Extension
It Starts With Us
Basic Life Skills for Youth and Adults in Scott County
Acquiring Basic Life Skills
Allen, Flynt, Redmon
Leadership
Communications and Expressive Arts
Master Gardener
Nutrition and Food Systems General
How we live life is ever-changing but learning basic life skills is still as important as ever. Learning to practice healthy habits, select clothing to emphasize one’s best appearance, create and live within a budget, prepare nutritious meals safely, nurture children, create a safe and pleasant home environment, practice common courtesies, and form relationships with others—all of these skills are basic to everyday life. Many schools no longer include family and consumer sciences classes in the curriculum. Reality is that today’s youth and adults are busier than ever. Many of these basic life skills are not consistently taught to youth at home or at school. 4-H family and consumer sciences projects equip youth with these skills.
As with any other Kentucky 4-H Core Curriculum area, when it comes to development of life skills, a strong case can be made for the need to go beyond mere transfer of knowledge to giving youth the opportunity for a variety of supportive, related learning experiences to significantly increase the program’s influence.
4-H often offers basic learning activities on a topic of interest to youth but the addition of activities which support that interest (such as fair exhibits, related subject matter workshops or day camps, field trips, and decision-making judging contests) significantly increase the development of life skills in youth. In a study by Olson, Croymans and Ji (2014), 4-Hers reported that participating in 1 or 2 educational opportunities influenced the development of critical thinking and decision making skills, and participating in 6 to 8 opportunities significantly increased the program’s influence by adding development of life skills in leadership, planning/organization, wise use of resources, useful/marketable skills and accepting differences.
While many FCS skills can be learned through self-directed projects or school enrichment, it’s beneficial for youth to have the added experience and guidance of a trusted adult and the opportunity to form relationships with caring mentors. For many adults, long-term volunteering is not always possible but shorter-term volunteer roles create doable opportunities for more people to tuck volunteering into busy schedules. Special interest clubs and groups that meet for a few weeks or months broaden the possibilities. The volunteer efforts of multiple adults may be required to take the 4-H experience from club meetings alone to also include exhibits, field trips and more.
Through the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program, adults develop horticultural skills while at the same time experiencing leadership and comradery, with other adults with similar interest . They are able to set goals and develop action plans to achieve horticulture projects, volunteer time to community and mentor other adults.
The consequences of the Pandemic and the period of slow economic growth encouraged Kentuckians to become more aware of their financial and food security situation. Kentucky consistently lags behind other areas of the United States in key household economic indicators, including: personal income, population living below the poverty line, food insecurity, unemployment, and revolving debt. These indicators, especially unemployment numbers became more exaggerated during the period of the Pandemic. It is important to acknowledge the impact of current economic conditions on family financial management. The goal of the Securing Financial Stability Initiative is to help Kentuckians understand and respond to changing economic conditions, while promoting healthy financial behaviors across the lifespan.
Youth / Adults will:
- Be responsible and contributing individuals and family members.
- Gain and maintain employment through life skill development.
- Contribute to a safe, pleasant and productive home and family.
- Number of individuals reporting improved family financial stability and economic well-being.
- Number of individuals who avoided breaches in personal or financial security.
- Improved the quality of their life resulting in a stronger family.
Youth / Adults will:
- Utilize and practice life skills in projects and life situations
- Project a positive image and self-confidence
- Practice responsible consumer and financial decision-making
- Practice healthy eating choices
- Make choices that lead to responsible and beneficial results
- Adopt habits and skills that contribute toward employability in the future
- Adopt one or more short, mid and long term financial planning strategies.
- Practice one or more resource management behavior(s) resulting in increased savings or investments
- Apply practical living skills to advance education or employability
- Examine personal and financial stability on a regular basis (at least annually)
Youth / Adults will:
- Gain knowledge and develop skills in core areas and other programs
- Understand the decision-making process
- Gain skills in setting a goal and developing a plan of action
- Learn to read and follow instructions
- Teenagers and adults will show increased knowledge and skills related to managing available financial and non-financial resources. (Social marketing and Program participants)
- Participants will increase understanding of consumer rights and privacy protection measures.
