Bell County CES

County Emphasis:

Improve financial, physical, mental health and overall wellbeing.

Concentration 1:

Health and Wellbeing

Concentration 2:

Animal Production and Management

Concentration 3:

Financial Security and Economic Well-Being

Situation:

The opportunities and resources available to support the health and well-being of adults, youth, and families in Kentucky vary widely. Disparities in health-promoting knowledge, resources, and infrastructure contribute to higher rates of chronic health conditions and lower quality of life. Prevention, early detection, and care are essential to maintain and/or improve quality of life. Additionally, for decades, little attention has been given to the external factors that undoubtedly affect health such as access to care, education, nutritious foods, and safe physical spaces. These same issues and concerns were echoed throughout the 2023 UK Cooperative Extension Community Assessment. Within the top 15 priority issues identified by Kentuckians, “ensuring individuals and families have access to affordable nutritious foods” was #4 and “reducing youth obesity through nutrition education and/or exercise” was #8.

Agriculture plays a vital role in addressing these priorities by supporting local food systems, increasing access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods, and providing opportunities for community engagement through home and community gardening, farmers markets, and farm-to-school initiatives. Strengthening local agricultural networks not only improves nutrition but also promotes economic resilience and environmental sustainability in Kentucky communities. Guided by the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health Equity and Wellbeing, UK Extension aims to become a critical public health partner for addressing disparities in health-promoting knowledge, resources, and infrastructure through comprehensive health, nutrition, wellness, and agriculture-based programming that supports adult and youth physical health and well-being.

County Situation:

According to the community needs assessment survey conducted in 2023 for Bell County, results indicated that adults, farmers and youth needed access to affordable nutritious locally grown, fresh foods, social, emotional and behavioral education for adults working with youth and reducing youth obesity through nutrition and exercise were identified. (Gardening, walking programs, etc.) Many families, farming families and individuals in Bell County suffer from chronic diseases due to lack of physical activity and unbalanced diet. Most feel like they don't have the time to exercise and lack of motivation.

Long-Term Outcomes:

•  Improved quality of life
• Community environments that equitably support health-promoting behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play.
• Youth will increase contributions to their communities through applying critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication learning in the 4-H Health and Well-Being Core Content Area.
• Improve the quality of life of animals and humans.
• Improved financial and economic well-being

Intermediate Outcomes:

• Increased organizational/site/community support for health-promoting behaviors that equitably address community health or safety issues
• 4-H members will practice general wellness habits.
• Increased biosecurity strategies that promote both animal and human health related behaviors for a safe food system.
• Increased access to community financial resources

Initial Outcomes:

• Increased knowledge about health-promoting behaviors.
• Increased knowledge of general wellness practices
• Increase confidence in implementing new and emerging techniques, technology, and production systems.
• Improved financial literacy knowledge

Evaluation:

Initial

Indicator: Number of participants who reported/demonstrates improved knowledge, skills, opinions, or confidence regarding a health-promoting behavior as a result of a participating in a health and well-being program

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration or follow up evaluation

Intermediate

Indicator: Number of physical activity minutes recorded by a participant

Number of participants who reported consuming more nutritious foods and/or beverages

Number of participants who reported a change in a health-promoting behavior as a result of participating in a health and well-being program

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Repeated self-reported surveys and/or follow-up evaluations to capture change over time

Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study

Method: Standard Evaluation for 4-H Health and Wellbeing: Survey

Timeline: 1 or more years

Outcome: Short-term

Indicator:

• Number of participants who reported an increased knowledge of the beekeeping industry.  
• Number of participants who reported an increased knowledge of apiary management practices  

Method: Program evaluation survey 

Timeline: Immediate Post Program 

Outcome: Medium-term

Indicator: Number of participants who demonstrated/reported applying apiary management skills learned from UK Extension to their apiary operations 

Method: Program evaluation survey or records from post farm visits and individual consultations 

Timeline: Throughout the Program Year 

Outcome: Long-term

Indicator: 

• Number of participants who reported a financial gain through using the skills learned in their beekeeping business. 
• Profit increase (dollars) reported by beekeeping businesses. 
• Number of participants who reported an improvement in their quality of life because of implementing the apiary management skills/practices learned from UK Extension 

Learning Opportunities:

 Audience: Cloverbuds (Youth 9 and Under)

Project or Activity: LEAP

Content or Curriculum: LEAP Curriculum and Storybooks

Inputs: Agents, Schools, SNAPEd and Family Resource Centers

Date: July 2025-June 2026

Audience: 4-H Youth (9-18)

Project or Activity: 4-H Health Rocks!

