Author: Tyrone Atkinson
Major Program: Nurturing Families (general)
Funding year 2018 of the Kentucky Military Teen Adventure Camps (MTAC) has been yet another success! With a total of 5 camps from April 2018- August 2018. Families including service members or spouses along with their teenage children were able to go high adventure trips such as whitewater rafting and canoeing, rock climbing and rappelling, and much more. This program has developed into an efficient and beloved program by all family members and the staff who facilitate it. Continued
Author: Rachel Hance
The Allen, Logan, and Simpson Community Early Childhood Council seeks to improve school readiness in our area by engaging families, offering professional development opportunities to providers and mini grant opportunities to STAR rated centers. Kindergarten readiness means that each child enters school ready to engage in and benefit from early learning experiences that best promote the child’s success. The kindergarten screener measures readiness in five important domains, academ
Author: Kenneth Jones
The year 2018 was the final year for a Kentucky CYFAR project targeting fathers/father figures. A group that is often overlooked, this program aimed to assist this target audience in finding the critical characteristics necessary to be better fathers and family men. This program raised the awareness of fathers about their importance in the lives of their children and others within the family. A total of 152 male participants from Todd and Wolfe Counties participated in the program over the
Author: Joan Bowling
As a result of a community outreach and networking agency input, the Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service partnered with the Kenton County Library Erlanger Branch, Northern Kentucky Health Department, Kenton County Schools Family Resource Centers, and several other health organizations to host an Expectant Parent Baby Shower Resource Fair. The goal of this event was to provide expectant parents and those with small children with needed education and community resources. Topics inclu
Author: Lynnette Allen
Research shows that family mealtime is important in child development and student success in school. The kitchen is often the center for busy families that struggle to balance work, school and community activities. Unfortunately very few family meals may occur. Breakfast is often a quick a cup of coffee and a pastry on the way out the door and dinner is from a drive-through bag while homework is being completed. The 2017-18 KEHA lesson Baking and Breaking Bread Together focuses on br
Author: Alivia Faris
According to research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention children’s mental health is effected by communication and quality time with family. Children who spend quality time and have clear communication with their family are less likely to develop depression, anxiety, and are more likely to succeed in school. The Lawrence County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Science (FCS) Education collaborated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering and local businesses in o
Author: Natalie Taul
In recent years, Grayson County has realized below average kindergarten readiness rates. In 2016 and 2017 only 36.7% and 39.6%, respectively, of children entering school in Grayson County were considered “kindergarten ready”. Learning starts at a very early age and it begins in the home. However many parents are not aware of the impact of early child development and learning to the success of the child in school and life. To address this issue, the Grayson County Family and Consumer
Author: Hazel Jackson
In 2010 a Canadian longitudinal study showed a distinct relationship between family meals and lower adolescent delinquency, school problems and substance abuse. In the years since, more studies have shown that family meals are one of the numerous positive interactions and activities related to positive communication between parents and children. During the fall of 2017, the Rockcastle County Extension Service started an conscious effort to offer programs that give familie
Author: Shannon Smith
The Bracken County FCS along with the Bracken FRYSC Office collaborated with Taylor Elementary to offer a Kindergarten Readiness program for the first time in the county. This program’s main goal was to expose kindergarten age children and their parents to the school system and help children succeed in kindergarten and beyond. It was grant funded through the United Way. When offering this program we asked counties close to us and was told they had not had good attendance.
Author: Karen Denniston
North Middletown Manners Class“Manners cost us nothing but earn us A LOT. Respect from others.” The opening line of the North Middletown Elementary 3rd grade program on Manners (Table and Social). The program consisted of four learning sessions and a grand finale of a formal dinner with invited table guest. Topics included introducing your friends to your parents, the power of thinking of others feelings by using please, thank you, holding doors and pleasant voices, p
Author: Christy Ramey
As and active member of the Allen, Logan and Simpson Early Childhood Council, this Family and consumer Sciences Agent has helped write grants that are designed to build strong families. This most recent grant was designated to promote Kindergarten Readiness in the area of physical activity and nutrition. This year Simpson County received $5000 to hold family friendly events that teach parents what children should know and accomplish before they enter kindergarten. Given the str
Author: Kerri Ashurst
Camp Kesem is a nationwide community, driven by passionate college student leaders, that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. They are the largest national organization dedicated to this unique population. Currently there are 105 Kesem chapters in 40 states led by 4,500 college student leaders. Dr. Kerri Ashurst serves as the UK Chapter Student Advisor for Camp Kesem, formed in late 2016. Camp Kesem KY had their first camp in July 2017 with 19 children attending. In
Author: Ashley Board
According to the 2017 Early Childhood Profile, only 63.4% of children in Caldwell County are ready for kindergarten. Children who start kindergarten with delayed development and fewer assets are by far more likely to repeat grades, get tracked into lower-tier classes and drop out of high school than more advantaged children. The Family & Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with the Caldwell, Crittenden, and Lyon Community Early Childhood Council and the Caldwell Family Resource and Youth
Kerri Ashurst and David Weisenhorn facilitated a 30-minute Facebook Live session hosted through Washington County Extension Office's Facebook Page on April 24, 2018 as a way to help educate about child abuse during the designated National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The segment provided educational content on the types of abuse, the purpose of a designated month for Child Abuse prevention, Kentucky statistics on child abuse, reasons abuse happens, ways that parents/caregivers can reduce th
Author: Kate Thompson
Many aspects play into building healthy relationships and strong families. According to the University of Kentucky’s publication, “Family Vitality: Characteristics of Strong Families,” relationships that include good communication skills, fun times, time together, involvement with friends and community, commitment, and a healthy lifestyle are some essential characteristics of strong families (Rupured and Quick, 1997). In order to build strong families and help fost
Author: Lora Howard
Clay County is a rural county in Eastern KY, 66.4% of our households are husband /wife with their own children, and 33.6% off our households are single parent with children under 18. 62% of our grandparents are responsible for their grandchildren. 46.2% have been responsible for their grandchildren over 5 years. Family communication is the key to the success of family life. Helping families to overcome stereotypes, appreciating differences and understanding the developmen
Author: David Weisenhorn
For many children, Kindergarten is the beginning of an educational journey through which they will grow more and more independent and mature. This can be an exciting time for both child and parent. However, not all children are prepared with the appropriate skills to succeed in Kindergarten and beyond, making this experience for some children a difficult one.Kentucky Department of Education reported only half of the children starting Kindergarten were actually prepared and ready to start in 2016
The purpose of this grant is to provide educational programs for fathers/father figures and their families. The primary goal of this project is to strengthen parenting skills of fathers as a means to promote family resiliency. Strong Dads, Resilient Families provides educational programs for fathers/father figures ages 18 years & up in Todd (western) & Wolfe (eastern) counties. The primary goal of the project is to strengthen the parenting skills of the father figures as a means to