- Teens and young adults will simulate life situations to recognize importance of education and employability skills.
- Participants will identify short, medium and long term personal goals and objectives related to maintaining and improving their financial stability.
Outcome: Participants learn and practice life skills
Indicator: Knowledge gained
Method: Pre test and post test questionnaires, Common Measurements
Timeline: Throughout the year
Intermediate Outcome: Apply soft skills to attain and retain employability
Indicator: ability to successfully implement soft skills
Method: mock job interviews, soft skills curriculum
Timeline: year round
Long-term Outcome: Adults and youth will be able to practice financial literacy
Indicator: Ability to apply knowledge
Method: financial related workshops and information
Timeline: year round
Audience: Extension Homemakers/General Public
Activity: Lesson Leader Training/Seminar
Content or Curriculum: FCS/SNAP Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Throughout the Year
Audience: Master Gardeners/General Public
Activity: Classes, Workshops, EXPO
Content or Curriculum: Master Gardener curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Year Round
Audience: 4-H Members/Youth
Activity: Youth clothing, knitting & crochet project group organization and leader training
Content or Curriculum: 4-H project material
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Speech & Demonstration Contest
Content or Curriculum: Communication
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: Youth/Adults
Activity: Training Adults, Youth Leadership
Content or Curriculum: Leadership, 4-H Camp Counselor Manual
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Summer/ Fall
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Club Officer Training
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Officer Handbooks & Notebooks
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Fall
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Council Evaluation Training
Content or Curriculum: Community Conflict Resolution Materials
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: November
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Life Skills School Club Lessons
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Growing On My Own Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring/ Fall
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Summer Camp
Content or Curriculum: Summer Camp
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: June
Audience: Youth
Activity: 4-H Cloverbuds
Content or Curriculum: Penn State Cloverbuds/Arts and Crafts
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Monthly
Audience: Youth
Activity: Truth and Consequences
Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Spring
Audience: Youth
Activity: It's your Reality
Content or Curriculum: Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: November
Audience: General public
Activity: Estate planning workshops
Content or Curriculum: estate planning
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: annually
Audience: 4-H Youth
Activity: 4-H Cooking
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking Curriculum
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, volunteers
Date: Monthly
Audience: 4-H Youth
Activity: Outdoor Living
Content or Curriculum: Survival, Navigation, Cooking
Input: Nature Reliance School, equipment, Volunteers, Staff
Date: Year round
Audience: General public/including Master Gardeners
Activity: Virtual classes
Content or Curriculum: Extension Specialists, Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials
Date: Year round
Audience: General public/Master Gardeners
Activity: Scott Co. Cooperative Extension Horticulture Demonstration Gardens
Content or Curriculum: UK Cooperative Extension publications, Monarch Watch,
Input: Staff, office equipment, curriculum, materials, labor
Date: Year round
Audience: General public/Master Gardeners
Activity: Community Garden website, videos, projects
Content or Curriculum: Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications, Monarch Watch,
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, labor
Date: Spring, Summer, Fall
Audience: General Public
Activity: Georgetown Tree Week
Content or Curriculum: Agents, UK Cooperative Extension publications, Urban Forest Initiative, City of Georgetown
Input: Staff, equipment, curriculum, materials, labor
Date: Fall
Author: Patrick Allen
Major Program: Leadership
Is 4-H the middle school aged audience is a very underserved audience. We spend a lot of time and energy developing and implementing programs for 4th and 5th grads with the hope that the students will join other programs in our county 4-H program. With in the 4th and 5th grade we have a once-a-month club meeting in all classrooms, as well as send all 4th graders to North Central 4-H Camp for Environmental Education (EE) Camp. In high school youth can attend several leadership conferences, be com
Author: Alivia Faris
Major Program: Family Development General
Scott County Extension Office Partners with State and National Organizations: PCAK and AARPRoughly 36% of Kentucky’s population is over the age of 50. Kentucky has one of the highest percentages of people aged 30 and over raising grandchildren. According to the Kentucky School Board Association, we must work to support and understand this new family demographic. With this in mind, the Scott County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences applied for a grant with the help of th
