Author: Kindra Jones
Planning Unit: Grayson County CES
Major Program: Community Vitality and Leadership – 4-H Youth Development
Plan of Work: Enhance Life Skills of Youth Through School Enrichment and After School Programs
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Increased school programming keeps the Grayson County 4-H Agent busy throughout each month, but with that the youth impact is great. With a direct reach of approximately 900 elementary students and nearly 300 7th grade students, the hands on lessons are those the youth will remember for many years to come. Teachers request to remain on the lesson schedule of the agent for the next school year and maintain contact throughout the summer to plan dates and times, knowing how valuable the lesson time is in the classroom.
Working with all four Grayson County Elementary Schools- Lawler Elementary, Wilkey Elementary, Clarkson Elementary and Caneyville Elementary; the agent works with all 4th grade classes, 5th grades in three of the schools, 2nd grade in two of the schools, and 3rd grade in one school; additionally adding some lessons as requested by other grades (Lawler Kindergarten). The agent is providing hands on SET and Natural Resources activities such as Enviroscape, Cow Eyeball Dissections, DNA extractions, and rocketry with 4th grade. Third grade students receive Ag Literacy lessons. Working with 5th grade students, the focus is on personal development and leadership activities, working on skills that will help them as they enter middle school world. Second grade classes are focusing on STEM lessons supplementing the areas the students are working in. Additional lesson add on through the school year, pending availability with Lawler Kindergarten to discuss the plant life cycle and also a dairy lesson prior to the students field trip to Chaney’s Dairy Farm at the end of the school year. At Grayson County Middle School, the agent works with the Life Skills teacher each nine weeks providing Reality Store lessons to the seventh graders.
The teachers value working with the county 4-H agent knowing the hands-on lessons and activities provided are an opportunity the youth would not receive otherwise. The teachers also encourage the students to get involved and participate in 4-H outside of the school; from 4-H Camp, 4-H Communication (written or speech/demo), and day camps. Through increased programming with the schools, the agent continues to see increases in interest and desire to attend events like 4-H Camp.
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