Russell County CES

Title:

Developing Human Capital

MAP:

Developing Human Capital

Agents Involved:

4-H, FCS, ANR, assistant(s)

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Leadership

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Communications and Expressive Arts

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Positive Employability

Situation:

Russell County has over 17,000 residents.  The Cooperative Extension Service provides opportunities for leadership development to residents of all ages in order to create a positive impact on their future.  Basic leadership knowledge and skills are essential for success at any stage of life and in almost any field of employment.  Developing leadership skills allow residents to face the challenges of the future with confidence whether those challenges emerge from school, community development, employment, family, or personal life.

Long-Term Outcomes:

• Clientele increase their leadership competency as a result of participating in CES programming.
• Youth and adults serve in leadership roles in CES clubs and groups and in community organizations.
• Clientele address critical issues that impact the local community.
• Clientele engage in community-based civic engagement projects to address identified community needs.
• Clientele develop employable skills and attain gainful employment.
• Clientele receive education on diversity, inclusion, and multiculturalism.
• Clientele share verbal communication and expressive arts in the community and/or advocate for arts in the community.
• Youth attend 4-H Camp for multiple years and become teen leaders to mentor younger youth.

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Clientele demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in CES clubs and groups and/or in their day-to-day life.
• Senior-age 4-H youth and adults will become club leaders and mentors to younger youth.
• Clientele acquire an appreciation for community service.
• Clientele can engage and listen to people with differing ideas.
• Clientele increase awareness of diversity.
• Clientele successfully complete high school or other post-secondary program.
• Youth write and deliver a speech or demonstration that has a clearly identified introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Youth increase confidence in presenting in front of groups.
• Youth create or perform expressive arts.
• Clientele seek civic engagement opportunities.
• Youth attend 4-H camp.

Initial Outcomes:

• Clientele learn communication, leadership, and procedural skills for conducting meetings.
• Clientele increase their knowledge about leadership and communication.
• Clientele learn about diversity.
• Clientele aspire to affect community and world issues in a positive way.
• Youth gain knowledge in researching, preparing, and presenting speeches and/or demonstrations.
• Clientele gain knowledge of employable skills and aspire to have gainful employment.
• Youth can identify key elements of expressive arts and written communication.
• Youth learn about activities and benefits of attending 4-H camp.

Evaluation:

Outcome:  Write a 4-H speech/demonstration

Indicator:  Youth write a speech/demonstration with introduction, body, and conclusion

Method:  survey, volunteer leader input, observation

Timeline:  conclusion of program

Outcome:  Presentation of 4-H speech/demonstration

Indicator:  Youth present a speech/demonstration to group and/or judges

Method:  observation, score sheets, self-evaluation

Timeline:  conclusion of program

Outcome:  implementation of parliamentary procedure

Indicator:  youth and adult clubs/groups lead effective meetings

Method:  observation

Timeline:  throughout program year

Outcome:  Create effective written communication and expressive arts pieces

Indicator:  increase in quality of written and artistic expression

Method:   observation and self-evaluation

Timeline:  throughout program

Outcome:  volunteers lead effective programs

Indicator:  program expansion through youth and adult volunteer leaders

Method:  observation

Timeline:  throughout program year

Outcome:  community engagement increases

Indicator:  CES clients recognize and participation in service-learning in community

Method:  observation and participation

Timeline:  throughout program year

Outcome:  increase community pride

Indicator:  youth develop interests in modeling good citizenship qualities

Method:  youth self-evaluation

Timeline:  conclusion of program

Outcome:  increase employability skills and aspirations for gainful employment

Indicator:  25% of participants develop 21^st century skills for employment

Method:   observation, formal evaluation, self-evaluation

Timeline:  conclusion of program and into the future years

Outcome:  participants develop SMART goals and take steps to achieve them

Indicator:  1/3 of participants achieve a short-term goal

Method:   self-evaluation

Timeline:  throughout program year

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Youth

Activity/Project:  4-H Speech and Demonstrations

Curriculum: Kentucky 4-H Speech and Demonstration publications

Inputs: guidelines, volunteer leaders, judges

Date: Winter 2021

Activity/Project:  4-H written communications

Curriculum:  4-H communications curricula and contest guidelines

Inputs:  guidelines, volunteers, judges

Date:   fall/winter 2021

Activity/Project:  Expressive Arts programming

Curriculum:  National 4-H arts, theater, music, and photography curriculum

Inputs:  curricula, state fair categories, volunteers, meeting area

Date:  throughout year

Activity/Project:  4-H Community Service

Curriculum:  True Leaders in Service guidelines

Inputs:   youth-adult partnership

Date:  winter 2021

Activity/Project:  4-H club programming

Curriculum:  4-H leadership and club curricula

Inputs:  curricula, volunteers, youth, mentors

Date:  throughout year

Activity/Project:  Citizenship 

Curriculum:  KY 4-H citizenship curricula

Inputs:  participants, volunteers, curricula

Date:  September-April

Activity/Project:  Workforce Preparation

Curriculum:  21^st Century Skills for Success

Inputs:  participants, volunteers, meeting space

Date:  throughout year

Audience:  Adults and Youth

Activity/Project:  Homemaker Clubs and Programming

Curriculum:   KEHA resources

Inputs:  leaders and members; KEHA resources

Date:  throughout year

Activity/Project:  Cultural Arts Contest

Curriculum:  cultural arts guidelines

Inputs:  participants, volunteers, judges

Date:  winter

Activity/Project:  Sewing and Creative Arts

Curriculum:  MCV program resources

Inputs:  Master Clothing Volunteers and other volunteer leaders

Date:  throughout year

Activity/Project:  Employability education

Curriculum:  Positive Employability

Inputs:  FCS agent, curriculum/publications, community leaders and businesses

Date:  throughout year

Success Stories

Voting – An American Duty

Author: Christina A. Martin

Major Program: Civic Engagement

The 4-H Mock Presidential Election has been held for several election cycles as part of an ongoing 4-H citizenship education initiative.  Students are educated about the election process in the United States of America, the duties of voting, and the suffrage 100 year anniversary.  Additionally they learned about the office of the presidency, presidential duties, and presidential modes of transportation.Approximately 600 youth in 3rd through 8th grades participated in the presentation a

Full Story

I Pledge My Hands to Large Service

Author: Christina A. Martin

Major Program: Leadership

4-H has had a rich history in community service.  Part of the 4-H Pledges is that we “pledge our hands to larger service.”  Engaging youth in a variety of community service opportunities allows them to learn the value of helping other people, lets them build self-esteem from the positive results of service, develop as sense of responsibility and of community, and realized that effective leaders also serve others.  Russell County 4-H members participated in a commu

Full Story

Extension Homemakers Serve the Community

Author: Christina A. Martin

Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association

During the on-going pandemic, the Homemaker Clubs were not able to meet, but that didn’t stop them from participating in educational opportunities and community service.  Homemaker members participated in the following state FCS programs:  Big Blue Goals challenge, estate planning series, and the How of Happiness book club.  Additionally during the pandemic, the Homemakers made law enforcement appreciation bags, grab and go food bags for EMS personnel, and 28 fidget mats for

Full Story