Extension
It Starts With Us
Fostering Life Skills Education in Youth and Families
Youth and Families Life Skills
Alexander, Potts, Heisdorffer
Financial Education - General
21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
Family and Consumer Science
Leadership
The start of 4-H came about in the early 1900’s as a way to provide hands-on learning to youth so that they may share the learned skills with their families. Today, 4-H is known as one of the largest youth development organizations in the country. As many families in Daviess County live within broken homes, with 436 of every 1000 youth in foster care, 21% of children living in poverty, and a 45 of every 1000 juvenile incarceration rate, the need for both youth and families to gain valuable life skills has never been greater. As guardians strive to meet family needs in single-parent households, 36% of homes with children in Daviess County, there is little time to teach these skills at home. As many schools no longer include family and consumer science classes in their curriculum, youth must learn these skills elsewhere. 4-H is able to utilize in-school, after-school, club, and camp settings to engage and educate youth in these areas. Additionally, the Family and Consumer Sciences program provides parents, guardians, caregivers, and young adults with parenting skills, financial education, and estate planning, as city and county schools respectively show the following statistics for age-appropriate youth; 42.8% and 56.7% are kindergarten ready, 48.1% and 59.5% display 4th grade reading level preparedness, 47.2% and 48.4% are 8th grade math proficient, and 84.1% and 92.3% graduate high school on time.
*Source: Kentucky Kids Count Survey
Youth and families will improve financial stability
Extension youth will seek post-secondary and career development
Youth and families will make decisions to improve independence and resiliency
Participants create a budget
Participants prioritize activities and needs
Individuals implement one or more activities to secure financial future
Families use appropriate learning activities and positive discipline
Participants apply one or more life skills in daily life
Individuals evaluate home or workplace for safety
Participants can distinguish between wants and needs/fixed expenses
Individuals discuss time management
Individuals define financial terms/literacy
Participants can match ages and stages
Identify/observe life skill practices
Individuals can name two or more safety practices
Long-term Outcome: Development in life skills in youth and families
Indicator: Youth and families will make decision to improve independence and resiliency
Method: Observation, written pre/post surveys, personal testimonies
Timeline: School year, duration of the program
Audience: Youth Ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Cooking, Food Safety, Nutrition
Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef, Fantastic Foods, Luv-an-Eff, Put it Up! Food Preservation, Cooking 101-401, What's on Your Plate?
Inputs: 4-H Agents, Program Assistant
Date: School Year 2021-2022
Audience: Youth Ages 9-18
Project or Activity: 4-H Camp
Content or Curriculum: West KY 4-H Camping Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agents, West KY 4-H Camping Faculty
Date: June/July 2021
Audience: Elementary School Youth Ages 9-12
Project or Activity: Progressive Agriculture Youth Safety Day
Content or Curriculum: Progressive Ag Safety Materials, Approved Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agents, Program Assistant, Extension Volunteers
Date: 2021-2022
Audience: Youth Ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Project Day Camps
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agents, Program Assistant, Extension Volunteers
Date: Summer 2021
Audience: Youth Ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Shooting Sports
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H Shooting Sports Approved Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Certified 4-H Shooting Sports Coaches
Date: October 2021-September 2022
Audience: Youth Ages 16-19
Project or Activity: Adulting 101
Content or Curriculum: Approved 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Daviess County Extension Agents, volunteers
Date: Spring 2022
Audience: Recovery Center participants, youth Ages 9-18
Project or Activity: Financial lessons, credit score, budgeting
Content or Curriculum: Money Habitudes, CreditWise, Needs v. Wants
Inputs: Extension Agents
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Individuals and Families
Project or Activity: Vegetable Gardening Topics
Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications
Inputs: Agent and Extension Master Gardeners
Date: Summer 2021 - February/March 2022
Audience: College Students
Project or Activity: It's Your Reality
Content or Curriculum: It's Your Reality
Inputs: Extension Agents, Volunteers
Date: 2021/2022
Author: Annette Heisdorffer
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Teaching youth how to garden provides them with life-long skills and the appreciation of growing food. Gardening also encourages them to eat the vegetables they grow. The Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service Office partnered with Girls, Inc. during the 2021 summer session. The horticulture agent provided gardening hands on growing instructions and explored the parts of a seed. Twelve participants planted four raised beds with tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, and cucumbers at thei
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Health
Unintentional injury, while declining, remains the leading cause of death among children ages 19 and under. (Source: Safekids.org) To raise awareness and demonstrate techniques children can use to prevent unintentional injury, the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service applied for and received a grant from the Progressive Agriculture Foundation to host a Progressive Agriculture Youth Safety Day. The grant provided access to training, along with educational and planning ma
Author: Sharayha Clingenpeel
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Over the last couple of years, the number of entries at the county fair has started to decrease. In an order to increase participation, the Daviess Co. Extension 4-H Youth Development Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent, and All Areas Program Assistant created a color collage project for youth at Camp Curiosity to complete. This color collage is a 4-H fair entry under Home Environment. Information sheets were attached to the back side of each collage with the Daviess Co. Fair information a
Author: Annette Heisdorffer
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Due to the pandemic, a different way to reach people with local science-based gardening information was needed. Therefore, a partnership between the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Service and the Daviess County Public Library was developed. Gardening programs were presented by the horticulture agent through PowerPoint during Facebook Live and recorded by the library. During the second year of the partnership, eight presentations were delivered on topics such as Dividing Perennials;
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
The primary goal of the Kentucky 4-H Sewing program is to teach youth about the art and skills of creating useful items using needle and thread. This includes not only the use of a hand needle and thread, but also the sewing machine, serger and even the iron. Sewing can be used to create clothing and wardrobe essentials, as well as useful items for daily living. Even simple sewing projects require several hours of work to complete, especially for youth who are learning. &
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Agriculture
“In order to develop self-confidence, youth need to feel and believe they are capable, and they must experience success at solving problems and meeting challenges. By exploring 4-H projects and activities, youth master skills to make positive career and life choices. Additionally, youth need to have a safe environment for making mistakes and getting feedback, not just through competition, but also as an ongoing element of participation. Finally, youth need the breadth and
Author: Stacey Potts
Major Program: Leadership
4-H Camp volunteers have a tremendous influence on the success of camp. Daviess County was fortunate to take thirteen excellent adult volunteers to 4-H camp this year. All volunteers received required 4-H Camp volunteer training. Some, but certainly not all, of the best volunteers are the ones who grow through their own 4-H camp participation as youth. Five of this year’s volunteers were young adults (aged 18-20) who quite successfully navigated the differences be
