Extension
It Starts With Us
Enhancing Life Skills through Youth Projects and Activities
Developing Leadership Skills for Community and Civic Engagement
McCandless, Fentress, DeRamus
Leadership
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Agriculture & Natural Resources
According to Michigan State University Extension articles published in January 2013 & August 2016, one of the most important support systems for healthy adolescent development is positive friendships and positive peer influences. These peer to peer relationships can encourage teens to care about people, meet/set higher standards and participate in constructive activities. From the 2019 Hardin County Community Assessment report it was emphasized that we need to continue and expand on "youth life skills training educational opportunities". 4-H programs offer a wide range of life skill opportunities based on an individuals interests and goals. An individuals involvement, regardless of project/program area, will enhance leadership, decision making and money management skills.
Youth will:
*Be advocates for agriculture and healthy and sustainable food systems.
*Youth will gain and maintain employment resulting from life skill development through 4-H.
*Youth will gain skills to help deal with peer pressures that lead to self-esteem issues, bullying prevention and coping strategies.
Life Skills Program - CD
- Youth will seek out ways to get employment by contacting Career Agencies, Work Prep Programs, Job shadowing & Internships opportunities.
- Youth will be self-sufficient and be able to balance personal finances.
- Youth will be able to develop positive relationships amongst people from different backgrounds.
- Youth will get involved with helping a community organization with bringing awareness to a social awareness issue and help the organization with finding some solutions to help the community.
• Youth will practice and apply skills and knowledge in the production of food and fiber in the areas
of plant sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
• Youth will adopt and practice skills that contribute to employability.
• Youth can explain the role of agriculture in daily life to others.
• Youth will set a goal and accomplish it.
• Youth can influence the purchase of Kentucky Proud products.
• Youth can practice entrepreneurship skills related to agriculture and food systems.
Life Skills Program - CD
Intermediate Outcomes
- Youth will develop positive relationships amongst people from different backgrounds.
- Youth will know techniques to use to handle conflict and anger when stressful situations arise.
- Youth will be prepared to complete an interview for a position with a potential employer.
- Youth will be able to set some obtainable career goals and be able to make more informed decisions.
Life Skills Program - CD
*Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in the areas of plant
sciences, horticulture and animal sciences.
• Youth will gain an understanding of healthy and sustainable food systems.
• Youth will develop valuable life-skills, including decision-making, communications, record-keeping, leadership and service.
Life Skills Program - CD
- Short Term Outcomes
- Youth will develop skills in oral communication and written communication that will contribute to helping them to be in a future leadership role in a future career or profession.
- Youth will be able to develop a cover letter and a resume to apply for a future position for any profession.
- Youth will be able to identify their strengths and weaknesses thru skills assessments and team building activities.
- Youth will have a basic understanding of how money works and how to apply basic budgeting techniques to personal income.
- Youth will develop an understanding of diversity and see how it helps in establishing positive relationships with peer groups and people from a background different from their own.
Life Skills Program - CD
Initial Outcome: Youth will gain knowledge and skills in the production of food and fiber in areas of plant, horticulture and/or animal sciences
Indicator: Number of youth who understands the role of agriculture in the production of food and fiber
Method: 4-H Program Agriculture Written Evaluation
Timeline: Spring, late summer and/or Fall
Intermediate Outcome: Youth will set a goal and accomplish it
Indicator: Number of youth who set a goal and accomplished it
Method: 4-H Program Agriculture Written Evaluation
Timeline: Spring, late summer and/or Fall
Long-term Outcome: Youth will be advocates for agriculture while gaining and maintaining employment as result of their participation
Indicator: Number of youth who demonstrate a skill that was learned or improved as a result of their participation in a 4-H ANR project, program, event or activity
Method: 4-H program Agriculture Written Evaluation
Timeline: Spring, late summer and/or Fall
Life Skills Program - CD
Outcome: Youth will be able to develop a cover letter and a resume to apply for a future position for any profession.
Indicator:
- Number of youth participants demonstrating an application of specified life skills.