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Health Rocks! Curriculum

Inputs: Agents, Specialists, Schools, Volunteers

Date: Fall 2025-Spring 2026

 

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Hiking for Health

Content or Curriculum: UK Content and Publications

Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Specialists

Date: Fall 2025

Audience: Adults, Youth, Family and Homemakers

Project or Activity: Walking Programs

Content or Curriculum: UK Content and Publications

Inputs: Agents, Programmatic Materials, Specialists

Date: Fall 2025

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Basic Gardening and Organic Maintenance

Content or Curriculum: Ag Curriculum, UK Content and Extension Publications

Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Specialists

Date: Ongoing

Audience: 4-H Youth

Project or Activity: Anti-Bullying

Content or Curriculum: Other Extension Curriculum 

Inputs: Agents, Schools, Family Resource Centers

Date: August 2025-May 2026

Audience: General Public

Project or Activity: Bee Club

Content or Curriculum: UK Content and Publications

Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Specialists

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Adults, Youth

Project or Activity: General Cooking Classes

Content or Curriculum: Plan, Eat, Move, SNAPEd Resources, Plate it Up

Inputs: Agents, Community Members, Specialists, SNAPEd

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Adults

Project or Activity: Bingocize

Content or Curriculum: WKU Materials

Inputs: Agents, Specialists 

Date: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026

Audience: Adults and Youth

Project or Activity: Special interest classes

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications

Inputs: Agents, specialists, volunteers and facilities

Date: July 2025 - June 2026

Audience: Young Adults and Youth

Project or Activity: 4-H Junior Homemaker Club

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications 

Inputs: Agents, Specialist, Volunteers, Community Partners

Date: July 2025-July 2026

Audience: Youth and Teens

Project or Activity: Leadership Skills You Never Outgrow

Content or Curriculum: University of Illinois Extension

Inputs: Agents, Schools and Community Partners

Date: Fall 2025, Spring 2026

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Country Ham Project

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications and Content

Inputs: Agents, Schools, Volunteers, Community Members

Date: January-August 2026

Audience: Youth

Project or Activity: Character Counts

Content or Curriculum: Character Counts Curriculum 

Inputs: Agents, Schools, Resource Centers

Date: August 2025-May 2026

Audience: Specialty Crop Growers 

Project or Activity: Programming for commercial or pre-commercial (training to be commercial growers) specialty crop production and management 

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Fact Sheets, Workshops, Field Days, County Meetings, Regional Meetings, Field Visits, emails and phone calls 

Inputs: Extension Specialists, Kentucky Horticulture Council, USDA funding, Dept of Labor funding, county agents, KDA, professional member organizations, governmental agencies (NRCS, FSA, etc.) 

Dates: Ongoing 

Audience: General Public and Homemakers

Project or Activity: Stretching Your Holiday Dollar

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications

Inputs: Agents, Facilities, Community Volunteers

Date: October-December 2025

Audience: Farmers and General Public

Project or Activity: Shared-Use Equipment Program

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications/Equipment Manuals

Inputs: Agents, Ag Council, Farm Bureau, Ag Development Board, Road Department

Date: Ongoing

Audience: Youth and adults

Project or Activity: Kentucky's Native Plants and Animals

Content or Curriculum: UK Publications, Specialists

Inputs: Agents, Specialists

Date: Ongoing

Evaluation:

Initial

Indicator: Number of participants who reported/demonstrates improved knowledge, skills, opinions, or confidence regarding a health-promoting behavior as a result of a participating in a health and well-being program

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Post-program/curricula survey administration or follow up evaluation

Intermediate

Indicator: Number of physical activity minutes recorded by a participant

Number of participants who reported consuming more nutritious foods and/or beverages

Number of participants who reported a change in a health-promoting behavior as a result of participating in a health and well-being program

Method: Self-reported surveys

Timeline: Repeated self-reported surveys and/or follow-up evaluations to capture change over time

Long-term Outcome:

Indicator: Long-term evaluation will be conducted using the National 4-H Index Study

Method: Standard Evaluation for 4-H Health and Wellbeing: Survey

Timeline: 1 or more years

Outcome: Short-term

Indicator:

• Number of participants who reported an increased knowledge of the beekeeping industry.  
• Number of participants who reported an increased knowledge of apiary management practices  

Method: Program evaluation survey 

Timeline: Immediate Post Program 

Outcome: Medium-term

Indicator: Number of participants who demonstrated/reported applying apiary management skills learned from UK Extension to their apiary operations 

Method: Program evaluation survey or records from post farm visits and individual consultations 

Timeline: Throughout the Program Year 

Outcome: Long-term

Indicator: 

• Number of participants who reported a financial gain through using the skills learned in their beekeeping business. 
• Profit increase (dollars) reported by beekeeping businesses. 
• Number of participants who reported an improvement in their quality of life because of implementing the apiary management skills/practices learned from UK Extension