4-H collaborates with the Ohio County School system to provide research-based 4-H Youth Development educational curriculum to youth in a classroom 4-H club format.  Local 4-H, community, and school leaders strongly support the efforts of professional 4-H staff in the classroom settings as these relationships provide a tremendous marketing opportunity of other 4-H programs, including Camp, Teen Conference, workshops, and community clubs to 4-H age youth.  Administrators, teachers and school staff embrace the 4-H program in the classroom setting due to the 4-H and University of Kentucky research based “curricula” provided as part of the 4-H club content. This curriculum is consistent with the Kentucky Department of Education’s Core Content for Assessment 

In cooperation with local teachers, Cooperative Extension Service staff created forty-eight classroom clubs and 1 school enrichment program in the Ohio County School system involving 1124 youth (102 minority youth 9%).   CES provided curricula, core content checklists, and materials for seven monthly club meetings for each classroom, which featured a Core Content lesson.  Lessons were offered in the core content areas of Natural Resources, Communications, Public Speaking, Citizenship, Leadership, SET, Nutrition, Health, and Wellness. All clubs elected officers using the democratic process, candidates presented a campaign speech.  Elected officers conducted meetings using formal 4-H club business meeting structure.  

Evaluations revealed:

95% of youth understood the principles of a democratic election used to elect club officers.

100% of elected officers carried out their roles in the club meeting.

90% of youth utilized information learned in their 4-H meetings to help them make decisions.

100% used skills learned in their 4-H club meetings at home, school, or in the community.

90% of youth stated they felt connected to 4-H staff as adults who were interested in them and their success in life.

Teachers acknowledged the best component of the in-class 4-H Club program were the hands-on, engaging activities that focused on the school’s core content.