Extension
It Starts With Us
Youth Overall Development and Well Being
Youth Overall Development and Well Being
Dora Webb
Communications and Expressive Arts
Leadership
Family and Consumer Science
The Centers for Disease Control found in a nationally representative survey that only 29% of high school youth participated in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on each of the seven days before the survey. Participation in physical activity decreases as we age.
How we live life is ever-changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Learning to practice healthy habits, select clothing to emphasize one’s best appearance, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe and pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others—all of these skills are basic to everyday life. Many schools no longer include family and consumer sciences classes in the curriculum. Reality is that today’s youth and adults are busier than ever. Many of these basic life skills are not consistently taught to youth at home or at school. 4-H family and consumer sciences projects equip youth with these skills.
As with any other Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum area, when it comes to development of life skills, a strong case can be made for the need to go beyond mere transfer of knowledge to giving youth the opportunity for a variety of supportive, related learning experiences to significantly increase the program’s influence.
4-H often offers basic learning activities on a topic of interest to youth but the addition of activities which support that interest (such as fair exhibits, related subject matter workshops or day camps, field trips, and decision-making judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills in youth. In a study by Olson, Croymans and Ji (2014), 4-Hers reported that participating in 1 or 2 educational opportunities influenced the development of critical thinking and decision making skills, and participating in 6 to 8 opportunities significantly increased the program’s influence by adding development of life skills in leadership, planning/organization, wise use of resources, useful/marketable skills and accepting differences.
While many FCS skills can be learned through self-directed projects or school enrichment, it’s beneficial for youth to have the added experience and guidance of a trusted adult and the opportunity to form relationships with caring mentors. For many adults, long-term volunteering is not always possible but shorter-term volunteer roles create doable opportunities for more people to tuck volunteering into busy schedules. Special interest clubs and groups that meet for a few weeks or months broaden the possibilities. The volunteer efforts of multiple adults may be required to take the 4-H experience from club meetings alone to also include exhibits, field trips and more.
Youth maintain positive health habits.
Youth are at a lower risk for serious disease and illness.
Youth are at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress.
Youth are competent, capable, contributing adults as a result of their participation in 4-H Health
programs.
Youth will be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
Youth will gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
Youth will contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.
Youth will serve as teen and adult leaders in their communities, community organizations, and
as mentors for younger youth.
Youth will be productive, contributing adults in the future.
Youth adopt healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Youth will utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
Youth will project a positive image and self-confidence
Youth will practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
Youth will practice healthy eating choices
Youth will make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
Youth will adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
Youth will utilize leadership skills learned during their time in 4-H in clubs, activities and other
venues with 4-H and other community organizations.
Youth will demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.
Youth will engage in community based service projects selected to address identified needs.
Youth identify healthy lifestyle choices.
Youth understand risky behaviors and their consequences.
Youth aspire to have higher self-esteem.
Youth identify healthy ways to handle stress.
Youth gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Sciences projects and programs
Youth will understand the decision-making process
Youth gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
youth will learn to read and follow instructions
Youth will increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader, team player and communicator.
Youth will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.
Youth will learn about diversity and will demonstrate inclusivity.
Youth will listen to people who have different ideas from them.
Initial Outcome: Youth identify healthy lifestyle choices.
Indicator: Youth can list ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth understand risky behaviors and their consequences.
Indicator: The number of youth that report knowing steps to avoid risky behavior.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth aspire to have higher self-esteem.
Indicator: The number of youth that can describe ways of feeling good about themselves.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth identify healthy ways to handle stress.
Indicator: The number of youth that report that they know how to handle stress
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth gain knowledge and develop skills in Family & Consumer Sciences projects and programs
Indicator: Number of youth who reported that they followed instructions step-by-step to do or make things themselves
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will understand and utilize the decision-making process
Indicator: Number of youth will apply the decision making process to a real life simulation.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
Indicator: Number of youth who can set a goal and outline a plan to achieve that goal.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth will learn to read and follow instructions
Indicator: Number of youth who read and followed instructions
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth will increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader, team player and communicator.
Indicator: Number of youth who can describe the qualities of an effective leader, team player and communicator.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.
