Extension
It Starts With Us
Decision-Making; Physical Activity; Nutrition; Substance Abuse; Safety; Securing Financial Stability
Making Positive Lifestyle Choices
Gary Druin, 4-H Agent; Greg Comer, ANR Agent
Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)
Securing Financial Stability (general)
Promoting Healthy Homes and Communities (general)
Truth and Consequences: The Choice is Yours
The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. The rate in Kentucky increased 90 percent over the last 15 years. Thirty percent of individuals in the Commonwealth report no leisure-time physical activity. Increased consumption of unhealthy food, stress, and built environments that promote physical inactivity are largely responsible for the obesity epidemic. As a result, Kentuckians are dying from heart disease and cancer at higher rates than all Americans ad they have a lower life expectancy, 75.5 years, compared to 78 years for Americans. Our goal is to reverse these trends by working with various organizations, agencies, and groups to promote health and wellness.
Kentucky has the 3rd highest drug overdose mortality rate in the U.S. (HealthyAmerican.org) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that high school students in Kentucky are above the national average in their lifetime and for current 30 day use of cigarettes, current 30 day use of smokeless tobacco, lifetime inhalant use, and lifetime methamphetamine use (YBRFS, 2009). There is an increased need for awareness of the consequences and resources related to substance abuse.
•Decrease 30 day use of substances among youth
•Increase in the practice and promotion of physical activity and healthy eating daily
•Improvement in the built environment to promote physical activity and healthy eating
•Decrease number of youth involved in substance abuse practices
•Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns
•Practice of physical activity in families and communities and decreased time spent on sedentary behaviors
•Strengthen community coalitions or partnerships to address obesity, physical inactivity and chronic disease
•Students increase knowledge about risks and harm of substance abuse
•Educate parent and community volunteers to help change attitudes towards youth substance abuse
•Increase awareness of services provided for youth/ families to prevent and end substance abuse
•Increase awareness, knowledge, opinions, skills, and attitudes needed to make informed choices regarding:
-Healthy Lifestyle Choices
-Childhood and Youth Obesity
-Adult Weight Management
-Practice and Promotion of Daily Physical Activity
-Reduction of Chronic Disease
Evaluation:
Long-term Outcome: Decrease number of youth involved in substance abuse practices
Indicator: Decrease number of youth involved in substance abuse practices
Method: Student Pre/Post Test and KIP Data
Timeline: Fall yearly
Evaluation:
Initial Outcome: Students increase knowledge about risks and harm of substance abuse
Indicator: Students increase knowledge about risks and harm of substance abuse
Method: Student Pre/Post Test
Timeline: Fall yearly
Intermediate Outcome: Practice healthy food choices and strengthen individuals’ ability to build healthy eating plans and patterns
Indicator: Increase in number of healthy meals prepared at home; Increase in number of healthy lunches prepared for work/ school; Increase number of meals eaten together as a family
Method: Written and Verbal evaluations; Facebook posts by clientele
Timeline: All year
Evaluation:
Long-term Outcome: Participants adapt healthy habits to increase their longevity
Indicator:Homework assignments indicate behavior change regarding the 12 Keys to embrace aging
Method: Post program evaluation
Timeline: April 2020
Audience: 8th graders
Project or Activity: Truth & Consequences: The Choice Is Yours
Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences: The Choice Is Yours
Inputs: Extension Staff, School Officials, District Judge, County Attorney, Defense Attorney, KY State Police, City/ County Law Enforcement, Coroner, School Resource Officer, Emergency Medical Treatment, Hospital, Jailer, CDW, Dept. of Juvenile Justice, Board of Ed., Health Dept., Zero Tolerance, Pharmacists, Faith Based members, Counseling/ Treatment, Providers, Parent Volunteers, Ohio County Middle School, Together We Care
Date: Oct./ Nov. 2019
Audience: Youth and Families
Project or Activity: Longest Day of Play
Content or Curriculum: Physical Fitness & Nutrition
Inputs: Extension Staff, Ohio County Hospital, Board of Ed., Local Chiropractors and banks and Churches and Pharmacies, Beaver Dam Nursing & Rehab, Care Tenders, CASA, Christian Care at Home, Community Home Health, Green River District Health Dept., Kentucky Cancer Program, Ohio County Artist Guild, Ohio County Schools, OC Fire Department, Sherriff’s Dept., OC Tourism, Perdue, Wal-Mart, Together We Care, Local Media
Date: June 2020
Audience: Individuals and Families
Project or Activity: Small Steps to Health & Wealth
Content or Curriculum: Small Steps to Health & Wealth Online Challenge
Inputs: Jennifer Hunter (online challenge), Jackie Walters, PIU recipe cards, USDA website, Ohio County Wellness Center, Ohio County Hospital, Perdue Farms (Angie Hudnell, RN)
Date: Feb. 2020
Audience: Perdue Employees
Project or Activity: OC Healthy/ Closed Facebook group to Perdue employees
Content or Curriculum: Diabetes Prevention Program
Inputs: OC Monitor, Facebook, Angie Hudnell, RN at Perdue, Local restaurants, Family Wellness Center, OC Health Coalition, GRDHD, OC Healthcare, IGA
Date: Year-Round
Audience: First time parents
Project or Activity: Celebrate the Baby
Content or Curriculum: Community Baby Shower
Inputs: Adult Ed., Manage Care Providers, Hope for Life, Child Care Award, Homemakers, FCS Agent, Owensboro Health, Ohio County Hospital, American Red Cross, River Valley, Migrant Ed., GRDHD, State Police
Date: October 2020
Audience: Migrant Youth and their families
Project or Activity: County Migrant Ed. Summer Program
Content or Curriculum: County Migrant Ed. Summer Program
Inputs: Extension Staff, UK Extension Publication, Ready-Set-Grow, Look-a-likes program, PIU recipes,
Date: June 2020
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Food Club/ School Clubs
Content or Curriculum: Jump into Food and Fitness, Exercise
Inputs: Extension Staff, Volunteers, Ohio County School Staff
Date: Club meetings – All year
Audience: 7th grade Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Body Walk
Content or Curriculum: Body Walk – Jump into Fun Food and Fitness
Inputs: Volunteers, Community Organizations, OC Schools, Extension Staff, Non-profit organizations
Date: March – April 2020
Audience: Adults and Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Horticulture Club
Content or Curriculum: Vegetable/ Fruit – Nutrition Education
Inputs: Volunteers, Extension Staff
Date: All year
Audience: Adults and Youths
Project or Activity: Youth 4-H Shooting Sports Safety Program
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Shooting Sports
Inputs: Volunteers, Community Leaders, Extension Staff
Date: All year
Audience: 6th Grade Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Dollars and Sense Program
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Reality Series/Dollars and Sense
Inputs: Ohio County School System, Volunteers, Community Leaders, Extension Staff
Date: February-March 2020
Audience: Ohio Co. Youth
Project or Activity: Celebrate the Child
Content or Curriculum: Creating positive lifestyles images for youth
Inputs: Multiple youth agencies and organizations
Date: Spring 2020
Author: Gary Druin
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how the 4-H Youth Development program has traditionally delivered youth learning experiences, young people are still learning by doing through a variety of activities and programs that emphasize 4-H’s philosophy of youth development. At-home learning activities are taking place across the state and educational programs are delivered by virtual methods. 4-H is perceived as the foundation of positive youth development and during tim
