Looking at Kentucky Kids Count Data we see the following statistics that impact students in Lincoln County:

1. In 2021, 24.4% of Children in Poverty (below the 100% poverty line) ranking Lincoln County 59 out of 120 counties. 
2. In 2017-2021, 57 % of children in Lincoln County are considered CHILDREN IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES (below 200% of the federal poverty level) ranking Lincoln County as 93 out of 120 counties.
3. In 2021, 14% of Children in Lincoln County are considered CHILDREN LIVING IN FOOD INSECURE HOUSEHOLDS ranking Lincoln County as 38 out of 120 counties.
4. In 2017-21, 39% of Children in Lincoln County have a HIGH RENTAL COST BURDEN ranking Lincoln County 40 out of 117 counties.

Many times, the families in the statistics stated above are low-income or on a fixed income. This puts a limit on the amount of money able to be spent on new clothes, shoes, and school supplies.  Often low-income families do not have funding for personal hygiene items, hairbrushes/combs especially the different types of hair care items if there is diverse hair in the household.  Many times, personal care and appearance suffer with low income and tight budgets.  This has a negative impact on learning, self-confidence, self-esteem, and often we see a negative growth mindset in students and families.

Drug use and abuse is another issue that impacts families, causing the child to struggle in school and worry about things that are out of their control.  Some students get themselves and their younger siblings up in the morning and ready for school and get on the bus by themselves each morning.  These students are the responsible party in the household.   These students often worry about how they look, their hair, how they smell, and what other students think of them.   These students carry a heavy burden at home and need the courage and knowledge to know how to care for themselves and their siblings with personal hygiene and self-care techniques.  

Kentucky Kids Count Data also has the following statistics that impact students in Lincoln County:

1. In 2020 -2022, 55.3% of children in Lincoln County are considered CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE (rate per 1,000 children ages 0-17) ranking Lincoln County 67 out of 120 Counties. 
2. In 2020 – 2022, 32% of children in Lincoln County are considered CHILDREN EXITING FOSTER CARE TO REUNIFICATION ranking Lincoln County 62 out of 110 counties reporting.

Many students in Lincoln County are being raised in foster care with the option of Relative Placement called Kinship Care.  Often times students are being raised by their Grandparents, Great Grandparents, or other relative without a custody agreement, which inhibits the family with lack of needed funding through Kinship Care and the Social Services Office.  These families are frequently on a fixed income. This puts a limit on the amount of money able to be spent on new clothes, shoes, and school supplies.  These families have a close relationship with the school Family Resource/Youth Service Centers, often relying on their help with donations, and provisions for their students’ needs.  Often older adults are unaware of how to fix hair, especially if it is diverse hair and may be different than their personal hair type.   

Community Partnerships

The Family Resource/Youth Service Center Coordinators are a tight knit group in Lincoln County.  They each have a huge heart and work with other community organizations to stretch their meager budgets and help however they can for the betterment of the student.  

            Jody Paver is an experienced Family and Consumer Sciences Cooperative Extension Agent, a high school and middle school teacher, a Foster/kinship/adoptive/trauma Momma, and I have a huge heart to help students.  She returned to work for the University of Kentucky as the Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent in Lincoln County, with a vision of increasing community partnerships, allowing a teamwork approach to empower families to overcome barriers and obstacles through education and connection to community resources.  This will strengthen the family and individual and have a positive impact on our community.

            The Lincoln County FCS Extension Team hosted a brainstorming/program partnership planning meeting with  the 7 different school Family Resource/Youth Service Center Coordinators in the summer of 2024.  The FCS Agent and the FCS Program Assistant shared programs ideas and curriculum resources to match the needs discussed by the FRC/YSC coordinators.  As a result of this meeting the All About Me, Spa Day Event, was created to address the needs of knowledge needed for self-care, positive growth mindset, personal hygiene, and increasing self-esteem and self-confidence.   This event was to be held at the Lincoln County Cooperative Extension Office and  focused on students’ grades 3^rd – 12^th.  It was to be by invitation only from any of the 7 school resource centers, 4-H and FCS Extension Professionals.  As student recruitment began and more needs were discovered, more community partners joined the efforts, and the agenda for the program grew. This program was a hands on day, filled with multiple sessions, community partners, and speakers, to address the lack of knowledge of hygiene and self-care, lack of resources, lack of self-confidence, and self-esteem, and sadly as a way to address a recent student suicide just a couple weeks before school was to begin.  Maranda Brooks, Fayette County Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent was contacted to assist with the program, due to her passion and experience with Educational Outreach for Understanding Diverse Hair.  Maranda partnered with Montequa Jackson, Stylist from Posh Salon, Lexington, Kentucky and designed a session special for this event which included all hair types.  

The Event

The Day began with Registration and photo release forms from parents and guardians. Students were welcomed into the Extension Service, given a binder and goodie bag  and Breakfast snacks.  Once everyone was registered the FCS Agent welcomed everyone, and introduced guest.  The day began as a whole group learning about personal hygiene and facial care, a challenge to be positive and give lots of compliments throughout the day, and to do positive self talk.

            Session rotations began and the students moved throughout the building interacting with Extension Homemakers, Extension Staff, Family Resource/Youth Service Center Coordinators, and Community Partners.  

