Close Resources

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu

Impacts

Contact Information

Craig Wood, Ph.D
Acting Associate Dean & Director
UK Cooperative Extension Service

S-107 Ag. Science Center North Lexington, KY 40546-0091

+1 (859) 257-4302

craig.wood@uky.edu




Fiscal Year:
Jul 1, 2024 - Jun 30, 2025


Success Story4-H Teen Leadership Academy



4-H Teen Leadership Academy

Author: Lisa Hagman

Planning Unit: Hancock County CES

Major Program: Leadership

Plan of Work: Developing Leadership, Life Skills, and Volunteer Skills

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Kentucky 4-H is grounded in Positive Youth Development. One important focus is working with, high school student to develop and guide them in a variety of settings to help them develop their leadership and life skills and then providing opportunities for them to lead. For this reason UK Cooperative Extension 4-H programs from Hancock, Daviess, McLean, Hopkins, Webster, Union, Ohio, and Henderson Counties partnered to provide a 4-H Teen Leadership Academy (TLA) for 8th-11th grade members. The Academy met monthly throughout the school year in various locations and counties and focused on developing leadership, social, communication, and life skills.

 

 

Outcome: 

Leadership education builds several important assets in Kentucky youth and provides critical elements of youth development (Search Institute, 2004; Pittman, Irby & Ferber, 2001.) Youth who participate in leadership development opportunities are exposed to a variety of opportunities for personal development. Leadership activities help youth:

-develop confidence in their leadership potential and their own sense of identity

-improve their self-esteem

-enhance their communication skills in sharing, reflecting, and discussing

-understand the importance of diversity and improve their ability to relate to others

-learn effective decision-making methods and experience problem-solving situations

-learn group social skills (Unlock Your Leadership Potential: A Leadership Project Guide, University of Florida, October 2009.)

 

4-H utilizes high school students in a variety of settings to help them develop their leadership skills as well as life skills. For this reason UK Cooperative Extension 4-H programs from Hancock County, Webster County, Ohio County and Henderson County partnered to offer a 4-H Teen Leadership Academy (TLA) for 8th-11th grade members. The Academy met monthly throughout the school year in various locations and counties and focused on developing leadership, social, communication, and life skills.

The post-evaluation results showed have consistently showed an overall increase of knowledge, skills, and aspirations:

*are more confident in their increased leadership skills as a result of TLA

*believe TLA had a positive impact on their self-confidence

*have a better understanding of personality styles and how to work with others

*understand how personality styles can affect the group’s dynamics

 

Monthly Leadership Academy sessions prepared them for county, district, and state leadership opportunities in 4-H and at school that will benefit them in post-secondary education and in the workforce.







Stories by Lisa Hagman


Hancock County 4-H Sewing Workshop and Three Completed Projects

Hancock County 4-H Sewing Workshop and Three Completed Projects

about 2 months ago by Lisa Hagman

Teaching sewing to young people will not only teach them lifelong valuable and practicalskills, but ... Read More


4-H Passport Kitchen Participants "Visited" Five Countries

4-H Passport Kitchen Participants "Visited" Five Countries

about 6 months ago by Lisa Hagman

In our increasingly interconnected world, young people must acquire the knowledge and skills to enga... Read More


Stories by Hancock County CES


Juice to Jelly

Juice to Jelly

about 2 months ago by Angelia Swihart

Juice to JellyAccording to Kentucky County Health Rankings from 2021, 10% of the population of Hanco... Read More


4-H Sewing Workshop

4-H Sewing Workshop

about 2 months ago by Angelia Swihart

Sewing is a skill not usually taught in homes today. But there are several benefits to sewing; it ca... Read More


Stories by Leadership


4-H Teen Leadership Academy

4-H Teen Leadership Academy

yesterday by Lisa Hagman

Kentucky 4-H is grounded in Positive Youth Development. One important focus is working with, high sc... Read More


Jr. Capitol Experience

Jr. Capitol Experience

about 13 days ago by Bridgett Poteet

Many of our young people today dont understand what our elected officials are responsible for, how t... Read More