Extension
It Starts With Us
Youth Development
Developing Responsible Youth
VanMeter, Goodman
Family and Consumer Science
Leadership
Health
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Audience: High School Youth, Gifted and Talented in Leadership
Project or Activity: Youth Leadership Program
Content or Curriculum: Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, specialists, Community Volunteers, Community Leaders
Date: Jan - May
Audience: McCreary County Youth
Project or Activity: 4-H Summit
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Leadership
Inputs: Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES) agents, 4-H Specialists, 4-H Volunteers
Date: March
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: 4-H club youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: 4-H Clubs- continuing (Agriculture, Natural Resources, Family & Consumer Sciences, Healthy Living, Communications, Leadership, SET), cloverbuds
Content or Curriculum: 4-H/UK based curriculum
Inputs: County agents, 4-H Program Assistant, volunteer leaders, school personnel, community partners
Date: August –June
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
Author: Tracie Goodman
Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources
The Country Ham is distinctive to Kentucky and the Southeast. The 4-H Country Ham project begins in January and ends at the Kentucky State Fair. The project began in the late 1990’s with approximately 40 4-Hers and has grown to over 1000 from the majority of the counties in the Commonwealth. The hams are judged at the state fair while the 4-Hers give a three to five minute speech on their experiences in the project. The 4-H Country Ham Project not only teaches Kentucky’s youth about
Author: Tracie Goodman
Major Program: Camping
McCreary County is a rural and underserved area in Kentucky; there are many families in the county below the poverty line. Each year, McCreary County Extension seeks to provide free or low-cost educational programs for 4-H youth. This year, McCreary County Extension secured 11 scholarships for 4-H aged youth to attend 4-H camp at no cost. 4-H camp is open to all Kentucky youth between the ages of 9 and 14 and provides opportunities for personal growth, gaining independence, fostering friendship
Author: Leah VanMeter
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Sewing is a heritage skill that has been taught for generations. Sewing can help improve focus, increase hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Sewing can also become a life long hobby as well as an important skill for taking care of one’s personal wardrobe.McCreary County 4H in collaboration with the McCreary County Homemakers worked to provide a summer sewing day camp to the youth in McCreary County. 4H-ers were given the opportunity to learn to sew and complete a variety of sewing
