Research shows that children who sing/dance/act or play an instrument are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement compared with their non-performing friends — and they tend to have enhanced cognitive, motor, and social development skills.

The Todd County 4-H program offered a County 4-H Performing Arts troupe that is patterned after the Kentucky 4-H State Performing Arts Troupe.  This local troupe had 15 middle and high school teens as members.  Todd County also has 3 members on the State 4-H Performing Arts Troupe. The local troupe acts as a feeder program to the state troupe, growing performers and buidling confidence.  

The Todd County 4-H Agent along with the Todd County Gifted and Talented Coordinator serve as directors of this group. The troupe practices and performs around the county and area. This year, the troupe visited the local nursing home at Christmas to perform carols for residents as well as singing downtown at the Justice Center, post office and local businesses. The local troupe also traveled to Lexington for the Kentucky 4-H Volunteer Forum to teach a class on starting a local 4-H troupe.

A focus group of these youth revealed that this performing arts troupe experience has enhanced their creativity by helping them to be able to think on their feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think "outside of the box". They have grown in confidence as they performed and led younger students. They have learned to problem solve, which enhanced their skills in reasoning and understanding. They have also gained valuable communication skills through leading workshops at forum.  

They gained perseverance and dedication by practicing, learning new skills and proper techniques to reach their goals. Their ability to focus was developed through ensemble work. Keeping a balance between listening and contributing involves a great deal of concentration and focus as well as collaboration. Recent research has also shown that participation in the arts improves children’s abilities to concentrate and focus in other aspects of their lives. And they have learned accountability in that their actions affect other people and they must take responsibility for it.