Extension
It Starts With Us
Developing Life Skills
Growing Self-Sufficient Families
Courtney Jenkins, Cathy Sparks, 4-H Agent
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Food Preparation and Preservation
Local Food Systems
Communications and Expressive Arts
Magoffin County consistently records one of the state's highest unemployment rates. In February 2016, Magoffin County ranked the highest at 21.6%, an alarming rate considering the second highest county rated 13.7%, evidencing a considerable deficit (www.kylmi.ky.gov).
Many factors have contributed to the county's high unemployment rate in recent years, namely the decline in the coal industry, resulting in an increasing number of the population seeking assistance in becoming more self-sufficient by developing life skills and honing in on home gardening, food preservation, sewing and financial education as a means of reducing costs and providing for their families.
The County Extension Council and local leaders recognized this and identified a need for general life skills education to reduce the economic burdens placed on families in the community during these tough times.
*Adults and families will become more financially stable as a result of Extension programming.
*Adults and youth will become competent in home gardening and food preservation.
*Adults and youth will make positive contributions to the community and share their skills with others to sustain a better quality of life.
*Participants will become more proficient in utilizing the skills learned to become more self-sufficient.
*More individuals will begin growing and preserving their own food.
*Youth and adults will understand the importance of financial management and begin working toward a more financially stable future.
*Individuals will share their knowledge with others.
*Individuals will learn life skills (i.e. home gardening, food preservation, basic sewing, and financial management) through Extension programs.
*Participants will learn the importance of self-sufficiency and financial education.
*Youth will develop a better understanding of finances and budgeting.
Initial Outcome: Increased knowledge of home gardening, food preservation, sewing and financial education.
Indicator: Number of clients attending and being actively engaged in educational sessions.
Method: Observation and informal surveys
Timeline: Upon completion of the educational sessions.
Intermediate Outcome: Participants will begin utilizing the life skills they have learned.
Indicator: Increased communication on the subject in which clients demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter.
Method: Written surveys
Timeline: Upon completion of an educational series.
Long-term Outcome: Individuals reporting greater financial stability.
Indicator: Dollars saved on food-related purchases and other savings as a result of learned skills.
Method: Written surveys
Timeline:6-12 months after completion of educational series
Audience: Adults and Youth
Projector Activity: Gardening Classes
Content or Curriculum: Home Vegetable Gardening & Master Gardener
Inputs: UK CES Agents, CES Publications, Grant Funds
Date: Spring/Summer/Fall
Audience: Adults
Projector Activity: Food Preservation Classes
Content or Curriculum: Food Preservation Publications
Inputs: UK CES Agents, CES Publications, Grant Funds
Date: Summer
Audience: Youth
Projector Activity: Reality Store and Dollars and Sense
Content or Curriculum: "It's Your Reality" & "Dollars and Sense" Curriculums
Inputs: UK CES Agents
Date: Fall/Spring
Audience: Adults and Youth
Projector Activity: Country Ham Project
Content or Curriculum: CES Country Ham Publications
Inputs: UK CES Agents, UK CES Specialists, CES Publications
Date: January-August
Audience: Adults and Youth
Projector Activity: Beginner's Sewing
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Sewing
Inputs: UK CES Agents, Volunteers, CES Publications
Date: January-March
Author: Cathy Sparks
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
This fall, the Family Resource Center Director at the Herald Whitaker Middle School asked to partner with the FCS program to offer educational programming for a group of “At-Risk” middle school students. As a result, we formed a group of 15 students who met each Friday for a life skills class. Using the Botvin Life Skills curriculum, that has been adopted for use by the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences program, the students were instructed weekly with l
Author: Cathy Sparks
Major Program: Family Development General
Stitched Together Inter-generational Sewing Class The Stitched Together Inter-generational Sewing Class was created as a part of the Berea Folk Arts and Culture Grant that Magoffin County Extension Office received. We were awarded an additional $1,000.00, in addition to the amount requested, and therefore created the sewing class. The class was designed for parents and their child or a grandparent, or caregiver and child to come to
Author: Cathy Sparks
Major Program: Camping
4-H Camp 2022-Post Pandemic The first experience that I had with 4-H Camp was 2021, during the Covid-19 Pandemic time, when masks were still required, even outdoors during activities, and the numbers were limited to half of the normal number attending. My concerns about the livelihood of camp, post-pandemic, were numerous, among those being whether we would ever be able to recruit students to ever return to camp. Trips to the elem