Method: Surveys will be administered every 3-4 months, Interviews, Testimonials, phone calls, Videos, Zoom Presentations, Botvin Life-skills Transitions Curriculum, 21st Century Life-skills curriculum, Checkbook Math (Life-skills), Practical Life Skills Series, Money Matters for Teens Workbook
Timeline: (January- June) (August-November)
Outcome: Build skills in anger management, perspective-taking, and problem-solving strategies.
Indicator:
- Number of youth who become more aware of ways to attain pertinent life skills.
Method: Surveys will be administered every 3-4 months, Interviews, Testimonials, phone calls, Videos, Zoom presentations, Botvin Life-skills curriculum
Timeline: (January- June) (August-November)
Outcome: Youth will seek out ways to get employment by contacting Career Agencies, Work Prep Programs, Job shadowing & Internships opportunities.
Indicator:
- Number of youth reporting self-sufficiency (developing self-confidence, obtaining employment, pursuing higher education, advocating on behalf of youth and other vulnerable populations).
Method: Surveys will be administered every 3-4 months intervals, Interviews, Testimonials, phone calls, Videos, Zoom presentations, Life-Skills Curriculum Job Search, Moving Out on Your Own, Managing Money, Transportation and Travel, Community Resources, Consumer spending, Getting Ahead at Work, and Car and Driver.
Timeline: (January- June) (August-November)
Life Skills Program - CD
Audience: 4-H youth 5 - 18 years of age
Project or Activity: 4-H Livestock Club
Content or Curriculum: Beef, Sheep, Swine Resource Handbook & Certified Livestock Volunteer Curriculum, Livestock Discovery
Inputs: Certified Leaders, Extension Agents, Community Business Leaders
Date: 4-H Program Year, September through August of following year
Audience: 4-H Youth 9 - 18 years of age
Project or Activity: Trailblazers 4-H Horse Club
Content or Curriculum: Basic Horse Safety manual, Horse Achievement Level 1-4, Kansas State Judging manual & DVDs, KY Certified Leaders manual, KY Horse Bowl and horse judging manual
Inputs: Certified Leaders, Extension Agents, Veterinarians & Parents
Date: 4-H program year, September through August
Audience: 4-H youth 5 - 18 years of age
Project or Activity: 4-H Dog Club
Content or Curriculum: Ohio State Dog Learning Lab, American Kennel Club,
Inputs: Leaders, Extension Agents & parents
Date: 4-H Program Year, September through August of following year
Audience: 4-H youth 13 - 18 years of age
Project or Activity: 4-H Teen Club
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Communications curriculum
Inputs: Leaders, Extension Agents & parents
Date: 4-H Program Year, September through August of following year
Audience: 4-H youth 9-18 years of age
Project or Activity: 4-H Beginner Beekeeping/Bee Club
Content or Curriculum: Ky 4-H Bee Ambassador Program
Inputs: Leaders, Extension Agents, Hardin County Beekeepers and parents
Date: 4-H program year, September through August (beginning Nov. 2022)
Audience: 4-H youth 9-18 years of age
Project or Activity: 4-H From the Porch: Garden Series
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs: Leaders, Extension Agents, Master Gardeners and parents
Date: Spring/Summer Months (2023)
- Life Skills Program - CD
Audience: Youth, (At Risk population, Limited Resource audience)
Project or Activity: CY-FAR Grant Uplift: Empowering Today’s Youth for Tomorrow’s Future
Content or Curriculum: Botvin Life-skills Transitions curriculum (High School and Middle School), 4H Content or Curriculum on Life Skills, Leadership, Jump Start Coalition, Youth Development Academy Series, What's Next? A Simulation of Adult Life Skills
Inputs: FCS Agent, 4-H Youth Specialists, UK Extension Staff & Specialists, Volunteers, Community Leaders, Community based organizations, Schools, Family Resource Centers, Extension Staff Career Centers, Military Youth Programs, Colleges, Library
Date: (January- June) (August-November)
- Life Skills Program - CD
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
The problem was that we have a large and diverse community within Hardin County that may not be familiar with 4-H positive youth development. We felt that the community could benefit from being given an opportunity to meet the 4-H community at the Hardin County Extension Office. We felt like there was a large amount of youth and families who were interested in 4-H but not sure how it works or what to do to be involved. The educational program response was quite large and successful. We had
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: Economic Development and Workforce Preparation – 4-H Youth Development
“Financial Literacy Reading Program A Success with Youth at Public Library in Hardin County”Over the last year, the economy has changed for areas within Kentucky. Hardin County will see a difference in how a lot of grocery stories and companies raise their prices in order to keep up with inflation. In order to keep up with the transition schools and public community organizations are looking for alternative options to teach the youth about finances and money. The local public library
