In 2018 the Madison County Cooperative Extension Service completed a community assessment by asking community members to participate in focus groups, surveys, and stakeholder interviews. The results of the assessment summarized the top priorities for each of those three audiences. In two of the three audiences, better life skills training for youth and families identified to be a top priority. Local teachers also recommended this topic as a necessary topic for the youth in the community. Working in partnership with these teachers the Cooperative Extension Service held a program for 86 fifth grade students from Whitehall Elementary School who participated in the life and leadership field trip at the Madison County Extension Office on Wednesday, March 6th. During the students' time at the Extension Office, participants rotated through a series of classes that included, leadership and team building, how to sew a button, manners and etiquette and nutrition. At the end of the day the students participated in an etiquette luncheon where the local high-school culinary class volunteered their serving skills to provide a formal dining experience for the fifth grade students. At the end of the workshops the students were surveyed and the results are:

100% of the high-school servers felt more confident in their ability to become a server after this experience.

72% of the students admitted that they were not aware how much sugar was in their drinks

60% of the students said they would change their drink choices after seeing how much sugar was in them.

66% of the students felt that they could successfully sew on a button.