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
JAG is becoming a popular class in the school systems today. JAG, which stands for Jobs for American Graduates provides life skills and help them overcome barriers while preparing them for the work force, secondary education, or the military. The 4-H Agent was asked to come and provide educational lessons for the JAG student at Great Crossing High School. One of the educational lessons was public speaking, public speaking is the #1 fear for Americans. The 4-H Agent spent one day for three weeks
Author: Sharon Flynt
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
In June 2022, the director of a local rehabilitative transitional house for women with substance abuse, reached out to the extension office to provide classes and activities in gardening and nutrtion. Research indicates, according to Rutgers University, that the use of horticulture therapy is beneficial for people with physical, mental, emotional, and social disabilities. Horticultural activity and working with plants – which are non-discriminating and non-thr
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Leadership
According to research, middle school is a time where young people explore their strengths and interests in order to find their place in the world (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 youth. In an effort to retain this age group, the Area C1-C4 Teen Council worked to plan, implement, and evaluat
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
The Kentucky 4-H Passport Kitchen program provided 426 young people from Kentucky the opportunity to experience the food cultures of different countries in a self-paced experience. As part of the 4-H Passport Kitchen program, young people received six country kits in the mail during a six-week window. These kits provided all the needed instructions to complete a recipe, a video explaining the recipe, one ingredient for the recipe, information about the country, and a worksheet to help them explo
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Communications and Expressive Arts
4-H Country Ham Day at the Kentucky State FairOn the opening day of the Kentucky State Fair in 2022, 75 counties participated in Ham Day, where over 800 youth participated in giving a 3-5 minute speech on a top designed around country ham. Over 800 hams were judged by the University of Kentucky Meats Lab professor and workers. With the 4-H Country Ham Project youth are given a topic to write a speech and two green hams to cure. From January to August the youth cure, clean, and prepare their hams
Author: Patrick Allen
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Reality Store:Reality Store is a program designed to teach students the importance of education by placing them in the shoes of an adult for a shot time. Students are given a scenario that includes a career, salary, expenses, children, and the ability to make decisions on purchasing everyday items. The concept behind the program is to show youth the importance of having certificates that show there are qualified to carry out the tasks being asked from an employer. This program teaches youth that
Author: Sarah Redmon
Major Program: Leadership
The 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 worked for several months to plan implement, and evaluate this 2-night, 3-day program for their
Author: Patrick Allen
Major Program: Leadership
University of Kentucky : College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment Kentucky 4-H Summit 2023 West Kentucky 4-H CampDr. Rachel N. GuidugliAccording to research, middle school is a time where young people find their place in this world, they are exploring where their strengths and interests align (Fagell. P.L., 2019). Therefore, it is impreative to provide positive experiences where young people may explore the world in a safe environment. Historically, there is a decline in enro
Author: Patrick Allen
Major Program: Civic Engagement
In a 2016 survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, one in four youth were unable to name the three branches of government. In addition, in July 2018 the Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) 158.141 stated a student must pass a civics test at a rate of 60% or higher, composed of 100 questions to graduate from a public high school with a regular diploma. To address this need, Kentucky 4-H Capitol Experience was established with the objectives of: Developing a positive relationship be
Author: Sharon Flynt
Major Program: Horticulture, Commercial
A recent study showed that 55% of American households engage in gardening activities. The study also found that 67% of adults are growing or planning to grow edible plants, including vegetables (52%), herbs (33%), and fruits (31%). This has led to a boom in sales in garden centers and promotion of the benefits of growing your own food. This “boom in gardening” and gardening businesses was demonstrated in April, 2023, at the Scott County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer
