Extension
It Starts With Us
Community Leadership
Community Service and Leadership
Linda Combs, Dora Webb, and Chad Conway
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
Community Leadership Development
Local Food Systems
Leadership is a needed and important programming emphasis in Kentucky Extension. The Cooperative Extension Service provides opportunities for youth and adults to help improve their leadership ability and positively impact their future. Basic leadership knowledge and skills are essential for success in almost any field.
The skills associated with leadership are necessary when working in a group or communicating with others. Employers look for leadership skills in future employees. Developing leadership in the youth and adults who are involved in the community is a priority. By assisting the development of leadership skills in our community, we improve individuals' ability to face the challenges of tomorrow.
Communication skills development is one of the skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member, and a leader by using age-appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communication and Robert's Rules of Order. The Knott County Extension Service has several groups, clubs, and associations that many community members participate in leadership roles.
- Communities are equipped with competent, effective leaders
- Community members engage others to initiate projects
- Civic engagement is possible and desirable for community members
- KEHA (Knott County Homemakers) serve as active Extension and community volunteers engaged in addressing community needs
- MCA (Mountain Cattleman’s Association) Serve as Extension Leaders, Community Leaders, and Kentucky Cattleman’s Association Leaders.
- Youth and adults put skills into practice by becoming more engaged, taking on leadership roles
- Youth and adults improve skills in communication or problem-solving in addressing community issues and needs
- Youth and adults participants initiate projects that meet the needs of their community
- Youth and adults are inclusive of all individuals
- Youth and adults will volunteer and participate in community service
- Youth and adults will engage in civic involvement
- Youth and adults increase knowledge of effective leadership skills
- Youth and adults develop/enhance leadership skills
Observation and the use of pre and post-test results
Audience: Youth 9-18
Project or Activity: 4-H Leadership Ambassadors
Content or Curriculum: UK and National 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Teachers and Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Youth and Adults
Project or Activity: Volunteer Training for Programs and Councils
Content or Curriculum: UK Extension Curriculum
Inputs: Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Robotics (Community Service Projects)
Content or Curriculum: UK & National Robotics Curriculum
Inputs: Volunteers, Community Members, & Agents
Date: On-going
Audience: Adults
Project or Activity: Knott County Extension Homemakers
Content or Curriculum: UK Cooperative Extension Resources
Inputs: Agents and Knott County Homemaker Leaders
Date: On-going
Audience: Adults and Junior Cattlemen
Project or Activity: Mountain Cattlemen's Association
Content or Curriculum: UK Cooperative Extension Resources/KCS
Inputs: KCA Staff, ANR Agents, Cattlemen Leaders
Date: On-going
Audience: Famers Market Committee
Project or Activity: Addressing Fresh Food Scarcity in the Community
Content or Curriculum: Adult Leaders, CFA, KDA Resources and Programs
Inputs: UK Extension, CFA, and KDA Resources and Programs
Date: On-going
Author: Chadwick Conway
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
Part of a strong vibrant welcoming downtown is landscaping and art beautification for folks to feel a welcoming vibe when visiting a city. In spring of 2020 the Appalachian Artisan Center in downtown Hindman contacted that Knott County Extension Agent for Agriculture/Natural Resources, to help with an urban garden design, resources, and garden expertise. The vision was to add to our current Mail Horse art feature downtown to add signage, flowers, and garden space to intensifying and
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Addressing the need of college and career readiness with local high school students, Knott Co 4-H provided the students with lessons from the national 4-H Build your future curricula. The students were given lessons on career and personal interest exploration. Then they were led through preparing their “awesomeness binder”. This binder is to serve as a central location for all their documents and accomplishments making it easier to apply for college, scholarships o
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Civic Engagement
Pre-COVID we had momentum behind our county teen programming, regaining that has been a focus this past year. 53 Teens in our community service and leadership club served as at our 4-H countywide “It’s Your Reality” for our 8th graders. They dressed their parts and made the day memorable for the other youth. They volunteered for a second, “It’s Your Reality” day for our high school freshman who had missed the experience due to the pandemic during t
Author: Dora Centers
Major Program: Leadership
2022 Kentucky Volunteer Forum Volunteers play integral roles in 4-H programs, performing a variety of duties, functions, and tasks and possessing varied and rich knowledge, skills, and backgrounds (Radhakrishna & Ewing, 2011). The success of Extension programming is due, in part, to the dedication of a large cadre of volunteers (Smith, Dasher, & Klingborg, 2005). Although highly valued, volunteer involvement does not guarantee achievement of Extension's goals and fulfillment of
