Author: Tyrone Atkinson
Major Program: Family Development General
The CYFAR Uplift Project Year 2 was met with challenges and successes. The team consists of Dr. Kerri Ashurst, Dr. Ken Jones, Dr. Allison Young, Chandra DeRamus, Carla Jordan, Maria Harris and Tyrone Atkinson, which all are Kentucky Extension employees. The purpose of this grant is to provide a comprehensive life skills development program for high-risk youth and strengths-based programming for their families. 2020 presented many challenges for the project as Covid-19 shut down many opport
The Kentucky Military Teen Adventure Camp Grant was able to host another year of summer camp for Service Member Parents and Teens in spite of having to reschedule to 2021 because of Covid-19. Kerri Ashurst and Tyrone Atkinson served as the PI's for the grant and were able to conduct 2 camps (in June 2021) at the Red River Gorge for 63 participants from various states. Families were so appreciative of the camp and they were excited to have the experience together. "Thank you
Author: Annette Buckman
Due to the pandemic in 2020, the annual WGBS was cancelled. For 2021 the group of community partners choose to continue with the annual World's Greatest Baby Shower but as a drive thru event. Pregnant moms safety and less exposure risks to COVID was the committees main concern.union County held its 15th annual World’s Greatest Baby Shower on June 24, 2021. The drive thru event provided pregnant moms the opportunity to receive free educational information as well as th
Author: Karen Denniston
COVID-19 safety restrictions changed the look of Bourbon County FCS programming! No longer were there hands-on activities with in-person interactions, taking place in the meeting room and/or at various community events! COVID restrictions limited the Extension FCS offering of programs for the community, but the community needs and desires for programming were as strong (if not stronger) than ever. Thus, the beginning of “Programs to Go”! Each week packets of
Author: Leah VanMeter
Research shows that spending quality time with children can have beneficial effect. Benefits can include less behavior issues, increased mental and emotional health, and improved physical health. Gregory Elliott published a study in the Journal of Family Issues that showed that adolescents who felt they mattered to their families were less likely to engage in or threaten violence towards family members. Several studies show negative impacts when a child doesn’t receive love, attention, or
Author: Tracy Cowles
Children who grow up in fatherless homes have a greater risk of major challenges in life than those who grow up with a father at home. We might want to believe otherwise and there are many children who overcome the hardships associated with an absent father, but the truth is in the data. According to the National Kids Count data, approximately 36 percent of children under 18, in KY, live in a single parent home as of 2019. As many as 26 percent of KY children live in households with a mothe
Author: Paul Norrod
Farmers and farm families consistently report difficulty finding mental health services tailored toward farming. A farmer's wife in Union County reached to Agribility for assistance in finding a therapist near their county. I collaborated with the client as was able to offer several mental health practitioner's in their area as well as provide a web-based list for provider selection based on insurance status.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), farmers are at the top of list for having the highest suicide rates of all major industry and occupational groups. The CDC further reports that the suicide rate among farm workers (ages 16-64) has jumped 34% from 12.9 suicides per 100,000 workers in 2000 to 17.3 per 100,000 workers in 2016. Suicides among farmers are 1.5 times higher than the national average and are probably higher because some farm suicides may be masked as far
Author: Brooke Hogancamp
With the emphasis on children doing well in school, it is often forgotten that learning actually begins long before a child is old enough to enroll in an official school setting. Children under the age of 5 are in a constant state of information intake. The Laugh and Learn program was developed to address the need for children ages 2-5 to experience positive learning opportunities, learning while laughing and having fun. During the restricted time onset by the COVID-19 pandemic
The Kids Count Data Center reports that in 2018 there were 122 reports of child abuse/neglect in Carlisle County. These numbers have been exponentially climbing over the past few years. In November 2020, Carlisle County FCS Extension provided "Building Strong Families" informational packets to the 40 families applying for the Christmas Assistance Program through the county school. Applicants were required to complete the family related activities and materials to qual
Author: Lynnette Allen
The impact of Covid 19 is still being determined as families are gradually returning to normal. Over the past 15 months, families have lost loved ones, lost jobs, and missed life miles-stones as schools were closed, events cancelled and day to day life came to a standstill for most of Kentucky. Locally the Breckinridge County Family and Consumer Sciences program adapted program delivery to continue to serve families in a safe and meaningful way. The FCS and NEP Extension state
Author: Leslie Workman
In the 2020-21 program year, the Pike County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program was faced with many challenges. The largest challenge facing the program was the inability to hold in-person workshops for families in need. FCS Extension Programs in Pike County reach every corner of our population. Because we provide education on a family basis, we potentially reach everyone. Due to COVID-19
Author: Crystal Osborne
According to the 2018 data provided by Kentucky Youth Advocate Kids County, over 48% of Owsley County children live in poverty and over 47% are not ready for kindergarten. In Owsley County, teen births are higher than the state average (30.2: 28.2) and over 45% of pregnant women smoke during pregnancy (18.7 average in Kentucky). https://kyyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/2020-Owsley.pdfThe Owsley County Extension Service collaborated with the local Health Department and KRCC to c
Author: Rachel Hance
During 2020 most families spent more time together at home due to global pandemic restrictions. Along with the increased time spent at home, many families faced financial struggles, food insecurity and looked for new ways to keep children entertained while at home. According to the American Health Rankings, Kentucky had an unemployment rate of 4.9% and a poverty rate of 16.2% in 2020.To meet the needs of these families, the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service Family and Consum
Author: Amy Kostelic
Success StoryMindy McCulley and Amy KostelicThe pandemic has forced many people to adjust to change. As a result, many people were forced to cope with loss—the loss of routine, jobs, school, developmental milestones, health, independence, and even the loss of friends and family. Recognizing that grief is associated with loss, UK Associate Dean, Laura Stephenson, turned to FCS Extension with her request for a grief webinar series in the Spring 2021. In an effort to arm participants with hop
Author: Melinda McCulley
The pandemic has forced many people to adjust to change. As a result, many people were forced to cope with loss—the loss of routine, jobs, school, developmental milestones, health, independence, and even the loss of friends and family. Recognizing that grief is associated with loss, UK Associate Dean, Laura Stephenson, turned to FCS Extension with her request for a grief webinar series in the Spring 2021.&
It is through our valued partnership with the Allen, Logan, and Simpson Community Early Childhood Council that we, the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service, seek to improve school readiness in Logan County by educating, encouraging, and engaging families. 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,
Author: Janey Cline
In 2019 77% of the 2018 Caverna High School graduates reported working in Kentucky at a mean yearly wage of $12,380. Only 40% of students graduating from the school continue on to college.. This is low compared to the state average of 58%. To help 7th and 8th grade students see the need for a mindset that plans for the future, students were asked to search for careers, make an education plan, consider location of future residency and consider the expense associational with
