Extension
It Starts With Us
4-H Communications & Expressive Arts
Life Skills and Diversity
Cathy Fellows, Rusty Wolf
Communications & Expressive Arts
Providing youth with the ability to enhance and develop communication skills is of great importance in Kentucky. The development of communications skills is one of the preeminent skills necessary to grow as an individual, a community member and a leader. Using age appropriate activities selected from the approved Kentucky 4-H Communication & Expressive Arts Curriculum, educators can maximize the ability of youth to develop their writing, reading and personal communication capacities. This in turn creates a solid foundation for positive youth development (Jones, K. R. 2006) Research also shows a positive association between arts participation and a number of desirable academic and social outcomes, such as school grades, test scores, enrollment in post-secondary education, attainment of a bachelor’s degree, and higher levels of literacy and civic engagement. (Child Trends, 2012) Kentucky 4-H provides communication and expressive arts by engaging youth in hands-on educational experiences that inspire confidence and foster a love for the arts. Programs and projects are offered in the areas of public speaking, visual arts, and performing arts.
- Youth will utilize the skills gained to serve as leaders in 4-H and other organizations;
- Youth will be advocates for the arts
- Youth will construct a speech that has a clear introduction, body and closing
- Youth will demonstrate an increased level of confidence when presenting in front of groups
- ·Youth apply elements of visual arts in creating and performing projects
- Youth will gain knowledge in researching, preparing and presenting a speech or demonstration
- Youth can identify key elements of visual arts
- Outcome to be evaluated
- Youth plan and implement a communication and expressive arts project (speech, demonstration, photography, etc)
- Indicator of Success for Outcome
- Youth complete a communication and expressive arts project
- Method of Evaluation
- Oral or 4-H Common Measures Experience Survey at conclusion of learning activity
- Number of youth who completed a speech or demonstration? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who completed a state fair arts, photography, or other visual arts project? (PRACTICE)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #6 “Is 4-H A place where you get to figure out things for yourself?” (SEEC)
- Number of youth who indicated “yes or usually” to the Common Measures Experience Survey Question #13 “Is 4-H a place where you have a chance to be a leader?” (SEEC)
- Public speaking
- Curriculum: 4-H Speeches & Demonstrations
- County, Multi-county and state communications events (Feb, Mar, April and July 2025)
- 4-H county country ham project speech contest (June 2025)
- 4-H state country ham speech and ham contest (Aug. 25)
- Visual Arts
- Curriculum: Photography Level 1: Photography Basics, Photography Level 2: Next Level Photography, Photography Level 3: Mastering Photography
- Photography Club and Mounting summer project classes (monthly May-July 2025)
- 6029 Classes during Summer Projects Days (June & July, 2025)
- Art Club Series (Oct. 2024-April 2025)
Author: Cathy Fellows
Major Program: Communications & Expressive Arts
Historically the Boone County's 4-H Utopia Fair occurred annually in the first week in August.In January of 2024, the Boone County's Fair Board selected a new date, switching the annual Fair date to the last week in June. This date has created an upset in the community. The 4-H team had to brainstorm ways to help the 4-Hers have enough time to work on and complete projects in time to submit their finished projects into the Boone County Fair. Project work can be defined by plan
