Extension
It Starts With Us
Developing Life Skills Among Youth and Families
Youth and Families
Davidson, Easley, Williams
Family and Consumer Science
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Leadership
Communications
How we live life is ever-changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Learning to practice healthy habits, select clothing to emphasize one’s best appearance, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe and pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others—all of these skills are basic to everyday life. Reality is that today’s youth and adults are busier than ever. Many of these basic life skills are not consistently taught or are learned at home or school. Extension projects equip adults and youth with these skills. As with any other Cooperative Extension program area, when it comes to the development of life skills, a strong case can be made for the need to go beyond the mere transfer of knowledge to giving people the opportunity for a variety of supportive, related learning experiences to significantly increase the program’s influence. Extension programs often offer basic learning activities on a specific topic of interest but the addition of activities that support that interest (such as fair exhibits, related subject matter workshops, camps, field trips, and decision-making judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills. In a study by Olson, Croymans, and Ji (2014), participants reported that participating in 1 or 2 educational opportunities influenced the development of critical thinking and decision making skills, and participating in 6 to 8 opportunities significantly increased the program’s influence by adding development of life skills in leadership, planning/organization, the wise use of resources, useful/marketable skills and accepting differences.
Participants will:
- Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
- Gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
- Contribute to a safe, pleasant, and productive home and family.
Participants will:
- Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
- Project a positive image and self-confidence
- Practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
- Practice healthy eating choices
- Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
- Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
Participants will:
- Gain knowledge and develop life skills through projects and programs
- Understand the decision-making process
- Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
- Learn to read and follow instructions
Initial Outcome: Participants will gain knowledge of life skills and seek to practice them.
Indicator: Participants will attend and participate in Extension programs and practice life skill activities
Method: observation, judging rubics and surveys
Timeline: July - June
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will be capable of communicating, cooperating, resolving conflict, producing economic activity and making wise economic decisions to support a healthy lifestyle
Indicator: Observation and demonstrated abilities
Method: surveys, observation, pre-post test evaluations
Timeline: July-June
Long-term Outcome: Youth and Families will be strengthened through mastery of life skills gained through Extension programs
Indicator: Participants will exhibit behaviors conducive to those of competent and contributing citizens
Method: observation, surveys and pre-post test evaluations
Timeline: July - June
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Expressive Arts (music, drama, visual and dance)
Content or Curriculum: KET Arts curriculum, variety show competitions
Inputs: extension agents, volunteers, local schools
Date: September -August
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Communications (Speeches and Demonstrations)
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Speak Up, Building Bridges, UK publications
Inputs: extension agents, volunteers, local schools
Date: August -April
Audience: 4-H youth
Project or Activity: 4-H School Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H curriculum
Inputs: 4-H agents, 4-H assistant, volunteers, local schools and staff
Date: weekly (August -May)
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Community Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H agents, volunteers
Date: Monthly
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Project Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H agents, volunteers
Date: Monthly or series of six meetings
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Summer Camp
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Curriculum
Inputs: extension agents, Camp Staff, 4-H volunteers (adult & teen)
Date: yearly: summer
Audience: 4-H cloverbud age
Project or Activity: 4-H cloverbud Camp
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cloverbud curriculum, camp resources
Inputs: adult & teen volunteers, camp staff, extension agents
Date: Summer
Audience: 4-H cloverbud age
Project or Activity: 4-H cloverbud Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cloverbud curriculum
Inputs: Volunteers, extension agents
Date: Monthly
Audience: 4-H youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Day camps
Content or Curriculum: 4-H curriculum and resources
Inputs: adult & teen volunteers and extension agents
Date: Summer
Audience: Preschool children
Project or Activity: Preschool Garden
Content or Curriculum: Early sprouts, Sowing Seeds of Wonder, Master Gardeners
Inputs: Extension program assistants, local preschools, master gardeners
Date: May-June
Audience: general public
Project or Activity: C.L.A.S.S. (Continuous Learning Assures a Successful Society)
Content or Curriculum: UK publications
Inputs: Extension Agent, Extension program assistants, volunteers
Date: Fall and Winter semesters
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Photography Clubs and Workshops
Content or Curriculum: National 4-H Project books
Inputs: extension 4-H agent, local schools (teachers and staff), 4-H volunteers, community speakers
Date: July - August
