-H Youth Development Programming
4-H Communications and Expressive Arts Core Curriculum
According to CEDIK statistics, in Hopkins County, 19.5% of adults and 26.4% of children live below the poverty line, 21.8% of adults report only fair or poor overall health, and 35.4% of the total population is considered obese. Regarding education, only 13.4% of Hopkins County residents hold a Bachelor's degree or higher, 79.9% hold a high school diploma or GED, and the average household income falls behind the national average by almost $12,000 annually. As a result of the demographic data, and availability of Extension resources and programming, the County Extension Council and Area Program Councils recommend that children and families in Hopkins County are in need of life-skill education, including the knowledge and skills to lead a healthy lifestyle, communicate effectively, and manage household resources.
A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly
Improvement in the overall health and wellbeing of residents, which indicate quality of life.
Increase in adults and families living above the poverty line.
Increase in education and workforce placements.
Maintain appropriate calorie balance and activity level during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age.
Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.
Increased practice of skills that increase employability and educational attainment.
Change in knowledge needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices and basic life skills.
Change in opinions and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices and basic life skills.
Change in learned skills needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices and basic life skills.
Initial Outcome: Change in knowledge needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices and basic life skills.
Indicator: increased knowledge of healthy choices and life skills
Method: pre-test/post-test, surveys, NEERS data
Timeline: 2019-2020
Initial Outcome: Change in learned skills needed to make informed choices regarding healthy lifestyle choices and basic life skills.
Indicator: increased skills that facilitate healthy choices and life skills
Method: pre-test/post-test, surveys, NEERS data
Timeline: 2019-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Increased practice of skills that increase employability and educational attainment.
Indicator: surveys, use of local resources including employment workshops and programs
Method: pre-test post test data, surveys of use of local resources
Timeline: 2019-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Practice healthy lifestyle decision-making that strengthen individuals’ ability to cope with normal life stressors.
Indicator: surveys, NEERS data, use of local resources, including mental health
Method: pre-test post test data, surveys of use of facilities
Timeline: 2019-2020
Intermediate Outcome: Maintain appropriate calorie balance and activity level during each stage of life: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, pregnancy and breastfeeding and older age.
Indicator: surveys, use of local recreational facilities
Method: pre-test post test data, surveys of use of facilities
Timeline: 2019-2020
Long-term Outcome: A decrease in the number of obese and overweight children, youth, adults and elderly.
Indicator: CDC and CEDIK data on population weight distribution
Method: data comparison over years
Timeline: 2017-2020
Long-term Outcome: Increase in adults and families living above the poverty line.
Indicator: CEDIK data of household income and poverty statistics
Method: data comparison over years
Timeline: 2017-2020
Long-term Outcome: Increase in education and workforce placements.
Indicator: CEDIK data of employment statistics and educational attainment
Method: data comparison over years
Timeline: 2017-2020
Audience: Producers, Business Owners, and future clients
Project or Activity: Budget, Management, Stress and other meetings
Content or Curriculum: Moneywise, FarmStart, Annie's Project, and other content based programming.
Inputs: Extension Agents, Specialists, Community leaders, and Extension publications.
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: Teens and Families
Project or Activity: Suicide Prevention Coalition
Content or Curriculum: UK Healthcare specialists
Inputs: Health Dept., community partners, school system, faith-based communities
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: Families and Individuals
Project or Activity: Pinterest Club
Content or Curriculum: UK publications and Extension information
Inputs: Extension agent, UK publications and Extension information, community volunteers
Date: 2019-2020
Audience: Hopkins County Homemakers
Project or Activity: Homemaker lessons, local, area, and state-wide KEHA activities
Content or Curriculum: KEHA curriculum, area Homemaker monthly lessons
Inputs: KEHA curriculum, UK specialists and curriculum
Date: 2017-2020
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Nurturing Parenting
Healthy couple and parenting relationships and resulting family stability benefit the well-being of adults and children. Children who live absent from their biological fathers are two to three times more likely to be poor, to experience educational, health, emotional and behavioral problems than their peers who live with their married, biological (or adoptive) parents. In an effort to increase parenting skills and provide educational resources, the Hopkins County Family and Consumer Sciences Ag
Author: Katherine Jury
Major Program: Fit Blue/Get Moving KY
Low levels of physical activity, unhealthy nutrition, and poor mental health are all determinants of several chronic diseases. These behaviors are now considered major public health concerns and require effective behaviour change interventions. Fit Blue is a community-based campaign to increase physical activity and health awareness in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Building physical activity into the day does not require special equipment or a certain location. As participants take part in Fit B
Author: Katie Mills
Major Program: 4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
Hopkins County 4-H partners with Independence Bank to host an annual Farm to Fork dinner. This has proven to be a large success for fundraising, marketing 4-H, and volunteerism from 4-H youth. Over the last three years, Hopkins County has had over 25 4-H members and volunteers to serve and clean up at the Farm to Fork event held at the Ballard Center. Here, the 4-H members and volunteers are able to learn how to properly serve someone at a table setting, etiquette, manners, and
Author: Katie Mills
Major Program: 4-H Leadership Core Curriculum
Hopkins County 4-H participated in a multi-county 4-H Leadership Retreat for 7th graders and above with Christian, Crittenden, and Muhlenberg Counties February 20-22, 2020. The 4-H Leadership Retreat consisted of youth participating in a three day event at Paoli Peaks, Indiana. At this retreat, youth gained valuable leadership skills, creating a larger network, and had the unique experience of either skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing. There was a total of 41 youth and 11 adu
Author: Katie Mills
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
On March 19 the Hopkins County Cooperate Extension office transitioned to a modified office schedule that had limited access to the public. This was an unfortunate outcome due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the Hopkins County Extension Office being on a modified schedule and several of our 4-H programs postponing or being cancelled, this made for a real challenge in reaching the youth in Hopkins County. After brainstorming and communicating with other 4-H Agents across Kentucky, the Grab-N-Go Ba
Author: John (Connor) Cooper
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
On March 19 the Hopkins County Cooperate Extension office transitioned to a modified office schedule that had limited access to the public. This was an unfortunate outcome due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the Hopkins County Extension Office being on a modified schedule and several of our 4-H programs postponing or being canceled, this made for a real challenge in reaching the youth in Hopkins County. After brainstorming and communicating with other 4-H Agents across Kentucky, the Grab-N-Go Bag
Author: John (Connor) Cooper
Major Program: 4-H Leadership Core Curriculum
In November Hopkins County had two youth attend the 2019 4-H Issues Conference. At this conference, youth are challenged to open their minds and explore issues that are facing teens in today’s world. While at the conference youth are split into five groups and they create mock presentations based on the problem they are trying to solve. During the presentations, they are trying to convince a mock fiscal court to give them funding and back their idea so they can create a program to focus on
