Youth becoming strong leaders will offset many negative issues our community faces today.  Their innovative ideas and energetic approaches will positively affect the long term economic and civil community growth.  Leadership skills and life skills will better prepare the youth for future employability through various lessons applicable to work life situations. 

It was no surprise that the top priority issue identified in the 2019 Knott Co Community Needs Assessment report in community vitality was “More qualified leaders to prepare community for the future”.  The second was “More active community volunteers”. To address these issues the Knott Co 4H agent partnered with an Elementary Beta and ATLAS Club sponsor to involve 68 middle school youth in a Leadership Ambassador Club. 

The following twelve experiential learning activities, the goals of each and the corresponding curricula are listed below.  These were completed by two one hour in school club meetings and a four-hour leadership day camp held at the Knott Co Extension Office in a collaborative effort with the Knott Co 4H agent, FCS Agent, ANR agent, Knott Co Board of Ed, and Hindman Elementary Beta and ATLAS Club sponsors.

2 one-hour Club Meetings Pre- Leadership Day

·True Colors Leadership Personality Assessment – Self Awareness of individual qualities and habits.

·True Colors “Flipped”. Youth explore how peers could perceive their quality strengths as weaknesses.  

4-hour Leadership Day Camp at the Extension Office

·Re-Grouping – Develop inclusivity moving youth among different groups to develop a better understanding of individual uniqueness and common qualities and interests.

·Introduction Etiquette- Proper placing of a nametag, importance of eye contact and handshake.

·30 Seconds Left – Youth introduce themselves to a partner by describing their greatest personal achievement. The set of partners then properly introduce each other to others in the room

·Leaders you Admire– Small groups were tasked to identify and agree on a leader they admired and regarded as impactful.Each group had to identify a leadership quote that they felt best described a leader and exhibited the qualities their group valued.  They chose a spokesperson to share

·Don’t Drop It *National 4H Curriculum-Step Up to Leadership - Youth identified the responsibilities they have in life.  The pressure to juggle those and to depend on others to share that workload.

·Trust goes Hand in Hand - *National 4H Curriculum-Step Up to Leadership – Youth develop verbal communication skills by instructing peers through obstacles blindly.  Youth learn relationship building requires trust and precise communication.

·Basic business meeting etiquette Parliamentary Procedure – Robert’s Rules of Order * University of Tennessee 4-H Leadership and Personal Development. Youth learn the basics of business meeting utilizing Robert’s Rules of Order and officer roles.

·How to Make a Motion in 5 Easy Steps - * National 4H Curriculum – 4H officer Handbook – Youth learn the formal steps of making motions during a business meeting.

·Stand for a Friend – Youth develop empathy through describing a life event they had to overcome written on an index card.  Those cards are mixed until the original source is unidentifiable.  Then we call for any youth holding a card to stand.  (Ex: If you card pertains to abuse please stand.  For loss of a loved one, etc.)

Outcomes:

100 % of youth felt comfortable being a leader

92% of youth felt comfortable working in groups

95% of youth indicated they could get along with others who are different from them

90% of youth felt they had helped others reach a goal

88% of youth indicated they look for ways to involve others

Youth Comments post program:

“I learned the right way to act at a business lunch”

“I learned there are many different kinds of leaders”

“I learned what my strengths are as a leader”

“More people have problems that we don’t even know about”

“We all have a lot going on but it’s hard to let others help”

“When talking to somebody blindfolded through something it is much harder than what you think”

“When explaining something to others they sometimes misunderstand what you are really trying to say”

The original intention of the club was to prepare the youth to extend their experience by mentoring peers at a countywide leadership conference day.  Unfortunately, due to the unforeseen events in the spring of 2020 that did not take place.  Regardless, these youth learned a great deal about leadership. Sixty-two out of sixty-eight youth felt confident they were prepared to take on that mentoring opportunity when it occurs.