Author: Brittany Osborne
Major Program: 4-H Family and Consumer Science Core Curriculum
According to Dissertation research submitted by Iowa State University, "The subject of clothing relates to almost every other subject taught, such as history (how political conditions were an influence on fashion), physics (how sewing machines worked), chemistry (how fabric 16 can protect against heat or cold, microscopic examination of fibers, textile testing), physiology (how the body moves in clothes), as well as drawing and design." This year, McCracken County 4-H There&r
Author: Tyrone Atkinson
Major Program: Nurturing Parenting
Uplift: Empowering Today’s Youth for Tomorrow’s Future is a project that is designed to help provide workforce prep and life skills to limited resource and at-risk youth in Hardin and Fayette Counties of Kentucky. Ken Jones, Kerri Ashurst, Tyrone Atkinson and Allison Young are grant staff along with Kentucky State Extension Agents Carla Jordan and Chandra Deramus which make up the state staff. In year 1, the Agents have located and connected with community partners in both coun
Author: Eric Comley
Major Program: 4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum AND Natural Resources
The ever-changing landscape of the current pandemic world has forced multiple populations to avoid outdoor spaces. According to research conducted by CivicScience, "There is a predicted 15% rise in the face of the COVID-19 Pandemic." This rise to renew an interest in the outdoors and participating in outdoor activities has met some resistance due to public mandates, the continued fluctuation of illnesses reported, and the importance of public health. Garrard County 4-H, in response to
Major Program: 4-H Communications and Expressive Arts Core Curriculum
As the 2020 pandemic closed schools in early March, McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service through McCracken County 4-H was able to adapt and evolve immediately. Schools closed on March 13, 2020 and the due date for registrations for the McCracken County 4-H Communications Day was March 16, 2020. All schools that annually host mandatory school competitions in previous years were reached out to by myself to ensure registrations and the competitor names were all in after the missed deadlin
Author: Ola Donahue
Major Program: 4-H Health Core Curriculum
According to the Wired Family Group. (awiredfamily.org) A recent survey of youth 13-18 yrs old. When asked about the internet and their phones they gave the following response.• The number one app by far for teens is YouTube. • 25% of teens between the ages of 17-18 were sexting. • 21% of teens had been asked to send a naked photo • 22% had received an unrequested nude photo of the sender • 75% of all teens between 13-18 were allowed to take their phones into their
There’s been a deficit amongst the Paducah City Schools due to a limited amount of exposure to the field of Agriculture, outside of the Cooperative Extension Service. The McCracken County Cooperative Extension Service (MCCE), came together and planned to fill this gap by holding an Ag Day for Paducah City Schools. This idea took several years to materialize, but I’m proud to say our dream came true. All program areas of MCCE collaborated to deliver a high quality, hands on agricultur
Author: Lindsey Dunn
Major Program: 4-H College and Career Readiness (8-12 Grade Only)
Teens are often overwhelmed with the opportunities available to them as they enter into high school. Some may choose to take part in every experience available, whether the experience will be beneficial or harmful to the individual and their future. As teens that have participated in the 4-H program since age 10 reach high school, many feel 4-H no longer has valuable programming to offer in advancing their learning, leadership, and future goals. This is why it is vital for 4-H
Major Program: 4-H Youth Development Programming
With the Covid-19 national pandemic, our country is facing new challenges daily, from isolation to uncertainty, causing stress for many individuals. This challenge has affected every individual in the family unit, whether you have been in direct contact with the virus or not. As this virus affected 55 million youth, interrupting their school year (National 4-H Council), many guardians adjusted their work and life schedule as students began to remain home completing non-traditional in
Author: Sarah Fannin
Major Program: Beef
Beef production remains the backbone of the agricultural economy in Morgan County. Given the volatile nature of the cattle market, beef operations need to be fortified with as many tools as possible to thwart unexpected changes. Unknowingly keeping an open cow in a herd can drain up to $1,600 in feed costs plus the loss of a calf crop. One of the biggest tools producers can use to improve their bottom lines is to pregnancy check the herd – skipping this step has been prov
