Extension
It Starts With Us
Develop and Strengthen Leadership and Life Skills
Develop and Strengthen Leadership and Life Skills
Amanda Sears, Brandon Sears, Julia Reid, Scott Darst, Jessica Hunley
Build Engaged and Empowered Communities – General
Leadership
Family and Consumer Science
Master Gardener
According to the Kentucky Extension Community Assessment Madison County Report (2019), the top priority issues for youth and families were: more youth life skills training (money management, life decision making) and better family skills in reducing debt, increasing savings and financial planning. There were also top priorities identified impacting leadership, including more qualified leaders to prepare community for the future, more youth community leadership opportunities, and more citizens helping to solve local issues. From this same report, focus groups identified life skills education and workforce readiness as two of the top five priorities.
Youth will contribute to self, family, community and to the institutions of our society. Youth will obtain the communication and life skills needed to enter the workplace and/or institution of higher learning and lead successful lives. Youth will serve as teen and adult leaders in their communities, community organizations, environmental stewards, and as mentors for younger youth.
Master gardeners will assist with programming and lead classes in the community
Youth will set and achieve goals, develop a positive bond with a caring adult who believe in their success and apply the life skills learned in 4-H in other activities at home, school and in the community.
Volunteers and leaders practice personal leadership skills in clubs, schools and community outreach, improve skills in communication, problem solving, or group process in addressing organizational issues and needs and apply skills to assess needs, develop programs and implement solutions for community problems.
Master Gardeners will coordinate Madison County Master Gardener Club.
Farmer's market leaders will guide their markets during the season.
Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the decision-making process, and develop life skills. They will also will increase their knowledge about leadership and how to be an effective leader, team player and communicator. Youth will learn about leadership styles and will be able to identify positive and negative leadership characteristics.
Clientele increase knowledge and skills in personal leadership.
Residents will understand the importance of sustainable local agriculture to individual health and financial well-being, and will learn to grow, prepare and preserve food
Master Gardeners will learn horticulture skills.
Future Madison County leaders participate in Leadership Madison County to learn about the local agriculture economy.
Work early in season with farmer's market leaders to establish plan for season.
Outcome: Youth will obtain the communication and life skills needed to enter the workplace and/or institution of higher learning/trade school to lead successful lives
Indicator: Percentage of students who successfully complete the Dollars and Sense Program ad Reality Store Program with a positive bank balance.
Method: 4-H Dollar and Sense Activity Summary Sheet, Reality Store Activity Record Sheet
Timeline: At the end of the program.
Outcome: Youth will obtain the communication and life skills needed to enter the workplace and/or institution of higher learning/ trade schools to lead successful lives
Indicator: Percentage of students who successfully prepare and deliver a 4-H speech or demonstration. Number of students who earn a blue ribbon based on the quality of their presentation overall.
Method: 4-H Speech or Demonstration Score Sheet
Timeline: At the end of the program.
Outcome: Youth will set and achieve goals, develop a positive relationship with a caring adult and apply the life skills learned in 4-H in other activities at home, school and in the community.
Indicator: Number of youth who successfully complete a 4-H project/activity.
Method: Observation at programs
Timeline: At the end of the program.
Outcome: Youth will learn to read and follow instructions while developing skills in Family and Consumer Sciences projects and programs.
Indicator: Number of youth who reported that they followed instructions step-by step to do or make things themselves (i.e. recipes).
Method: End of program surveys, observation of completed work
Timeline: Throughout project work, conclusion of the program
Outcome: Master Clothing volunteers practice personal leadership skills in
workshops and community outreach and improve communication and program planning skills.
Indicator: MCV teach workshops and create community projects that improve
skills of participants and serve a need in the community.
Method: MCV reports and class evaluations
Timeline: As projects and classes are completed
Outcome: Leadership Madison County program graduates develop opportunities in local leadership roles
Indicator: Number of graduates who become involved in or are selected for positions of leadership.
Method:Identify past graduates who serve in leadership roles with various local and regional organizations, businesses, elected offices, or agribusinesses/commodity groups.
Timeline: Annually
Outcome: Master gardeners will assist with programming such as county fair and farmer's market events.
Indicator: Increased number of classes offered by master gardeners
Method: Master Gardeners taking on more responsibility with programming. Master Gardeners will be trained how to handle each program they work with.
Timeline: Throughout the year
Audience: Youth ages 5-18
Project or Activity: County Communications Contest
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Communications Curriculum, Talk Meet, Demonstrations Booklet, and Contest Rules
Inputs: Volunteer and Agent time, space for contest, awards for participants, copies, equipment
Date: Annually
Audience: Youth ages 5-18
Project or Activity: Communications Contest in the Schools: Speak Up!