Session Rotations

A Photo Backdrop was in the back foyer, students had the opportunity to take pictures with positive self talk props, as they transitioned from station to station and while waiting in line for lunch.  A wide variety if food items were provided including gluten free, nut free, dairy free options to meet the needs of all of the students and community partners.  

Surprise Virtual Guest

            MéShyia Bradshaw was the 2023 Miss Kentucky Teen USA. She is an incoming Freshman at the University of of Kentucky.  Her heart and passion are to promote positive self love, especially for your hair.  It was an honor to have her to zoom with our girls and community partners, sharing her story, her successes, and her struggles with her own self worth.  She did a great motivational speech which matched with our Hair Care Session Specialists motto, Your Hair is Your Crown!.   Students had time to interact and ask questions, give compliments, and share their own struggles.  This was made possible by Ms. Dana Morris, the Lincoln County Fair Board Pageant Director.  There were many tears shed during this session because of the heartfelt message we received, adults and youth alike, were very positively impacted by this.

Closing Session

Jasmine Roman, of Quest Counseling gave the closing message on Positive Sefl-Talk and each student received a brightly painted board with a mirror attached to the center.  This activity was a challenge to look inwards and come up with those positive self -talk words and phrases they learned today in the different stations.   They were encouraged to  write on the boards with markers, to remind themselves daily just how awesome they are!.  Each student also received a  positive affirmation stones activity to take home and a  Goodie Bucket which included a variety of hygiene products, snacks, laundry detergents, and parent packets including Take A Load Off, Laundry publication, signs of suicide information and refrigerator magnets, couponing and ways to stretch your meal budget, and other information from community partners regarding local resources and encouragements.  

Participant Data 

A total of 61students and 25 community partners participated and helped to make this event such a great success!  Most of the students stayed all day, however 8 students were able to participate for only part of the day.  The evaluations were given to those who stayed all day.

53 Registration forms analyzed - All participants were female, in grades 3^rd – 12th

School

1. Crab Orchard Elementary School – 3
2. Highland Elementary School – 6
3. Hustonville Elementary School – 7
4. Stanford Elementary School – 4
5. Waynesburg Elementary School – 3
6. Unknown Elementary School - 3
7. Lincoln County Middle School – 16
8. Lincoln County High School – 7
9. Homeschool – 2
10. Bate Middle School – 1
11. Boyle County Middle School – 1 

Demographics

1. White – 41
2. Black – 3
3. 2 or more – 8
4. Other – 1

Other Information

1. Down Syndrome – 1
2. Autism – 1
3. Visually Impaired – 1 

Evaluation

Student Evaluation Rating Scale Analysis

1. On a scale from 1 – 10 - Overall, how would you rate the hair care presentation?   9.333
2. On a scale from 1 – 10 – Did you learn something new today?   8.862
3. On a scale from 1 – 10 – What can we do to improve the day’s program next year?

10 as no changes and 1 as lots of changes  8.75

1. Anything else you’d like to say? 10 it was great   and 1 it was not a good day    9.6
2. Did you learn something about yourself today?   10 yes lots and 1 nothing    8.266
3. Were you aware of all of the community resources we mentioned today in the community? Which ones were new to you? 10 yes lots of new resources and 1 no I knew about all the resources already available    7.444

Student Evaluation comments

Comments were corrected based on spelling to ensure those analyzing the effectiveness of this program could understand the comments.

1. I learned a lot today
2. I learned to wash my hair
3. All the teachers were nice
4. The lady gave me some good tips about my hair
5. I had a lot of fun!
6. Great Hair Teachers
7. To not wash your hair 1 time everyday
8. Everything was great!  That was so fun!!!
9. It was good
10. Next year, I want to learn about hair spray
11. I learned today that my hair is beautiful
12. I love how the hair ladies told me how to do things!
13. Today was great!!Let’s have fun again next year
14. I learned a lot
15. The hair session helped me to know how to care for my hair better.
16. The hair session was amazing!
17. Don’t change anything next year!
18. I learned about new community resources.
19. I learned new stuff about my hair
20. The hair ladies were very good
21. I learned a lot today about myself and taking care of me
22. I LOVED IT!!
23. I learned today to wash your hair one time a week
24. Yes, I learned about myself today.
25. I really liked the zoom calling and learning about hair.
26. I like what the hair ladies gave me!! With a purple heart
27. I learned so much about my hair
28. I learned how to care for my hair, and how to get rid of acne.
29. Change nothing ??
30. I knew most of the resources in our community mentioned today but I did learn about some new ones.
31. The hair care presentation: It was nice! I liked the ladies who were there, they were cool.
32. I learned a lot today
33. I think today was perfect and nothing needs fixed.
34. I had a very great day today!
35. I learned a lot of new things
36. I don’t think you need to improve any for next year
37. The hair session was very fun ??
38. Next year maybe give more time for the stations 
39. Thanks for a great day
40. I love my hair now
41. I learned a lot today. I LOVED IT!
42. Hair care presentation: I gave it a 10 because the girls were really nice and made me feel confident
43. I learned you should always be brave, confident, and caring.
44. I learned new things in all the classes
45. I loved how the hair ladies helped
46. I learned how to take better care of my hair
47. The hair session was good
48. I learned more about hair and doing fun stuff like the diamond art
49. I learned about my hair
50. I learned new things about my hair
51. I learned stuff about my hair
52. Change nothing it was super fun