The Kentucky Extension Community Assessment facilitated by the Kenton County Cooperative Extension staff in 2018 identified multiple issues related to youth and the environment around them.   Referencing discussions held with local 4-H volunteer leaders and members of the SCS Board, and local school system personnel, pollinator lessons were shared during synchronous learning in August and September 2020.  The pollinator kits created and shared with local schools fall 2020 were based on prior year evaluations.  The kits included, bagged pollen, artificial flowers, a lifecycle wheel, stuffed animal pollinators, posters with pollinator information, butterfly cages, milkweed to feed the caterpillars, a lesson plan, vocabulary words, and lifecycle models.   All materials were designed to be visible under a document camera and due to youth participating via online school.   Online and in person school lesson materials were shared with 1060 youth and teachers.  The materials were created and shared to educate 4-H members, students, teachers, and adult populations about pollinators in their environment.  

The 4-H lesson materials and metamorphic process was introduced to youth K-8 grades in three different school systems.  3 teachers at 3 different schools followed up in June 2020 regarding pollinator gardens planted in 2018 and confirmed that Monarch caterpillars were eating the milkweed that was planted as part of the Kenton Cooperative Extension Service project using grant funds from the Kentucky 4-H Foundation.  5 teachers have learned to identify milkweed near their school or home to feed the caterpillars provided by the 4-H program.  This important step allowed for each school to feed the caterpillars and have a better outcome, this also preserved CES resources.  The survey instrument from prior seasons, reflected the need to help teachers feel more confident caring for specimens.  Another important factor is that caterpillars are being identified by teachers and 4-H personnel and being relocated from vulnerable areas where their habitat was being destroyed due to building projects and spray drift.  Not all the caterpillars survived the spray drift and we felt several died due to eating leaves sprayed with insecticide, but a pathology process was not completed.  3 4-H volunteers also helped with identification of Monarch caterpillars and milkweed collection. 

Written assessments collected fall of 2020 from teachers indicated that the students and 4-H’ers were interested in seeing the butterfly gardens and they could witness metamorphosis.   Teacher written comments on the fall 2020 survey instrument included that “print resources with diagrams, and website resources were a huge help at this time”  All teachers responded that they felt their students could accurately describe the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.  Overwhelming teachers responded that their students gained an appreciation for living things.  The survey responses from prior seasons definitely impacted the effectiveness of Kenton Cooperative Extension Service 4-H personnel providing improved, visible and important educational resources during the pandemic. Materials are being secured for additional educational programs 2021 and new resources for sharing with Kenton County youth will be secured.  (Have video documentation but difficulty uploading - however video is available.  Checking with District Tech)