Extension
It Starts With Us
Improve Individual and Family Development
Nurturing Families
Kendyl Redding, Jason Vaughn, Emilee Hager
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Family Development General
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Family and Consumer Science
“School-readiness” is a broad term that refers to multiple precursor cognitive, physical, and social-emotional skills that indicate young children are prepared to learn and thrive in the school environment. A wide body of research shows a strong foundation in school readiness is indicative of school success. Emerging research also indicates that there is a synergistic effect when early learning activities activate physical and cognitive skills simultaneously, as opposed to doing so in isolation. However, in the state of Kentucky only 50% of children are deemed “school-ready” when they enter Kindergarten. These numbers indicate a need for more activities that support school-readiness by building multiple skill sets simultaneously.
96,000 children in Kentucky live in kinship care. Kentucky ranks first in the nation for the most children in kinship care settings in the country. 15,000 children are in kinship care due to removal from their home. Kinship care providers need support.
- Increase the number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in the state of Kentucky.
- Improve academic success for children in Kentucky
- Increase opportunities and access to more preschool learning activities outside of the home
- Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Powell County
- Increase number of learning activities experienced at home
- Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
- Increase caregiver advocacy for children in their care including legal, medical, social, and educational services
- Increase access of community services to caregivers
- Kentuckians understand the importance of developmentally appropriate play to their child’s academic success
- Increase child’s ability to express appropriate emotion
- Improve child’s gross motor skills
- Improve child’s early literacy skills including phonological awareness, print awareness, and vocabulary
- Increase awareness of indicators of high-risk adolescent behaviors
- Identify key points of adolescent development
- Establish realistic expectations for teen behavior, and explore changing relationships within families
Outcome: Kentuckians learn fun age appropriate activities to aid in their child’s healthy development.
Indicator: Number of parents who expressed learning new activities to engage their children at home.
Method: Observation and Survey
Timeline: Year long
Outcome: Increase child and parent social-emotional skills such as heightened self-awareness, responsible decision making, and self-management.
Indicator: How many children increased their ability to express emotion after attending the program?
Method: Stories, Songs, and Stretches Survey
Timeline: Year long
Outcome: Increase number of children who are “kindergarten ready” in Powell county.
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many parents reported improved gross motor skills, social-emotional skills, and early literacy skills?)
Method: Kentucky Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Kindergarten Readiness Results
Timeline: July- June
Outcome: Increase skills and resources of caregivers to provide effective care for young relatives
Indicator: Several – (i.e. How many caregivers improve skills/knowledge in child development, discipline and guidance, legal issues, and advocacy)
Method: Parenting a Second Time Around (PASTA) Evaluation
Timeline: Post program evaluation
Audience: Preschool Youth and Parents
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches, Family Mealtime, LEAP, NEP youth curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent, NEP staff, Library, Head start, Public Schools, etc.
Date: Ongoing
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Stories, Songs, and Stretches, The Dinner Table Project, LEAP, Nutrition Education, Cooking through the Calendar
Inputs: FCS Agent, NEP staff, Library, Head start, Public Schools, etc.
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Parents, Grandparents
Project or Activity: Various
Content or Curriculum: Parenting a Second Time Around,
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Annual
Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Communications, 4-H After-school programming, home school groups, clover buds, Girls on the Run
Content or Curriculum: UK 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: Extension Staff; Volunteers, School Staff
Date: Ongoing
Author: Emilee Bryant
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
On July 18th, 2022, Powell County 4-H and the Powell County extension office hosted the 1st Cloverbud Day Camp for youth 5-8 years old in the county. In attendance were 40 youth participants, 2 teen leaders, 1 adult volunteer, and the extension office staff. Youth participants were able to participate in a variety of different events throughout the day centered around the core areas of 4-H. Some activities included learned the 4-H pledge and motto, painting and crafting, severa
Author: Kendyl Redding
Major Program: Cook Wild Kentucky
Kentucky offers prime fishing spots that can be found year-round across the state. These streams and lakes are home to bass, catfish, trout, sunfish, and more. Many people rely on local game to feed their families and save money on their grocery bill. Fish is part of a healthy diet. It is a great source of protein and is low in saturated fat. The Powell County Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and Red River Pay Lake to host a Hook a
Author: Kendyl Redding
Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together
Eating more fruits and vegetables is a critical behavior for health promotion and disease prevention. Despite the importance of eating more produce, it is also one of the most difficult eating behaviors to change. It has been reported that cooking more meals at home is related to increased fruit and vegetable consumption. A family-oriented program to promote healthy, home-cooked meals, Cook Together, Eat Together, was offered at the Powell County Cooperative Extension Office. Eight families
Author: Jason Vaughn
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Spring Garden Series was a tradition at the Powell County Extension Office since the 1990s. Following the pandemic, citizens were hungry for education and communion with fellow gardeners. Sensing the community’s needs, Jason Vaughn, Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources brought back the series.The program focused on developing home horticulture skills through in-class learning and hands-on activities. Topics included attracting bluebirds, flower arran
Author: Jason Vaughn
Major Program: Wildlife Habitat and Damage Management Education
Hook and CookA 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Recreation found a 7% decrease in the number of anglers in Kentucky. In response to falling participation, The Department of Fish and Wildlife and the University of Kentucky Extension Service partnered to introduce more kids to fishing.Department of Fish and Wildlife developed a curriculum that covered rules and regulations, the basics of fishing gear and setup, and identifying local fish. In addition, they provided fishing
