Success StoryYouth Make a Difference



Youth Make a Difference

Author: Dianna Reed

Planning Unit: Johnson County CES

Major Program: Leadership 4-H Core Curriculum

Plan of Work: Developing and Empowering Community Leaders for Engagement

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

The Johnson County CEC and the 4-H Council identified Leadership and personal Development as a priority for the 2017-2018 program year. To address this need, Extension personnel, community partners and schools worked together to encourage 4-H members and clubs to give back to their communities and citizens. We explained what community service was, talked about real life examples and challenged them to make a difference. As a result of our 4-H youths and leaders efforts, the Johnson County 4-H program received wonderful reports in the 2017-18 school year of 4-H members participating in Community Service projects that accomplished that goal. Whether at home or abroad, these youngsters put words to actions to set excellent examples of how to think of others before themselves. At Flat Gap Elementary, the 5th grade 4-H clubs decided to focus their efforts on providing Christmas gifts to residents at the Senior Citizens Center. There were 43 students participating over a 3-week period to complete this service project. The project ended with in person visits to drop off the packages. Central Elementary’s 6th grade 4-H club collaborated with 4-H and another organization to collect gloves and socks for senior citizens. The project lasted for 2 months and 64 young people participated for a donation of 40 pairs of socks and 40 pairs of gloves. Central Elementary’s 4th grade 4-H Club are sponsoring an ongoing donation drive that began last fall for Hillbilly Christmas in July with the Shriner’s Hospital. They are at the $800 mark now and final results will be available later this summer. WR Castle’s 4th grade clubs decided to donate gifts to under privileged children instead of exchanging classroom gifts among themselves. The project lasted 2-3 weeks and had 42 participants. Paintsville Elementary’s 5th grade club collected items for the local Animal Shelter. The project lasted for 1 month and 55 young people worked together to provide items for our 4 legged friends! Paintsville Elementary’s 4th grade clubs made a selection from the Angel Tree to adopt a family for Christmas. For 1 month the 50 members worked together to select toys and clothing and prepare packages for the family’s 3 children. WR Castle’s 5th and 6th grade 4-H clubs created a community service effort called Project Snooze. In a partnership with the WR CMPS team, they raised money to purchase beds and bedding for over 100 students who did not have a bed in which to sleep. Johnson County 4-H members and their teachers were and continue to be busy with service work that benefits others. These efforts are a fulfillment of the CEC and 4-H Council plan of work directive to promote leadership and personal development by making the effort to give back to others to make a positive difference in our community.






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