Youth DevelopmentPlan of Work

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McCreary County CES

Title:
Youth Development
MAP:
Developing Responsible Youth
Agents Involved:
VanMeter, Goodman
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Family and Consumer Science
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Leadership
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Health
Situation:

McCreary County is a rural community with few activities targeting youth. Currently 52.6% of McCreary county youth live in poverty. With tough economic times and limited resources, it is important to provide youth with opportunities to develop essential life skills. In McCreary County. Twenty three percent of teens are high school dropouts. The teen pregnancy rate has increased over the last ten years to 34 compared to a state rate of 31. School lunches are free for everyone child. Programming is designed to engage young people and provide educational opportunities that develop decision-making skills, independence, and personal responsibility.

Long-Term Outcomes:

To develop youth with confidence and strong communication skills.

To develop youth that will possess critical thinking skills, independence, personal responsibility, and life skills that enable them to become productive citizens and competitive members of the future workforce.

To develop youth that has an appreciation for the natural resources and environment.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Youth will practice communicating clearly and confidently.

Youth will demonstrate basic money management skills.

Youth will practice problem solving skills.

Youth will demonstrate acceptance of personal responsibility.

Initial Outcomes:

Youth will recognize the importance of strong communication skills.

Youth will practice communicating clearly and confidently.

Youth will recognize importance of money management skills.

Youth will become more aware of the importance of the natural resources and environment they live in.

Evaluation:

Outcome: Increased life skills

Indicator: Numbers of youth attending camp and skills gained

Method: Agent and leader observations, camper surveys

Timeline: July -June


Outcome: Increased leadership Skills

Indicator: Numbers of youth participating in the Youth Leadership Program,

Method: Agent and leader observations, participant surveys

Timeline: September – May


Outcome: Increased awareness about the Environment

Indicator: Number of youth participating

Method: Participant Surveys

Timeline: May



Learning Opportunities:

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

Audience: High School Youth, Gifted and Talented in Leadership

Project or Activity: Youth Leadership Program

Content or Curriculum: Topics selected by committee members

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, specialists, EKU Personnel, Community Leaders

Date: September -May


Audience: McCreary County Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Bee Club

Content or Curriculum: KSU & UT Curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants,

Date: July - June


Audience: Pine Knot Elementary Garden Sprouts 4-H Club

Project or Activity: School Garden

Content or Curriculum: Extension & School based

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, school personnel

Date: August -June


Audience: 4-H club youth ages 9-18

Project or Activity: 4-H Projects/Project Week

Content or Curriculum: Project Books

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, and volunteers. Kentucky CES publications and resources.

Date: July



Audience: High School Juniors

Project or Activity: American Private Enterprise Seminar/Kentucky Youth Seminar

Content or Curriculum: APES curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, and volunteers. Kentucky CES publications and resources.

Date: November



Audience: 4-H club youth ages 9-18

Project or Activity: Pine Knot Elementary and Whitley City Elementary 4-H Art Club

Content or Curriculum: 4-H/UK based curriculum

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, and volunteers. Kentucky CES publications and resources.

Date: August -June


Audience: 4-H club youth ages 9-18

Project or Activity: 4-H Cooking Club

Content or Curriculum: 4-H/UK based curriculum

Inputs: 4-H Program Assistant & SNAP-Ed Program Assistant

Date: August –June


Audience: Youth/Adults

Project or Activity: Environmental Camp/Field Day

Content or Curriculum: A program teaching environmental topics selected by the committee.

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, program assistants, specialists, and volunteers. Kentucky CES publications and resources. Family resource centers, PRIDE, and other community partners.

Date: May


Audience: Youth/Adults

Project or Activity: 4-H Camp

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum;  Research-based methods and programming; Local, state, and national partners

Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) Agents, 4-H Program Assistant, Counselors in Training (CIT), Teen Leaders, and volunteers.

Date: June 



Success Stories

McCreary County SuperStar Chef Camp

Author: Leah VanMeter

Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General

According to the Center for Disease Control, 19.7% of children (2-19) in the United States from 2017-2020 are classified as obese. In the 2020-2021 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH 2020 21: Weight status of the child based on Body Mass Index for age, Kentucky (childhealthdata.org)), 25.5% of children (10-17) in Kentucky are obese (>95th percentile for weight). Obesity is considered a risk factor for health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diab

Full Story
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