Success StoryVirtual Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp



Virtual Kentucky 4-H Leadership Boot Camp

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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