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 Clothing Volunteers/ Champion Food Volunteers
Content or curriculum: Volunteer Activities, MCV State Training and guidelines, Extension Guidelines and expectations
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: 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)
Audience: Madison county families with children ages birth to 5 years old
Activity: Laugh and Learn Playdates
Content: Laugh and Learn curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent, FCS assistants, community partner(FRC's), supplies for activities, ingredients for snack
Date: once a month per location from September to April
Audience: Madison county residents or public
Activity: Food Preservation workshops
Content: information about canning, freeze drying, freezing, storing, and safely preparing foods
Inputs: FCS agent, Senior SNAP assistant, Extension publications and resources, agent time, samples
Date: year round
Author: Jessica Hunley
Major Program: Nutrition and Food Systems General
Students are growing up nationwide without the opportunities or experiences needed to build skills and maintain self sufficiency for independence into adulthood. One of the ways that our youth is suffering the most is that they lack culinary skills and competence in the kitchen to create nutritious meals for themselves and others. This trend begins with students in late elementary and middle school ages but continues into generations of adulthood. By offering cooking programs to stud
Author: Julia Reid
Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources
Madison County 4-H has had several youth interested in Horticulture and gardening. However, hosting a horticulture judging contest is costly. This year, the Madison County 4-H agent applied for an AG Mini Grant through the Kentucky 4-H Foundation (funded through AG tag program), and offered a 4-H Horticulture Judging clinic and contest for surrounding counties as well as Madison County youth.Two horticulture Agents, Tyson Gregory and Jessica Wells, assisted with the program and taught yout
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Madison County Youth and Families are in need of more hands-on skills and exposure to prepare foods both inside and outside of the kitchen. Madison County 4-H and Madison County Extension FCS Agents have teamed up to offer a program series for children and their families to learn the basics of outdoor cooking. In this series participants learned new skills that are essential for families who are interested in hiking, camping, hunting, and other various outdoor activities and need to
Author: Julia Reid
Major Program: Leadership
Madison County 4-H has recently had limited participation in the Kentucky 4-H Achievement process. We know participation in the achievement program allows youth to win awards like scholarships to teen conference, and other fun perks. We also know that youth and adults in Madison county work hard and are worthy of being recognized for their dedication to the 4-H program. The Madison County 4-H Agents decided to recognize leaders and youth while also trying to address a declining participatio
Author: Brandon Darst
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 p
Author: Brandon Sears
Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources
The involvement of youth in agriculture is vital to the existence and future growth of our industry. Many that want to experience agriculture do not have funds to get started with the purchase of plants, equipment, livestock or facilities. For the second year, local leaders serving on the Madison County Ag Development Council recognized this need. For 2023-2024 $50,000 of county tobacco settlement funds to a program offered through the KY Office of Ag Policy called Youth Agriculture Incentives P
Author: Brandon Darst
Major Program: Leadership
The 100th Annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference took place at the University of Kentucky from June 11th to 14th, 2024. The conference aimed to achieve several objectives for its participants, including developing leadership and teamwork skills, improving communication abilities, fostering civic engagement, expanding knowledge in 4-H core content areas, and enhancing social skills through networking. Additionally, the event provided an opportunity for youth to become acquainted with the University
