Success StoryTodd County Tweens, 4-H Summit, Area Teens and Leadership
Todd County Tweens, 4-H Summit, Area Teens and Leadership
Author: Lee Ann McCuiston
Planning Unit: Todd County CES
Major Program: Leadership
Plan of Work: Enhance Life Skills and Build Consumer Awareness
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Middle school age youth often times struggle with social interaction and personal growth in a supportive environment. Todd County 4-H provided multiple opportunities for middle school youth this year including 4-H Summit, Area 4-H Teen Council and Area 4-H Teen Retreat. These opportunities are designed for middle school youth, providing them with opportunities for social interaction, hands-on learning, and personal growth in a supportive environment. The events foster essential skills such as leadership, critical thinking, and civic engagement, aligning with the National 4-H Beyond Ready Initiative. These events play a key role in youth development by promoting resilience, confidence, and community engagement, ensuring that participants are well-equipped for future academic, professional, and civic responsibilities.
Area Teen Retreat, the Area Teen Council and the 4-H Summit engaged middle school youth through a variety of structured activities, including interactive workshops, leadership training and community service projects. The following outcomes yielded results from end of meeting surveys:
* Social Activities: Encouraging youth to build social and emotional skills, with 57% of attendees motivated by meeting new people and 51% enjoying time with friends.
* Hands-on Learning: Workshops were a key highlight, with 61% of participants selecting them as the most enjoyable part of the Summit. The Leadership Workshop, attended by 39% of participants, helped develop essential leadership skills.
* Civic Engagement: Activities such as writing positive notes to assisted living facility residents helped youth cultivate a sense of responsibility and community service.
* Skill Development: Workshops focused on practical life skills, from car maintenance to kitchen safety, preparing youth for future independence.
Each program was aligned with the 4-H Youth Development Thriving Model, ensuring that participants benefited from a high-quality, structured learning environment with the support of caring mentors.
The Todd County 4-H Middle School programs successfully engaged:
* 26 middle school youth from Todd County.
* 6 adults who provided mentorship and support.
The impact of the 4-H Summit, teen retreat and area teen programming was evident in both participant feedback and survey results.
* Social and Emotional Growth: A strong sense of belonging was fostered, which is essential for healthy youth development.
* Workshop Effectiveness: 79% of attendees reported workshops as the most educational component. Specific highlights included:
Leadership Workshop (39%) ; Service Project (30%)
Continued Engagement: Participants showed enthusiasm for ongoing involvement in 4-H activities because of these opportunities and are:
* 3.7 times more likely to participate in 4-H Achievement.
* 3.11 times more likely to seek a leadership board position.
* 2.7 times more likely to pursue a 4-H officer candidate position.
* 3.09 times more likely to seek an officer position at the county or area level.
Participant Retention and Enthusiasm: When asked if they would attend again if the age range were extended, 4.45 out of 5 participants indicated they would return.
4-H Middle school programming continues to meet a need for these youth who often fall through the cracks. The programming equips young people with the skills, confidence, and experiences necessary for future success.
Stories by Lee Ann McCuiston
4-H Livestock Club Members Gained Valuable Skills and a Love for Agriculture
Describe the Issue or Situation.In 2024, the 4-H Livestock club grew from one member to ten under th... Read More
Todd County 4-H Shooting Sports Program Teaches Firearm Safety, Marksmanship and Responsibility
The 4-H Shooting Sports program, which includes projects in archery, shotgun, muzzle-loading firearm... Read More
Stories by Todd County CES

West Kentucky Commercial Horticulture Conference
Todd County is ranked 2nd in Kentucky for the value of vegetables sold, exceeding 3.4 million dollar... Read More

Indoor Herb Gardening
Seventy-eight percent of Todd Countys land is in farms, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.... Read More
Stories by Leadership
4-H Teen Leadership Academy
Kentucky 4-H is grounded in Positive Youth Development. One important focus is working with, high sc... Read More

Jr. Capitol Experience
Many of our young people today dont understand what our elected officials are responsible for, how t... Read More
© 2024 University of Kentucky, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment