Extension
It Starts With Us
Building Strong Families through Life Skill Development
Youth and Family Life Skills
Kelly Burgess (FCS), Anna Meador (4-H), Adam Huber (ANR)
Family and Consumer Science
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Financial Education - General
Family Development General
According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019), parents with children between the ages of 6-12 spent less than one hour a day providing primary childcare and even less time dedicated to play and educational activities. We know that just as play and educational activities prepare young children to enter school, youth development opportunities prepare teens to enter college or the workforce. In the United States, only 1/3 of high school seniors are college-ready, and 1/3 are work-ready according to Kentucky Student Transitions (2016-2017). In Kentucky, 54.7% of high school students enter college after graduation, 5% pursue technical training, 3% join the military, 23.4% begin work, and 13.8% categorize their post-secondary activities as “other” per the Kentucky Department of Education (2019).
The goal of providing opportunities for families to spend quality time together in formal and informal play and educational settings is to have more students who are college and career ready after high school graduation, as well as increase current graduation rates (81% in Allen County, census.gov). This will serve as a path for Allen County to build a diverse economy that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship and small business development. In Allen County, there is a need to develop, train, and create a workforce that is prepared to safely work with the rapidly changing technology in order to create a promising future for individuals and the local community.
- Youth & Adults will adopt recommendations
- Life style practices to maximize household assets and improve financial security
- Youth & Adults will access technology & use safely
- Youth apply life-skills in daily life
- Create a budget and/ or long-term financial plan
- Demonstrate correct self-care skills
- Participate in one or more family community events
- Plan a garden for aesthetic or food production to improve property value
- Sponsor a piggy bank competition
- Complete a STEM coding project
- Explore career pathways and engage in hands-on life-skill activities
- Distinguish wants/needs or fixed expenses
- Name three or more family activities
- List three ways to improve yard or garden
- Recognize spending habits
- Understand use of technology
Initial Outcome:Youth have learned about and can apply practical life-skills (leadership, financial education, career development, cooking, 4-H Skills, etc.) obtained in Extension Program in their daily life.
Indicator: Number of youth who indicated they like to learn new things, Number of youth who applied the skills they learned in 4-H to home, school, or community, Number of youth who indicated they are willing to work hard on something difficult, Number of youth who indicated they keep trying until they reach their goals, Number of youth use knowledge & skills they learned from 4-H SET programs in daily life.
Method: Combination of Annual Common Measures Evaluation and Matching Program Survey Indicators
Timeline: Annually, beginning winter 2022
Intermediate Outcome: Youth and Families can apply financial education and spending smarts in their daily lives through budgeting and need vs. wants assessments.
Indicator: Number of individuals who identify their needs and wants and secure needs first, Number of individuals who demonstrate skill in listing their expenses and income and totaling each, Number of individuals reporting improved knowledge (such as knowledge of ways to reduce expenses; cut spending; and save for emergencies)
Method: Match Program Indicators with Reality Store, Dollars & Sense and Piggy Bank Challenge Evaluations
Timeline: Annually, beginning spring 2022
Long-term Outcome: Youth and families to increase planned family-time and increased communications through intentional parent/child family bonding baking/grilling activities.
Indicator: Number of youth who indicated they are connected to a caring adult, Number of individuals who reported preparing more healthy home-cooked meals, Number of individuals who reported eating more healthy foods, Number of individuals who report intention to cook more, Number of individuals reporting improved knowledge, opinions, skills, or aspirations regarding the safe storage, handling, and preparation of food
Method: Combination of Annual Common Measures Evaluation and Matching Program Survey Indicators
Timeline: Annually, beginning spring 2022
Audience: Families with youth ages 5-17
Project or Activity: Mothers & Kids Bake Together Event
/Fathers and Kids Grill Together Event
Content or Curriculum: Family Focused Cooking, 4-H 101-104 Cooking Series
Inputs: 4-H Agent, FCS Agent, ANR Agent, Kitchen, Cooking Supplies, Volunteers, Grills
Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Project or Activity: Family Fishing Event
Content or Curriculum: Fishing Basics and Safety
Inputs: 4-H Agent, ANR Agent, FCS Agent, Partnership with Barren River, Fishing Supplies, Volunteers, Grills, Transportation, Sound system
Date: Summer 2022, Summer 2023, Summer 2024
Audience:4-H and School Age Youth
Project or Activity: Computer Safety & Coding
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Code Your World & Code Name Home Alone: Cracking the Code Online Safety
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum Kit, Volunteers, Computer Lab/Computers
Date: Spring/Summer 2022
Project or Activity: Dollars & Sense Program
Content or Curriculum: Dollars & Sense Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum, Volunteers, Posters/Props, Vol. Meals
Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Project or Activity: Reality Store Program
Content or Curriculum: Reality Store Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Curriculum, Volunteers, Posters/Props, Vol. Meals
Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Audience: Boys & Girls Club Participants
Project or Activity: Life Skill Development Lessons & Gardening
Content or Curriculum: Various 4-H/ANR/FCS/NEP Curriculum
Inputs: ANR Agent, FCS Agent, 4-H Agent, NEP Assistant, Lessons Supplies, Gardening Equipment
Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Audience: High School Students
Project or Activity: Piggy Bank Contest
Content or Curriculum: Kentucky Saves, Money Wise
Inputs: FCS Agent, School & Local Sponsors, Curriculum, Awards
Date: Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Author: Kelly Burgess
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
With over 100 companies in the United States providing meal kit delivery services and 39% of adults in the United States having at least tried a meal kit, learning to discern if meal kits are the right fit for you and your family is an essential skill. Online advertisements and marketing for meal kits may make them seem very appealing, especially to people who do not usually cook at home. Many meal kit delivery services boast meals designed for weight loss, which may appeal to Allen County famil
Author: Anna Meador
Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
While many organizations halted their programs due to COVID-19, Allen County 4-H stayed the course by tailoring their programs throughout the changing tides of the pandemic to ensure our 4-H youth remained actively engaged through a wide variety of project areas. Despite having fewer in-person programs and workshops, Allen County youth proved their determination to persevere as they submitted over 155 entries for the County 4-H Project Showcase, 83 4-H Project submissions which advanced to
Author: Kelly Burgess
Major Program: Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services reports that 10% of adolescents self-report illicit drug use in the past month. Substance use prevention programming is critical to the prevention, delayed onset, and/or early identification of substance use. The Life Skills Training (LST) program, developed by Botvin and colleagues, is one of the most successful substance use prevention programs available for use. It teaches a variety of personal self-management skills and social s
Author: Anna Meador
Major Program: Camping
With the primary goal of the Kentucky 4-H Cloverbud program being to promote children’s healthy development – mentally, physically, socially and emotionally, the West KY 4-H Cloverbud Family camp and its team of agent coordinators worked hard to provide an excellent opportunity for children ages 5-8 and their families to learn about the world around them, develop positive attitudes about learning new things by hands-on involvement, develop a deeper r
Author: Anna Meador
Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health – 4-H Youth Development
According the Community Assessment conducted in 2019, Allen County community members identified these three areas of need in their community: More support for families with mental and emotional health issuesStronger parenting and relationship building skillsAvailability of substance use prevention programsIn response to these community concerns, Allen County Cooperative Extension Agents, Anna Meador and Kelly Burgess, partnered with community organizations in order to present the Strengthen