Audience: 4-H Youth
Project or Activity: SPIN (Special Interest) Clubs
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Materials and workbooks
Inputs: community volunteers, 4-H volunteers, 4-H agents, parents
Date: Ongoing
Audience: Community Youth
Project or Activity: SPARK clubs (spark an interest in 4-H)
Content or Curriculum: 4-H materials, online resources, community resources
Inputs: community resource volunteers, extension agents, parents
Date: Ongoing
Audience: adults
Project or Activity: Jabez Quilt Seminar (Statewide)
Content or Curriculum: FCS materials
Inputs: Extension Agents, Master Clothing Volunteers, volunteers, state specialists, and quilting experts
Date: Winter 2024
Audience: High School Seniors
Project or Activity: Adulting 101
Content or Curriculum: FCS materials
Inputs: Extension Agents, Staff, Homemaker Volunteers, Community College Volunteers, Teachers, Local Businesses
Date: Spring 2024
Audience: General Public
Project or Activity: Positive Employability
Content or Curriculum: Positive Employability
Inputs: FCS Agent and State FCS specialists
Date: Fall
Audience: Adults
Activity: Gardeners Toolbox Workshop Series
Content or curriculum: UK publications and specialists
Inputs: Extension Agents, staff, Extension Office, community garden, Extension specialists,
Date: Monthly
Audience: Farmers
Activity: Farm Record book Workshop
Content or curriculum: UK publications
Inputs: Extension Agent and staff, farm record books and CD's, Volunteers, CPA,
Extension Office
Date: Winter
Audience: Adults
Activity: Food Preservation
Content or curriculum: UK publications
Inputs: Extension Agent and staff
Extension Office
Date: Summer 2024
Author: Elizabeth Easley
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Laurel County 4-H Projects Culminates at KY State Fair The Kentucky State Fair is a culminating event of yearly 4-H project work. Project work is defined by the following: “(a) Planned work in an area of interest to the 4-H member, (b) Guided by a 4-H adult volunteer who is the project leader, (c) Aimed at planned objectives that can be attained and measured, (d) Summarized by some form of record keeping, and (e) A minimum of six hours of project instruction” (National 4-H Counc
Author: Steven Mobley
Major Program: Flood Relief & Recovery
Immediately following a natural disaster, volunteers are abundant to address the immediate needs of those affected. But as the months, even years, go by and other disasters require immediate assistance in other areas, those still recovering from the devastation are often left to their own resources as their recovery efforts continue. Many survivors of the 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky are still working to rebuild their lives, their homes, and their communities. The Knott Coun
Author: Victor Williams
Major Program: Flood Relief & Recovery
Immediately following a natural disaster, volunteers are abundant to address the immediate needs of those affected. But as the months, even years, go by and other disasters require immediate assistance in other areas, those still recovering from the devastation are often left to their own resources as their recovery efforts continue. Many survivors of the 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky are still working to rebuild their lives, their homes, and their communities. The Knott Coun
Author: Elizabeth Easley
Major Program: Civic Engagement
According to a survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center in 2016, one in four youth were unable to name the three branches of government. Additionally, in July 2018 the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.141 stated a student must pass a civics test at a rate of 60% or higher, composed of 100 questions to graduate from a public high school with a regular diploma. To address this need, Kentucky 4-H Capitol Experience was established with the objectives of: Developing a positive relati
Author: Lora Davidson
Major Program: Cook Together, Eat Together
A social marketing program to promote healthier, home-cooked family meals, Cook Together, Eat Together, was offered at the Laurel County Cooperative Extension Office multiple times throughout the year. The goal is to reach as many families as possible to encourage eating more fruits and vegetables and to follow behavior changes. A total of 71 individuals have participated in the program. As a result of the program, 94% of participants reported eating more healthy foods such as whole
Author: Elizabeth Easley
Major Program: Leadership
The 100th Annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference was held at the University of Kentucky from June 11th to 14th, 2024. The objectives of the Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference are: to develop leadership and teamwork skills, improve communication skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills through networking, develop youth-adult partnerships, and become acquainted with the University of Kentucky to ai
Author: Lora Davidson
Major Program: Food Preparation and Preservation
Our Sourdough Program has achieved remarkable success and outreach, specifically drawing in over 15,000 social media interactions and reaching attendees/contacts from local areas, statewide, and across multiple states. This program was designed to transform novices into proficient bakers and includes a series of meticulously crafted workshops. These cover everything from creating and maintaining a vibrant sourdough starter, mastering advanced kneading techniques and achieving the perfect crust,
Author: Lora Davidson
Major Program: Family Development General
The FCS Agent and FCS Team at the Laurel County Extension office decided to host a StoryWalk as a unique and engaging way to promote early literacy and physical activity among the children in their community. The CDC recommends that adolescents who are between the ages of 6-17 years of age, receive at least 6o minutes of physical activity a day. The FCS team recognized the potential of this innovative concept and were able to host this event for the 3rd year in a row that would leave a las
