Author: Gary Druin
Planning Unit: Ohio County CES
Major Program: Leadership
Plan of Work: Leadership Development
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Virtual Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp
Program Year: 2020-21
Kentucky 4-H engages youth with hands-on experiences where they can build leadership competencies at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The Kentucky 4-H State Leadership Boards provide experiences for senior 4-H’ers to build upon their leadership skills in the core area of their interest at the advanced level.
It is a goal of Kentucky 4-H that youth who are interested in applying to run as a Kentucky 4-H State Officer and/or have state-level opportunities to fully develop as a leader, therefore the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Bootcamp was created to meet this need. Senior level 4-H’ers are invited to the Kentucky 4-H Leadership Bootcamp. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2021 Leadership Boot Camp was held virtually. Two youth and an adult volunteer from Ohio county completed the day-long experience. The youth had the opportunity to participate in exercises that would empower them to lead within their community at an advanced level through state-level 4-H opportunities. As a result, these youth have written an 4-H Issues grant to organize and implement a 4-H Club for youth with learning disabilities and have completed Gold and Bronze Achievement applications.
The Ohio County participants of the 4-H Leadership Boot Camp met with current and former Kentucky 4-H State Officers, 4-H Agents, 4-H Specialists, and members of the Kentucky 4-H Foundation. These youth had the opportunity to learn and practice skills related to public speaking, interviewing, resume writing, teaching, goal setting, and teambuilding. End of program evaluations by participants in the 4-H Leadership Boot Camp:
I practiced these skills… | |
Public Speaking | 90% (19) |
Interviewing | 90% (19) |
Resume Writing | 81% (17) |
Teaching | 67% (14) |
I think what I learned today will benefit me in the future in my county or district… | |
Strongly Agree | 76% (16) |
Agree | 24% (5) |
I feel more prepared to apply to serve on a state-level leadership board or as a state officer… | |
Strong Agree | 57% (12) |
Agree | 38% (8) |
Neutral | 5% (1) |
I feel more confident in my abilities as a leader after today… | |
Strongly Agree | 57% (12) |
Agree | 10% (7) |
Neutral | 10% (2) |
I connected with others from across the state… | |
Strongly Agree | 52% (11) |
Agree | 33% (8) |
Neutral | 14% (1) |
I think I can use skills I learned outside of 4-H… | |
Strongly Agree | 81% (17) |
Agree | 19% (4) |
From the 28 youth members participating in 4-H Leadership Boot Camp, these are the state-level leadership opportunities they were interested in pursuing…
State Teen Council | 54% (15) |
State Officer | 43% (12) |
Shooting Sports Teen Ambassadors | 21% (6) |
Healthy Living Leadership Board | 18% (5) |
Science, Engineering, Technology Board | 11% (3) |
Performing Arts Troupe | 7% (2) |
Fashion Leadership Board | 4% (1) |
From the 28 youth members participating in 4-H Leadership Boot Camp, these individuals were interested in the following 4-H Achievement Program awards…
Gold Award | 57% (15) |
Emerald Award | 39% (11) |
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