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Communications Curriculum, Talk Meet, Demonstrations Booklet, and Contest Rules
Inputs: Agent time, space for contest, awards for participants, copies, equipment
Date: Winter- Spring, Annually
Audience: Middle and High School age 4-H youth
Project or Activity: Leadership Clubs/Teen Council
Content or Curriculum: Unlock Your Leadership Potential, Civic Engagement, district and state level events, 4-H Camp Counselor Training manual
Inputs: 4-H Agent time, volunteer time, funding, curriculum, equipment, meeting space
Date: Monthly Meetings, Year Round
Audience: 4-H Youth ages 9-18
Project or Activity: 4-H Project Clubs/Groups
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Sewing—Keeping 4-H in Stitches; 4-H Cooking—
4-H Cooking 101, 201, 301, 401, Super Star Chef, Visual Arts Curriculum, Utah 4-H Cake Decorating Curriculum
Inputs: 4-H Agent time, volunteer time, funding, curriculum, equipment, meeting space
Date: Time varies by project
Audience: Youth ages 12-18
Project or Activity: Richmond Teen Center
Content or Curriculum: Varies: Unlock your Leadership Potential, National 4-H Mentoring program, Speak Up, Jr MANRRS, 4-H SET
Inputs: 4-H volunteers, resources, curriculum
Date: Annually
Audience: Youth 12-18
Project or Activity: Shooting sports teen leaders
Content or curriculum: varies: shooting sports, Step up to Leadership Mentor guide
Inputs: meeting space and supplies, curriculum, equipment
Date: Annually
Audience: 4-H Volunteers
Project or Activity: Volunteer Training
Content or curriculum: Livestock, Dog, Shooting Sports, Horse, Volunteer Resource Guide
Inputs: meeting space and supplies, curriculum, equipment
Date: One meeting annually, continuing hours
Audience: Board and Council members, clientele
Activity: Family and Consumer Science Council and Homemaker Board, County Extension Council
Content or curriculum: Council Guidelines
Input: KEHA materials, Letters, meals, meeting space, agent and volunteer time
Date: Year Round
Audience: Master Volunteers and clientele
Activity: Master Volunteer in Clothing Program
Content or curriculum: Volunteer Activities, MCV State Training and guidelines
Input: Training fees, agent time, volunteer service hours, samples and supplies
Date: Year Round
Audience: Madison County District Board Members
Activity: District Board
Content or Curriculum: District Board Manual
Inputs: volunteer service, treasurer, Department of Local Government, Fiscal Court
Date: Year Round
Audience: Adults
Activity: Leadership Madison County Program
Content: Madison County Chambers of Commerce in Richmond and Berea (Agriculture Day)
Inputs: Volunteer farmers, ANR agent, Richmond & Berea Chamber resources
Date: September, Annually
Audience: Adults
Activity: Master Gardeners
Content: UK program
Inputs: UK curriculum, specialists, Horticulture Agent
Date: As needed
Audience: Master Gardeners
Activity: Master Gardener Club
Content: As needed
Inputs: Land grant publications, Horticulture Agent
Date: monthly
Audience: Resident Farmers
Activity: Madison County Ag Development Council
Content: Governor’s Office of Ag Policy Program Guidelines
Inputs: GOAP staff, county council members, ANR agent
Date: 3-4 times per year (as needed)
Author: Julia Reid
Major Program: Agriculture
With less than 1% of the population involved in agriculture, it seems there is an increase in the amount of misinformation spread about farming and farm practices. In Madison County, there are many farmers and entities that support agriculture that are itching for an opportunity to teach others about agriculture. There are also 10 public elementary schools, 3 private elementary schools, and countless homeschool families that have not been engaging in as many field trips due to COVID. Speaking of
Author: Jessica Hunley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
This program came about as I was invited to speak and attend a monthly meeting for the Alpha Delta Kappa Organization. This group is specific to women educators in Kentucky, both past and present, who focus on leadership and altruism. They wanted to hone in on healthy eating skills as well as become more familiar with Extension and our education programs as well.I spent one evening with 30 of their members, where we engaged in conversation and a lesson about healthy eating. I u
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Leadership
Middle School RetreatAccording to research, middle school is a time where young people explore their strengths and interests in order to find their place in theworld (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is essential to provide positive experiences in which young people are able to explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, Kentucky 4-H sees a decline in enrollment numbers for middle school age yo
Author: Amanda Sears
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership - ANR
Madison County, Kentucky has a long history of agriculture. Tobacco was historically the largest agriculture commodity though it has been replaced with cattle and forage production.While there is an appreciation of farming in our community, the general population knows very little about the agriculture that surrounds them every day. The county has changed greatly over the years. The county population has grown over 20% since 2000. Nearly 80% of Madison County is considered farmland yet onl
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Leadership
C1-C4 Teen Retreat 2023The objectives of C1-C4 Area 4-H Teen Retreat are to develop leadership and teamwork skills, foster civic engagement, expand knowledge and skills related to 4-H core content areas, have fun, make new friends, create a sense of belonging, expand social skills, and develop positive youth-adult partnerships. This overnight educational experience is a culminating event for the C1-C4 Area Teen Council, who wo
Author: Jessica Hunley
Major Program: Super Star Chef
Students in Madison County, Kentucky are increasingly being faced with issues related to their independence and accountability in many facets of life, where they are not equipped with the basic life skills necessary to succeed, and kitchen or cooking skills are no exception. Local families struggle to help their students meet this need for a variety of reasons, but primarily due to parents schedules and availability to set aside time dedicated to teaching these kinds of skills. as well as
Author: Julia Reid
Major Program: Camping
This year at Madison County 4-H Camp the camp theme was time warp, and man did we have a rad time! Together with Scott Darst, the other 4-H Youth Development Agent, Casey Faulkner, and Nicik Lunsford, our two 4-H Program Assistants, we had a great team! That is not to say we did not have difficulties, as we did run into the general camp issues as homesickness, illnesses, and minor disciplinary issues. Throughout the week I was so glad to have the support of our team at camp. Even when Scot
Author: Julia Reid
Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
It seems the most popular response when you ask young people, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is a veterinarian. After discussing future career goals with our teen club, middle school club, ham club, and livestock club, 4-H Agent, Julia Reid, noticed this was certainly the case among her 4-Hers. In order to provide the youth with exposure to veterinary medicine, Julia called a local team of vets, Nick and Kate Werle. They agreed to help lead the club and host half of t
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Natural Resources
Over the years it has been a challenge to get youth outdoors and invested into the natural world; the barrier has been the overuse of technology and the lack of interest due to the disconnect. The task was to create and find a way to create a positive and educational experience for youth. Outdoor Activities such as hiking, fishing, bird watching, and much more are just a few of the more popular hobbies that many individuals enjoy as the temperatures begin to warm up throughout t
