Investing in Community Leaders
Personal Growth and Leadership Development
Vicki R. Boggs, Dawna Jace Peters
Family and Consumer Science
Leadership
Community Vitality and Leadership -FCS
Community Strategic Planning
Creating a culture of individuals giving back to their community through leadership roles serves a multi-purpose process of personal growth, community engagement, and helps to ensure a new generation of involved citizens. Building the volume of volunteer leaders and partners within Leslie County is critical for the sustainability and growth of our community. With dropout rates of over 35% and escalating poverty concerns (28.6% below poverty level), providing youth and adults these valuable skills and attitudes can break negative generational patterns and prepare them to assume leadership roles both today and tomorrow. Leslie County Extension has 1 Engaged Certified Livestock Volunteer, over 60 KEHA members, 2 Master Clothing Volunteers and various other volunteers who share their expertise, and volunteer time with youth and families in their community. Through the efforts of Extension agents, paraprofessionals, and volunteers local citizens are engaged, educated and empowered to understand family and community issues and take ownership of implementing local solutions.
-Maintain and/or increase number of volunteers who extend research based information to participants
-Community problems and needs are met through active, engaged local leaders.
- Kentucky communities’ health and economy are strengthened through strong local organizational leadership
-Individuals will serve as Adult and Teen leaders in their communities, community organizations, and as mentors for younger youth
-Practice personal leadership skills in clubs, school, and community service/outreach.
-Use and Apply Improved skills in communication, problem solving, or group process in addressing organizational issues and needs.
-Apply skills to assess needs, develop programs, and implement solutions for community problems.
-Participants will develop communication skills that will allow them to effectively communicate with others.
-Participants will learn effective team management and teamwork practices.
-Participants will aspire to create change in their community through their actions, attitudes, and leadership.
-Participants will gain an appreciation for volunteerism and community service.
Initial Outcome: Gain leadership and communication skills.
Indicator: Individual(s) acquire knowledge, skills, opinions, and aspirations.
Method: Observation; Written and verbal evaluations; Individual reports
Timeline: July 2021 - June 2022
Intermediate Outcome: Leadership and communication skills are put into practice.
Indicator: Individual(s) participate in Extension and community programs and councils.
Method: Observation, membership/attendance logs
Timeline: July 2021-June 2022
Long-term Outcome: Community problems are solved through active, engaged local leaders.
Indicator: Experienced individuals continue and new individual(s) assume leadership roles to address community issues.
Method: Observation and data
Timeline: Ongoing
Audience: Extension Stakeholders
Project or Activity: Leslie County Extension Council and Program Advisory Council Meetings
Content or Curriculum: State Extension Manual, UK Approved Communications
Inputs: Area and Regional Extension Directors, Extension Agents, County Extension Council; FCS Council; Extension Homemaker's Council; Ag Development Council; 4-H Council
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Homemaker Lunch-n-Learn Program
Content or Curriculum: FCS & KEHA Curriculum
Inputs: Quicksand Area FCS agents
Date: September 2021-May 2022
Audience: Extension Homemakers
Project or Activity: Community Service Projects
Content or Curriculum: FCS Curriculum
Inputs: Extension Homemakers; FCS agent
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Youth, Homemakers, Community
Project or Activity: Expressive Arts
Content or Curriculum: Arts Council, Approved Core Curriculum
Inputs: Homemaker, Volunteer; Extension Agents, Arts Council
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Youth (Grades 8-12)
Project or Activity: Leslie County 4-H Teen Council
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership and Extension Curriculum, Community Service Projects
Inputs: 4-H Agent; Cooperative Extension Agents and UK Specialists; Community and Service Organizations; State Teen Officers
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Youth (Grade:5)
Project or Activity: 4-H Appalachian Heritage Skills Day
Content or Curriculum: County/Area-developed Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent; FCS Agent; Extension Staff; School and Community Volunteer Leaders; Multi-County Agent Teams
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Youth (Grades 8-12)
Project or Activity: 4-H State Teen Conference
Content or Curriculum: Teen Leadership
Inputs: 4-H Agent; Teens, 4-H State Teen Council and Officers, Volunteers and UK Specialists
Date: Summer 2022 ( Continuing Annual Event)
Audience: Youth (Middle School Grades)
Project or Activity: 4-H Teen Summit
Content or Curriculum: Teen Leadership
Inputs: 4-H Agent; Volunteers, STC Members, 4-H State Teen Council and Officers, UK Specialist
Date: Spring 2022 ( Continual Annual Event)
Audience: Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: 4-H Summer Residential Camp
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Summer Camp Program Activities for Personal Development and Leadership
Inputs: Extension Agents; Extension Staff; Teen and Adult Volunteers; Summer Camp Staff; Camp Manager; UK 4-H Summer Camp Specialist
Date: Summer 2022, (Annual Event)
Audience: 4-H Teens (grades 9-12)
Project or Activity: Youth Engagement Leadership Program (YELP)
Content or Curriculum: Teen Leadership activities accompanied by Art, Environmental and Community Initiatives
Inputs: Extension Agents; Community and State Organizations; Associates, Specialists and Area Extension Agents; CEDIK; Promise Zone Partners
