Investing in Community LeadersPlan of Work

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Leslie County CES

Title:
Investing in Community Leaders
MAP:
Personal Growth and Leadership Development
Agents Involved:
Vicki R. Boggs, Dawna Jace Peters, Aaron Redmond
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Family and Consumer Science
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Leadership
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Community Vitality and Leadership -FCS
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Community Strategic Planning
Situation:

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 65 KEHA members, 2 Master Clothing Volunteers and various other volunteers who share their expertise, and volunteer time with youth and community families. 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.

Long-Term Outcomes:

-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


Intermediate Outcomes:

-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.

Initial Outcomes:

-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.


Evaluation:

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 2022 - June 2023


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 2022-June 2023



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

Learning Opportunities:

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 2022-June 2023


Audience: Extension Homemakers and Community

Project or Activity: Homemaker Lesson/Lunch-n-Learn Program

Content or Curriculum: FCS & KEHA Curriculum

Inputs: Quicksand Area FCS agents

Date: September 2022-May 2023


Audience: Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity: Community Service Projects

Content or Curriculum: FCS Curriculum

Inputs: Extension Homemakers; FCS agent; Service Agencies

Date: July 2022-June 2023


Audience:  Youth, Extension Homemakers, Community

Project or Activity: Expressive Arts

Content or Curriculum: Arts Council, Approved Core Curriculum

Inputs: Homemaker, Volunteer; FS Agent; Extension Agents, Arts Council

Date: July 2022-June 2023


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 2022-June 2023


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; Ag Agent; Extension Staff;  School and Community Volunteer Leaders; Multi-County Agent Teams

Date: Fall 2022


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 2023  (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 2023 (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:4-H Agent;  Extension Agents; Extension Staff; Teen and Adult Volunteers; Summer Camp Staff; Camp Manager; UK 4-H Summer Camp Specialist 

Date:  Summer 2023,  (Annual Event)


Audience: Youth (Grades 3-12)  Also, Families/ 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 2022 - 2023


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:   4-H Agent; Extension Agents; Extension Staff and Volunteers 

Date:  July 2022-June 2023


Audience: Community and Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity: Mary Breckinridge Festival/ Cultural Arts Displays

Content or Curriculum: KEHA Manual: Cultural Arts Categories; Community Sharing; Tourism; Partnerships,

Inputs: FCS Agent; Extension Homemakers; Extension Staff; Community Service/Partnership, Chamber of Commerce; Community Volunteers

Date: Fall 2022


Audience: Community Artisan Entrepreneurs

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 2022


Audience: Community

Project or Activity: Pinterest Make-N-Take

Content or Curriculum: Cultural Arts Promotion

Inputs: FCS Agent; Extension Staff and Volunteers

Date: July 2022-June 2023


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 2022-June 2023


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 2023


Audience: Community Coalitions and Committees

Project or Activity: Community Interest/Involvement Meetings: City of Hyden, 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 2022-June 2023: Ongoing


Audience:  Engaged/Interested Extension Volunteers;  Extension Agents and Staff

Project or Activity:  2024 Kentucky Extension Volunteer Forum

Content or Curriculum:  Celebration and Recognition of Extension Volunteers and Youth, Achievements and Accomplishments; Recertification and Professional Development

Inputs:  Extension Agents; UK Volunteer Specialist; Extension Volunteer Leaders and Stakeholders

Date:  February 2024  ( Bi-Annual Event, even years)







Success Stories

2022 Kentucky State Fair

Author: Dawna Peters

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development

2022 Kentucky State Fair

For nearly 40 years, Cloverville has been the face of Kentucky 4-H. Cloverville typically has around 6,000 4-H member exhibits from across the Commonwealth in a village like setting where 4-H’ers display their skills and compete for state-level ribbons. 67 of those exhibits came from Leslie County 4-H.  Leslie County 4-H stays busy all Summer long preparing for the Kentucky State Fair. We take pride in our Summer Day Camps which are designed to create State Fair exhibits. Summer Day c

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Leslie County Beekeepers

Author: Aaron Redmond

Major Program: Beekeeping

Leslie County Beekeepers

It is estimated that the honeybee’s annual contribution to the United States economy is at least $15 billion. Beyond the profitable products and byproducts harvested directly from honeybee colonies such as honey, wax, propolis, and royal jelly, about one-third of total crop production in the U.S. are dependent upon these prolific pollinators for their survival and prosperity. According to the most recent data from the U.S Department of Agriculture honeybees health took a major decline in 2

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2022 Leslie County 4-H Fundraising Initiatives

Author: Dawna Peters

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development

Raising funds is an important part of 4-H programming efforts. In Leslie County without fundraising initiatives it would be very difficult for our youth to participate. Raising funds to cover expenses is necessary. 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 scholarships to sponsor them.Leslie County 4-H has tradition

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Leslie County 4-H Teen Council: Wreaths Across America

Author: Dawna Peters

Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development

The Leslie County 4-H Teen Council members have learned many important skills through their involvement with 4-H. Community Service is one of our main focuses during council meetings. Our members discuss what activities and projects they are interested in. This year they decided to participate in Wreaths Across America. The council members partnered with a local volunteer and retired school teacher Mollie Sizemore. December 17th is National Wreaths Across Day. Teens and their families

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Leslie County Extension Homemaker Leaders and Volunteers

Author: Vicki Boggs

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Leadership Development (KELD): Developing Core Leadership Skills

Personal Growth and Leadership Development remains a very important part of our plan of work here at Leslie County Extension.  According to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau for Small Area and Income Poverty Estimates, 25.8% of Leslie County residents overall lived in poverty.  Most recent Census data also reveals a steady decline in population.  The need continues to build the volume of volunteer leaders and partners within Leslie County for sustaining growth in our community.   Provi

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2023 Teen Conference

Author: Dawna Peters

Major Program: Leadership

2023 Teen Conference

The 99th Annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference was held at the University of Kentucky June 13-16, 2023. 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 youth-adult partnerships, and become acquainted with

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