Major Program: 4-H Volunteer Programming
Volunteers play integral roles in 4-H programs, performing a variety of duties, functions, and tasks and possessing varied and rich knowledge, skills, and backgrounds (Radhakrishna & Ewing, 2011). Success of the Daviess County 4-H program thrives on the dedication and involvement of 86 volunteers.4-H youth development programs within Extension depend heavily on adult volunteers and provide extensive education to volunteer leaders. Though recognized as a crucial part of the progra
Author: Daniel Carpenter
Major Program: Local Food Systems
The LaRue County Extension Office and LaRue County Farm Bureau Federation held it’s 3rd annual Faith, Family, Farms and Food Dinner. The proceeds went to benefit the LaRue County FFA chapter. The entire dinner was sourced locally. All of the fruits and vegetables were from LaRue County, while the meats and cheeses were sourced from just outside the county lines. The menu included all the farms that the meal supported. The LaRue County Pork Producers prepared the pork for the meal. Tickets
Author: David Embrey
Major Program: Backyard Streams
Every Year the Corp of Engineer at Nolin State Park hold an ECO Meet at the tail water area below Nolin Lake Dam. Several Schools in the region send their 4th grade class to learn about the environment and how to help protect it. Stations are set up in ten different areas on a variety of environmental topics. The kids spend 20 minutes at each station.The Edmonson County Cooperative Extension Office has participated in this event each year for the past 16 years. The Agriculture & Natural Reso
In August of 2019, the coordinator working with Daviess County’s Homeschool Cooperative group reached out to the 4-H agent looking for activities to offer to their youth. Six sessions were scheduled with the 4-H agent to have the youth attend programming in the curriculum areas of Communications and Expressive Arts and Natural Resources at the Daviess County Cooperative Extension Office.Youth first attended a communications workshop to become familiar with how to properly prepare a s
The Kids Outdoor Adventures Committee formed in Daviess County in 2015 with a mission to encourage a break from technology while engaging families in fun, educational, safe, and healthy outdoor activities. The committee is made up of a number of individuals representing local businesses, youth organizations, law enforcement, youth organizations, outdoor sporting organizations and facilities, and volunteers interested in the outdoors. From the three annual programs the committee hosts
Author: Leslea Barnes
When the COVID-19 global pandemic forced Kentuckians into quarantine youth and families began spending more time at home, minimizing opportunities for youth to engage in typical extracurricular activities. Due to this situation the Kentucky 4-H Program began the Kentucky 4-H Virtual Experiences on social media platforms. The goal of the Kentucky 4-H Virtual Experiences was to maintain ways for youth and families to engage with 4-H projects, events and activities while learning new life skills th
Author: Andrea Stith
Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Horticulture agents, headed by Andrea Stith and Amy Aldenderfer, started the Horticulture Webinar Wednesdays as an alternative to in-person horticulture lessons. The live webinars are Wednesdays at 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET and. Utilizing a volunteer scheduling website, agents, specialists and other experts were recruited to present a 30-minute lesson to the general public, with time at the end for questions. All the presentations are re
Facebook, Twitter, texting are how today’s youth communicate. Social media has become an important form of communication for all of us. Communication is essential to youth success and social media can certainly enhance youth communication skills. However, it is effecting verbal communication among our youth and can affect their future success. Verbal communication skills, like anything else, must be taught. The proper ways to speak, make eye contact and use body language are all a part of
Author: Amanda Sublett
In response to COVID-19 school, community and business closings, Marion County Cooperative Extension Service and the 4-H Program sought to address a community need to provide educational opportunities. Due to COVID-19 social distancing, 4-H and Extension Programs developed 4-H To Go Kits and informational packets that helped to keep youth and clients informed and involved with 4-H and Extension programs during the pandemic.Over 1500 informational packets were distributed through Cent