Indicator: Number of youth who can list positive and negative leadership characteristics.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Initial Outcome: Youth will learn about diversity and listen to people who have different ideas from them.
Indicator: Youth will identify situations that exemplify diversity and inclusiveness.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth adopt healthy behaviors that lead to a healthy lifestyle that include making healthy lifestyle choices, not engaging in risky behavior and handling stress.
Indicator: The number of youth that report making healthy lifestyle choices.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
Indicator: Number of youth who demonstrate increased or routine use of life skills learned through 4-H in
daily life.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will project a positive image and self-confidence
Indicator: Number of youth who reported that they set a goal and accomplished it.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
Indicator: Number of youth who report applying consumer wise choices in their everyday lives.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will practice healthy eating choices
Indicator: Percentage of program participants who report a change in eating habits
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
Indicator: Number of youth who utilize skills learned to apply for employment and secondary education opportunities.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
Indicator: Number of youth who utilize skills learned to apply for employment and secondary education opportunities.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
Indicator: Number of youth who utilize skills learned to apply for employment and secondary education opportunities.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will utilize leadership skills learned during their time in 4-H in clubs, activities and other venues with 4-H and other community organizations.
Indicator:Number of 4-H members serving as club leaders and/or mentors to younger youth.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will demonstrate leadership, teamwork and communication skills in their day to day lives.
Indicator: Number of youth who take part in and accomplish a club/team project.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will engage in community based service projects and/or serve in volunteer capacities selected to address identified needs.
Indicator: Number of youth who serve as community volunteers to address community needs.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: 2018-19
Long-term Outcome: Youth maintain positive health habits.
Indicator:
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: Ongoing
Long-term Outcome: Youth are at a lower risk for physical and emotional distress.
Indicator: The number of youth that report not engaging in risky behavior.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: Ongoing
Long-term Outcome: Youth are competent, capable, contributing adults as a result of their participation in 4-H Health programs.
Indicator:Number of youth who demonstrate increased or routine use of life skills learned through 4-H in
daily life.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: Ongoing
Long-term Outcome: Youth will serve as teen and adult leaders in their communities, community organizations, and as mentors for younger youth.
Indicator: Number of past or current program participants who serve as volunteers and/or mentors in extension or throughout their community.
Method: Survey and observations
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: 8th Grade & High/Middle School students
Project or Activity: Reality Store & Regional transition fair
Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality; World of Work series; KSB print guidleines; ADA guidelines
Inputs: FYRSC coordinators; KCC Beta and Honors Club; Community volunteers
Date: Academic Year
Audience: Grades 6-8
Project or Activity: Leadership Days
Content or Curriculum: 4H Unlock your Leadership Potential; Team building curriculum
Inputs: materials for leadership and team building activities
Date: Academic Year
Audience: All grades K-12
Project or Activity: County Fair Project entries (Art, Photography, Woodworking, Home Environment, Consumer Education and Forestry)
Content or Curriculum: Various 4H and UK Curricula
Inputs: volunteers and project materials
Date: Academic Year
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Civic Engagement
During our virtual pandemic, educators have faced unprecedented obstacles and loss of interest from youth, as well as, the educators themselves this past year. The youth in our community face poverty, physical abuse, drugs, foster care, homelessness and many other traumatic factors in their lives. Unfortunately, Knott county and eastern Kentucky has been identified as an area with very high concentration of all the above. The 4-H agent and a local high school teacher set out to
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Civic Engagement
In the winter of 2020, Knott Co 4-H was approached by several local organizations who had lost their typical sponsors and volunteers due to the pandemic. These organizations look to help youth who are in the foster care system. These youth and families are extremely high risk and the majority are low income. We have never attempted a program like an angel tree where children are anonymous and donated gifts are given to those children and families in need, but we embraced the id
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Family and Consumer Science Agent and the 4-H youth and development agent collaborated to provide Grab and Go monthly programs to 207 youth and 80 adults. One of the groups within our brown bag program was a community partner who deals with at-risk youth and families who have been or going through the foster care system, which included 55 adults and 92 youth each month for the year. For this community partner bags were filled with multiple lessons from our programs, stem project
