Success Stories - Kentucky Extension Reporting System

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Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Cooperative Extension Service

Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Impacts

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Fiscal Year: 2025

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2025

Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025

Success StoriesKentucky Extension Reporting System

Youth Ag Days

Author: Heather Coleman

Major Program: Agriculture

Floyd County Extension hosted our first ever Youth Ag Days. 170 students in third and fourth grade attend.   During their day the students rotated through three different lessons.  During the Honeybee lesson led by the 4-H Agent, Beekeeper Association President Mike Hackworth and member Chris West, youth learned the importance of honeybees and why they are important to our food system and how to become a beekeeper. They were able to try four types of honey.  During their second se

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Egg-cellent Education: Lawrence County Youth Learn Science Through 4-H Incubation Project

Author: Maelyn Dotson

Major Program: Agriculture

In Lawrence County, many youth have limited opportunities for hands-on agricultural education and real-world learning experiences. With a growing gap in understanding where food comes from and how animals are raised, there is a need for engaging, experiential programs that connect science, agriculture, and life skills in the classroom.To meet this need, Lawrence County 4-H implemented a chick incubation project in 12 elementary and middle school classrooms across the county. The program taught y

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Rabbit Club

Author: Rebecca Brown

Major Program: Agriculture

The Breckinridge County 4-H Rabbit Club has been dedicated to equipping youth with knowledge and skills in leadership and agricultural awareness. Will Tucker has led the club for several years and has prepared Katelin Kasey and Brooke Guffey, who have been members since they were 9 years old, to take over as leaders for the 2025-2026 program year.Both young women have a passion for teaching and are considering careers in agricultural education so they can share their enthusiasm with other youth.

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Youth Gardening Initiative

Author: Mollie Tichenor

Major Program: Agriculture

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in home gardening has surged across Spencer County and throughout Kentucky, with families turning to gardening as a source of food security, stress relief, and educational enrichment. In response, the Spencer County Cooperative Extension Service continued its youth gardening initiative, designed to cultivate both gardens and young minds.Over the past year, Extension agents partnered with local schools and the Spencer County Early Learning Center

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Country Ham Slice it and Serve it Program

Author: Catherine Weaver

Major Program: Agriculture

The 4-H Country Ham project has grown to be one of the largest in the Kentucky 4-H Program.  In Jessamine County 36 youth will complete the country ham project.  The Country Ham leader and the agent decided to offer an educational session for youth on how to cook, slice and serve country ham! This is a unique way for youth to earn hours toward the 6 hour requirement. The class discussed the two ways to cook and slice a country ham, including cooking first and then slicing and slic

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Youth Lamb Showmanship Clinic

Author: Meredith Hall

Major Program: Agriculture

Describe the Issue or Situation.Local 4-H youth are looking for opportunities to grow as showmen and meet their livestock training hours requirements to show at the Boyd County Fair.Describe the Outreach or Educational Program Response (and Partners, if applicable).This spring, the Boyd County University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension hosted a successful Market Lamb Showmanship Clinic that brought together enthusiastic 4-H youth from across the county. Held at the Boyd County Education Center

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Country Ham Project

Author: Toni Humble

Major Program: Agriculture

The Kentucky 4-H Country Ham Project offers a range of educational and personal development benefits for participating youth. Through the process of curing and aging country hams, participants gain hands-on experience in food science, agriculture, and Kentucky heritage. Key benefits include:Skill Development: Youth learn about meat preservation, food safety, and animal agriculture, gaining valuable practical and scientific knowledge.Responsibility & Patience: The months-long curing process t

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Agriculture Literacy Programming Teaches Life Skills

Author: Mary McCarty

Major Program: Agriculture

According to The Food Institute, 87% of Americans want more information on where their food comes from, and 25% don’t trust the American Food Chain. It is easy to take this for granted when going to the grocery store, picking up a pack of chicken breast, and making some chicken nuggets. At what point does the consumer think about this chicken: where it came from, how long it was on the shelf, and what conditions it was raised in? Would this consumer know where to start if they wanted to ch

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2025 Chick Incubation Project

Author: Ryan Spicer

Major Program: Agriculture

The problem: Livestock and livestock products account for about half of Kentucky’s farm income.The educational program response: Therefore, the role of livestock and livestock projects in the Kentucky 4-H curriculum is fundamentally important. Youth must understand the role of agriculture in their daily lives, and the importance of livestock and livestock products in the type, kind and quality of the foods that they eat.The participants/target audience: To ensure this is accomplished in Br

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Hands-on Heritage: Learning Through the 4-H Country Ham Project

