Extension
It Starts With Us
McCracken County 4-H Communication and Arts Education
4-H Youth Development and Education
Osborne
Communications and Expressive Arts
21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
Leadership
Health
Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader. Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communication & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capacities. This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006) Research also shows a positive association between arts participation and a number of desirable academic and social outcomes, such as school grades, test scores, enrollment in post-secondary education, attainment of a bachelor’s degree, and higher levels of literacy and civic engagement. (Child Trends, 2012) Kentucky 4-H provides communication and expressive arts by engaging youth in hands-on educational experiences that inspire confidence and foster a love for the arts. Programs and projects are offered in the areas of public speaking, visual arts, and performing arts.
- Youth will utilize the skills gained to serve as leaders in 4-H and other organizations;
- Youth share the elements of the music, dance, drama and visual arts with their community
- Youth will be advocates for the arts
- Youth will construct a speech that has a clear introduction, body and closing
- Youth will demonstrate an increased level of confidence when presenting in front of groups
·Youth apply elements of music, dance, drama and visual arts in creating and performing
- Youth will gain knowledge in researching, preparing and presenting a speech or demonstration
- Youth can identify key elements of music, dance, drama and visual arts
Initial Outcome:
- Youth plan and implement a communication and expressive arts project (speech, demonstration, drama, photography, etc)
Indicator: Youth complete a communication and expressive arts project
Method:
- 4-H Common Measures Experience Survey
- Number of youth who completed a speech or demonstration? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who completed a state fair arts, photography, or other visual arts project? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who completed a drama, music, or dance project? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H a place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?” (SEEC)
Timeline: 4-H Program Year
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will demonstrate an increased level of comfortability and confidence writing speeches with transitions, attention getters, body and closing.
Indicator: Youth compete with revised and altered speeches in progressing competitions based on judges feedback.
Method:
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H a place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
Timeline: School Year
Long-term Outcome: Youth will utilize the skills gained to serve as leaders in 4-H and other organizations
Indicator: Youth join 4-H via a community or school club, youth become involved in other organizations and speaking competitions such as Kentucky Farm Bureau Outstanding Youth Competition or Toastmasters
Method: 4-H Enrollment Sheets and community outreach and collaboration with other organizations, reference letters
Timeline: School Year and beyond
Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19
Project or Activity:
- Public speaking - County Communications Day
Content or Curriculum:
- Curriculum: Communications Curriculum: Module 1, Communications Curriculum Module 2, Communications Curriculum Module 3, RISE
- Training: Agent In-services
Inputs: Volunteers, Public Speaking, GT and English Teachers, UK Agents, Specialists
Date: School Year
Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19
Project or Activity: Public Speaking - Grab Bag Speeches
Content or Curriculum: Agent Developed Curriculum
Inputs: Students, County 4-H Agent
Date: School Year
Audience: AP Spanish Class
Project or Activity: Public Speaking in Spanish Competition
Content or Curriculum: Agent' Translated and Developed Curriculum
Inputs: Spanish Teachers in Community, County 4-H Agent, California and Florida 4-H Curriculum, UK Specialists
Date: School Year
Audience: Youth ages 6 - 19
Project or Activity: Communicating Effectively
Content or Curriculum: Agent Developed Curriculum
Inputs: County 4-H Agent, Student's, Leadership classes, teachers, specialists
Date: School Year
Audience: Youth ages 9 - 19
Project or Activity:
- Visual Arts
Content or Curriculum:
- Curriculum: Portfolio Pathways, Sketchbook Crossroads, KET Toolkit Visual Arts, Photography Level 1: Photography Basics, Photography Level 2: Next Level Photography, Photography Level 3: Mastering Photography, 4-H Filmmaking DVD, Getting Started in Art
Inputs: County 4-H Agent, Art Teachers, 21st Century Directors, WKCTC, Volunteers, Specialists
Date: School Year
Author: Brittany Osborne
Major Program: Civic Engagement
With civic distress in the United States during our 2020 Presidential Campaign, the need for more education around civic engagement was in high demand. Through the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service, 4-H met this demand in a local school. The U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncanthe states, "When it is done well, civic education equips students with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century – the ability to communicate effectively, to work collectively, to
Author: Brittany Osborne
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
In her early teen years, Mandy Moore started singing “The Star Spangled Banner” at various sports events in her Floridian hometown, earning her the nickname “The National Anthem Girl." According to her own personal testament, this is how Moore was discovered and signed a record deal at age 15. Gabrielle Copeland is a 4-H member at the McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service in Paducah, Kentucky. She began singing at the age of 2 and she has never lost her love
Author: Brittany Osborne
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
Bi-monthly educational programming with a focus in communication and workforce prep was taught in a county middle school this year. Classes were led in a collaboration with the Career Pathways Teacher at the school and the Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development in McCracken County. Topics were planned and implemented during class time in the Spring semester to merge together the importance of learning overarching communication skills, impromptu speaking, self-discovery and personality types.