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Youth (Grades 3-12) Also Adults
Project or Activity: 4-H Horse Club
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Approved Livestock/Horse Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent; Certified Livestock Volunteers, Parents; Community and Extension Volunteers, Extension Specialists and Specialists in the Field
Date: July 2021 - 2022
Audience: Youth ( 3rd- 12th grades)
Project or Activity: Art and Communication Initiatives: In-School Enrichment Art Program
Content or Curriculum: Extension State Specialists; 4-H and Extension Core Curriculum;
Inputs: Extension Agents; Extension Staff and Volunteers
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Community
Project or Activity: Mary Breckinridge Festival/ Cultural Arts Displays
Content or Curriculum: Community Sharing/Pride; Tourism; Partnerships
Inputs: FCS Agent; Homemakers; Extension Staff; 4-H Teens Community Service/Partnership, Chamber of Commerce; Community Volunteers; Extension staff
Date: Fall 2021
Audience: Community Artisans
Project or Activity: Annual Holiday Craft Bazaar
Content or Curriculum: Local Community Arts Celebration and Promotion
Inputs: Extension Agents and staff; Extension volunteers; community members
Date: Winter 2021
Audience: Community
Project or Activity: Pinterest Make-N-Take
Content or Curriculum: Arts Promotion
Inputs: FCS Agent; Extension Staff and Volunteers
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Business Leaders
Project or Activity: Chamber of Commerce
Content or Curriculum: Tourism and Leadership Materials
Inputs: Chamber of Commerce; community professionals; Extension staff
Date: July 2021-June 2022
Audience: Youth (Grades 4-12)
Project or Activity: Leslie County 4-H Youth Recognition
Content or Curriculum: Community Development
Inputs: 4-H Agent; Extension Staff, Leslie County Schools
Date: Spring 2022
Audience: Community
Project or Activity: Community Interest/Involvement Meetings: Trail-Town, Promise Zone,
Appalachian Horse Center, UNITE/ASAP and SOAR
Content or Curriculum: Agent attendance and Involvement/Community Driven (PSE)
Inputs: Leslie County Extension Agents; Community; Volunteers
Date: July 2021-June 2022: Ongoing
Audience: Engaged/Interested Extension Volunteers; Extension Agents and Staff
Project or Activity: 2022 Kentucky Extension Volunteer Forum
Content or Curriculum: Celebration and Recognition of Extension Volunteers, Achievements and Accomplishments; Recertification and Professional Development
Inputs: Extension Agents; UK Volunteer Specialist; Extension Volunteer Leaders and Stakeholders
Date: February 2022 ( Bi-Annual Event, even years)
Author: Dawna Peters
Major Program: Leadership
The Kentucky State Fair 2021Each year Leslie County 4-H Programming has Day Camps available for youth throughout Leslie County. 4-H spends a lot of time in the schools throughout the year and it is important to keep programming going through the summer when our youth is home. Day camps offer a special variety of activities from cooking, basket weaving, photography, sewing, needlework, expressive arts, and much more. The purpose of the day camps is to keep our youth involved, help them grow and t
Author: Vicki Boggs
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Building the volume of volunteer leaders and partners within Leslie County is critical for the sustainability and growth of our community. Current Census data showing a steady decline in population and escalating poverty of over 32% is cause for great concern. Providing youth and adults valuable skills and attitudes can break negative generational patterns and prepare them to assume leadership roles both today and tomorrow.Kentucky Extension Homemakers work to improve the quality of life f
Author: Vicki Boggs
Major Program: Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Partnerships and Community Care! Family and Consumer Sciences, Leslie County Extension helps families, individuals and community manage challenges and provide community care. Two main concerns for our county are our senior citizen population and the high rate of substance abuse. According to Kentucky by the Numbers 2019 data sheets, almost 18% of our population is 65 or over. Also, according to data from The 2019 Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Statewide Report, high rates of
Author: Dawna Peters
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
Author: Dawna Jace PetersLeslie County 4-H has traditionally had an Annual Silent Auction for over 10 years. In 2020 we were unable to have the auction due to Covid-19. The purpose of the event has been to increase awareness and raise money for 4-H related costs. Leslie County is a rural county with the median income for a household being $31,627 with 25.8% of families below the poverty line. Therefore, for youth to be able to fully participate in our programs we must raise money for scholarship
Author: Dawna Peters
Major Program: Leadership
According to research, middle school is a time where young people find their place in this world, they are exploring where their strengths and interests align (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is impreative to provide positive experiences where young people may explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, there is a decline in enrollment numbers throughout the middle school years in 4-H programming, Kentucky 4-H hosts the Kentucky 4-H Summit Leadership Conference for middle schoolers
Author: Dawna Peters
Major Program: Leadership
Teen Conference 2022 Success Story The 98th Annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference was held at the University of Kentucky June 14-17, 2022. The objectives of Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference are: develop leadership and teamwork skills, improve communication skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, gain club, county and state 4-H program skills, have fun, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills through networking, develop y