Author: Jocelyn Kemp

Major Program: Agriculture

The 2023 UK Cooperative Extension Community Needs Assessment revealed that Hardin County residents view youth life skill development as a critical need, with 75% of respondents expressing concern about youth being unprepared with basic skills for adulthood. Additionally, over 74% of participants identified top community issues as being agriculture-related, including the sustainability of family farms and the need to preserve and manage agricultural land. As rural traditions fade and fewer young

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Food, Farming, and Community: Connecting Urban Youth to Agriculture

Author: Jocelyn Kemp

Major Program: Agriculture

In Hardin County, most youth have limited exposure to the local food system and few opportunities to explore agricultural careers. According to a recent community needs assessment, 75% of respondents felt youth in Hardin County need more life skills training. Additionally, over 74% of respondents identified agricultural-based issues as top community needs—specifically, the sustainability of family farms, preserving/managing agricultural land, and ensuring access to affordable, nutritious f

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Brains and Barn Boots: Succeeding with 4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon

Author: Jocelyn Kemp

Major Program: Agriculture

According to the 2023 statewide community needs assessment, the top two priority issues for Hardin County are the sustainability of family farms and the preservation and management of agricultural land. Preparing youth to address these long-term agricultural challenges is essential. Through the State 4-H Livestock Skill-a-thon contest, young people are building the knowledge and skills needed to make positive contributions to Hardin County’s future. The Hardin County 4-H Livestock Club has

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4-H Livestock Club Members Gained Valuable Skills and a Love for Agriculture

Author: Lee Ann McCuiston

Major Program: Agriculture

Describe the Issue or Situation.In 2024, the 4-H Livestock club grew from one member to ten under the leadership of a newly recruited 4-H livestock club leader. In addition, the Extension Office built a brand new livestock/horse arena beside the new office.  When these two items merged, a connection to agriculture happened for 10 Todd County youth and their families. The Extension Office also experienced a surge in interest and clientele base due to the building of the new arena. Descr

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Cracking Open Curiosity: 3rd Graders Hatch New Learning

Author: Amanda Broderick

Major Program: Agriculture

Success Story: 4-H Chick Hatching Project at Lakeside Elementary SchoolAt Lakeside Elementary School in Sandy Hook, Kentucky, 60 third-grade students had the unique opportunity to experience the miracle of life through the 4-H Chick Hatching Project. Using 4-H educational materials—which includes an incubator with turners, a candler, brooder, chick feed, waterer, feeder, curriculum materials, and educational videos—students were immersed in a 21-day hands-on learning experience.Throu

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From Farms and Fields: Discovering the Roots of Everyday Products

Author: Audrey Wright

Major Program: Agriculture

Issue: Recognizing the need for agricultural knowledge among youth in Mason County, a series of interactive lessons was delivered to 4th-grade students at Mason County Intermediate School. Many students were unaware of where everyday products come from, making this program a priority to help them understand the role of agriculture in their daily lives.Program Description: The program featured lessons that traced the origins of everyday items like clothing, food, and electronics back to

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Poultry Club

Author: Emily Chaney

Major Program: Agriculture

Pike County has always prided itself on our participation at the State Fair. For many years, we have participated in the Avian Bowl and Poultry Judging competitions. We have even competed on the national level many times. Over the past several years, participation in these events have declined. Pike County has either not participated or performed very poorly at the State Fair in theses competitions for several years in a row. We look to remedy this by creating a Poultry Club for youth that are i

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Bringing back the Successful Area-Wide Horse Judging for West Kentucky 4-H Youth

Author: Katie Mills

Major Program: Agriculture

The Issue:The pandemic made many changes throughout the 4-H program, one main one being that connections and opportunities suffered because people were not able to leave their houses. Programs converted to virtual making it difficult to reach all youth because not all had access to internet. This also caused some programs to be paused due to lack of attendance. One of the programs that was paused was the Area-wide Horse Judging Clinic, but the time had finally came to bring the program back and

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2025 Chick Incubation Success Story

Author: Dawna Peters

Major Program: Agriculture

Springtime in Leslie County means one thing for many local students, baby chicks! This year’s 4-H Chick Incubation Project once again sparked excitement, curiosity, and hands-on learning in classrooms across the county. We set 12 incubators, reaching over 230 youth in elementary, high school, and FMD classrooms.With fertilized eggs provided by the UK Poultry Research Facility and a local farmer, students had the chance to care for several breeds: Black Australorps, White Leghorns, Rhode Is

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Acting Associate Dean & Director — Craig Wood, Ph.D.
S107 Ag. Science Center North
Lexington, KY 40546-0091
+1 (859) 257-4302

© 2024 University of Kentucky, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment