Boone County Schools identified a need for leadership education with their students. The school district realized that students identified as a leader in the gifted and talented program in 4^th and 5^th grades were limited on opportunities to grow their leadership skills. Some schools use leadership education with 4-H to fulfill this need while others identify students that could benefit from developed leadership skills. 

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), good social and emotional learning skills can be developed in schools and classrooms in a number of ways, including through leadership opportunities. CASEL notes that the business community thinks that schools are not doing enough to provide students with leadership skills. 

Boone County 4-H provides a series of leadership education lessons to identified 4^th and 5^th grade students in multiple schools. The education is provided a 4-H agent with plans to grow the program to more schools in proceeding years.

4-H Leadership Roadtrip, 4-H Backpacks to Adventure, and the 4-H Communications curriculum is used to develop the lessons for a series of 6-8 sessions with each 4th or 5th grade group and one middle school group for a total of 7 different groups of students reaching approximately 110 youth. Students learn about leadership, team-building, goal-setting, communications, diversity, and healthy habits. 

Participants in all leadership groups completed a pre and post evaluation developed using National 4-H Common Measures and were also given the opportunity to share stories about their experiences at the conclusion of the sessions. 

The results of the pre and post survey showed that that 98% students surveyed showed growth in the program goals area of the survey--understanding of leadership and communications skills such as listening to people who have different ideas than them, finishing a job that they started, and taking responsibility for their actions. 98% of students surveyed also showed a growth in specific leadership skills such as using information that they learned to make decisions, having confidence to speak in front of groups and setting an accomplishing a goal. It is important to share that 98% of students also showed growth in utilizing their new skills in their home, school, or community. 

Many students wrote that one of their greatest accomplishments was being chosen for 4-H Leadership. Others noted that they have learned to work better on a team and to communicate better with others.  One student wrote, “I can use what I learned when I create my own company in real life”.