Kentucky 4-H is grounded in Positive Youth Development.  Teen Leadership academy focus is working with 8th grade up through 12th grade youth.  There is a wide variety of activities associated with leadership development which are focused to improve the quality characteristics of a young leader.  For this reason UK Cooperative Extension 4-H programs from Union, Hancock, Ohio, Webster, Henderson, Daviess, and McLean partnered to provide a 4-H Teen Leadership Academy.  The Academy meets monthly throughout the school year in various locations and counties and focus on developing leadership, social, communication, and life skills.  The Union County leadership meeting focuses on Community Service.  The meeting was held in November and the youth helped prepare a meal for the local first responders.  They worked together to complete the meal, set the table and serve the local responders.  During this meeting the youth also made over 100 Christmas cards that were taken to the local nursing homes.

The youth are the key to our future and teaching them gratitude for what they have and also an empathy for the needs of others around us can be very fulfilling and can show them how enriching it can be to help someone else.  Volunteering helps the teens gain new skills necessary for the job market such as leadership, communication skills, dependability, time management as well as decision making.  Teens who volunteer perform better at school and also build a stronger resume for college and scholarship applications.