McCracken County 4-H Communication and Arts EducationPlan of Work

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McCracken County CES

Title:
McCracken County 4-H Communication and Arts Education
MAP:
4-H Youth Development and Education
Agents Involved:
Osborne
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Communications and Expressive Arts
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Leadership
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Health
Situation:

Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky.  The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader.   Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communication & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capacities.  This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006) Research also shows a positive association between arts participation and a number of desirable academic and social outcomes, such as school grades, test scores, enrollment in post-secondary education, attainment of a bachelor’s degree, and higher levels of literacy and civic engagement. (Child Trends, 2012) Kentucky 4-H provides communication and expressive arts by engaging youth in hands-on educational experiences that inspire confidence and foster a love for the arts.  Programs and projects are offered in the areas of public speaking, visual arts, and performing arts. 

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:

·Youth apply elements of music, dance, drama and visual arts in creating and performing

Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: 

Indicator: Youth complete a communication and expressive arts project

Method: 

Timeline: 4-H Program Year

Intermediate Outcome: Youth will demonstrate an increased level of comfortability and confidence writing speeches with transitions, attention getters, body and closing. 

Indicator: Youth compete with revised and altered speeches in progressing competitions based on judges feedback.

Method: 

Timeline: School Year


Long-term Outcome: Youth will utilize the skills gained to serve as leaders in 4-H and other organizations

Indicator: Youth join 4-H via a community or school club, youth become involved in other organizations and speaking competitions such as Kentucky Farm Bureau Outstanding Youth Competition or Toastmasters

Method: 4-H Enrollment Sheets and community outreach and collaboration with other organizations, reference letters

Timeline: School Year and beyond

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19

Project or Activity:

Content or Curriculum: 

Inputs: Volunteers, Public Speaking, GT and English Teachers, UK Agents, Specialists

Date: School Year


Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19

Project or Activity: Public Speaking - Grab Bag Speeches 

Content or Curriculum: Agent Developed Curriculum

Inputs: Students, County 4-H Agent

Date: School Year


Audience: AP Spanish Class 

Project or Activity: Public Speaking in Spanish Competition 

Content or Curriculum: Agent' Translated and Developed Curriculum

Inputs: Spanish Teachers in Community, County 4-H Agent, California and Florida 4-H Curriculum, UK Specialists

Date: School Year


Audience: Youth ages 6 - 19

Project or Activity: Communicating Effectively

Content or Curriculum: Agent Developed Curriculum 

Inputs: County 4-H Agent, Student's, Leadership classes, teachers, specialists

Date: School Year


Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19

Project or Activity:

Content or Curriculum:

Inputs: County 4-H Agent, Art Teachers, 21st Century Directors, WKCTC, Volunteers, Specialists

Date: School Year




Success Stories

Cloverbud Citizenship

Author: Brittany Osborne

Major Program: Civic Engagement

Cloverbud Citizenship

With civic distress in the United States during our 2020 Presidential Campaign, the need for more education around civic engagement was in high demand. Through the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service, 4-H met this demand in a local school. The U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncanthe states, "When it is done well, civic education equips students with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century – the ability to communicate effectively, to work collectively, to

Full Story

Singing Stardom

Author: Brittany Osborne

Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts

Singing Stardom

In her early teen years, Mandy Moore started singing “The Star Spangled Banner” at various sports events in her Floridian hometown, earning her the nickname “The National Anthem Girl." According to her own personal testament, this is how Moore was discovered and signed a record deal at age 15. Gabrielle Copeland is a 4-H member at the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service in Paducah, Kentucky. She began singing at the age of 2 and she has never lost her love

Full Story

Mock Interviews Raise Awareness of Self

Author: Brittany Osborne

Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts

Bi-monthly educational programming with a focus in communication and workforce prep was taught in a county middle school this year. Classes were led in a collaboration with the Career Pathways Teacher at the school and the Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development in McCracken County. Topics were planned and implemented during class time in the Spring semester to merge together the importance of learning overarching communication skills, impromptu speaking, self-discovery and personality types.

Full Story
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