Author: Rebecca Konopka
Planning Unit: Carter County CES
Major Program: Natural Resources 4-H Core Curriculum
Plan of Work: Science & Natural Resource Awareness
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
The 4-H Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRESci) Academy is a three-year program designed to teach middle-school age youth about their natural environment. In 2011, the Academy began as a pilot 4-H program with 18 scholars from eight eastern counties. As of 2018, the Academy has grown to a statewide 4-H program with 65 scholars and ambassadors from 20 counties.
The Carter County Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development Education serves on the NRESci planning committee. Currently, Carter County has seven scholars and one ambassador participating in the program. Two new scholars have been selected to join the program in the fall of 2019.
The main objectives of the program are that participants, referred to as scholars and ambassadors, will
The Academy meets quarterly each year. Scholars attend a three-day residential retreat at Lake Cumberland 4-H Educational Center in September and participate in three 1-day events held in winter, spring, and summer. At the retreat, scholars engage in a variety of field exercises, including chemical, biological, and physical water quality assessment, tree identification, forest measurement data collection, wildlife observation and trapping, and insect collection and identification. During the 1-day events, scholars visit natural areas throughout the Commonwealth, such as Salato Wildlife Education Center, Minor E. Clark Fish Hatchery, and UK’s Robinson Forest. These events provide an opportunity for scholars to interact with professionals in different areas of natural resources (e.g., wildlife biology, soil science, hydrology, forestry, entomology) and in different venues (e.g., research and educational forest, environmental education center, fish hatchery, cave system). In addition, scholars are required to plan and complete a community service project during their first year of the program.
Scholars who graduate from the Academy in good standing can apply to be a NRESci Ambassador. The NRESci Ambassador Program is a 1-year commitment that provides graduates an opportunity to practice what they learned in the Academy while further developing leadership skills. NRESci Ambassadors attend the NRESci Fall Retreat, 4-H Teen Conference, and 4-H Teen Summit, at which they assist natural resource professionals and facilitate activities for youth.
At the 2018 Fall Retreat, 31 first year scholars completed a pre- and post-test which focused on watershed and water quality related content, and 22 second year scholars completed a pre- and post-test which focused on forestry related information (Table 1).
Table 1.
Average Pre-Test Score | Average Post-Test Score | |
First Year Scholars (Water) | 18% | 53% |
Second Year Scholars (Forestry) | 52% | 74% |
Fifty-nine scholars completed a Likert scale evaluation at the end of the 2018 retreat. Results included:
The Academy will continue to evolve, and modifications will be made in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the scholars.
2018-19 NRESci Academy Cohort
Brady Sammons, a Carter County first year scholar, did a hand-on presentation and activity about watersheds and pollution with a primary class for his community service project.
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