Increasing middle school and high school aged youth in the 4-H program has been a focus of the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service this past year. Creating new opportunities for local youth to participate in 4-H program and give of their time and talent also has been a major focus.

A group of teens worked to reorganize the Adair County 4-H Teen Council this past year. Council membership is now at over twenty youth and they are planning and conducting meetings and programs for teens. In October, Adair County Cooperative Extension sponsors a Youth Needs Assessment. Youth and adults from cross the county came together to discuss youth issues as it relates to our county. A list of needs as identifies and a group is working to address a number of the needs.

Youth leadership skills is still addressed as a need for youth in our community. To keep address the need the Adair County Cooperative Extension Service has been sponsoring a Middle School and High School Youth Leadership Program. There have been over 200 youth who have participated in the programs in the past 10 years. 90 percent of those participants have gotten involved in other Extension programs, school programs and community issues.