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Major Program: 21st Century Skills (Career & Workplace Development)
January 11, 2024“CYFAR Grant Youth Group from Hardin County Explores Jr. Manrrs Leadership Institute” Within Hardin County the city is filled with numerous opportunities for its youth to explore and to get involved. Over the last several years within the county an FCS extension agent at Kentucky State University has been working with a team of specialists and administrators at the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension thru a five year grant called the CYFAR Grant. CYFAR s
Author: Sue Ann McCandless
Major Program: Camping
Camp numbers have not met expectations within our county in the past, but have been on the rise in the last couple of years.The Hardin County 4-H program continues to believe that the camp experience has several positive impacts for youth ages 9-14 including personal growth, eliminating screen time and fostering independence and leadership while creating opportunities for mentorship and positive role modeling from teens and adults. We have witnessed first hand a number of youth overcome obstacle
Author: Sue Ann McCandless
Major Program: Economic Development and Workforce Preparation – 4-H Youth Development
Statistics and general public feedback show that many students don’t have the financial knowledge and skills to make healthy financial decisions. Money management and career path development are both important areas that need to be addressed among our youth population so they are better equipped to make healthier financial decisions. Local schools requested the 4-H Reality Store program. The 4-H Reality Store program is a real-life simulation that allows the student to see how their
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
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
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Youth, especially Cloverbuds, needed opportunities to learn important life skills through experiential learning in 4-H. I researched ways to help youth learn more practical life skills through topics that they were interested in or cared about. This is where I came up with, "Cloverbud Animal Buddies Day Camp". This day camp was from 9-3 pm. We made connections with local small businesses and volunteers to conduct fun activities. Cloverbuds were able to visit a local pet store and learn
Author: Sue Ann McCandless
Major Program: Family and Consumer Science
Sewing is an important life skill that is often overlooked in modern times. The pandemic brought sewing back into the lives of many as families either couldn't get out to shop for clothing or because of limited supplies. Many parents recognized the need for thier youth to learn this skill. Sewing is also important as it helps develop hand and eye coordination, improves critical thinking and is often used as a creative outlet or form of relaxation. The Hardin County 4-H
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
Major Program: Agriculture & Natural Resources
Youth needed more opportunities to apply their knowledge and to grow their public speaking skills to be prepared for long-term leadership goals in association with career readiness. Hardin County did not have an active 4-H Livestock Judging team in the past and had a local leader volunteer to be the coach so a team was formed. These youth had opportunities to meet local and successful agricultural industry leaders in Hardin County as they had numerous farm visit practices for judging. Youth
Author: Sue Ann McCandless
Major Program: Camping
In years past, camp numbers in Hardin County were not meeting state expectations. The Hardin County 4-H program continues to believe that the camp experience has several positive impacts for youth ages 9-14 including personal growth, eliminating screen time and fostering independence and leadership while creating opportunities for mentorship and positive role modeling from teens and adults. Initial feedback when the camping dates were released was that many regular campers and adults
Author: Jocelyn Kemp
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
Military youth are known to be resilient due to their families lifestyle and being involved in the military. 4-H is a partner with the military and Hardin County works closely with leaders on Fort Knox (located in Hardin County) to make sure that 4-H programming is available and successful for military youth. Not only is 4-H programming conducted on site at the Fort Knox School Age Center and Devers Teen and Middle School Center but I am working on brining 4-H even closer to youth by working wit
