4-H Programs Developing Responsible Youth


One of the most pressing social issues we face in North Carolina is how to provide our youth with a solid foundation for life. The evidence that the foundation is fragile appears year after year in newspaper articles and scientific studies that call attention to the challenge and problems facing too many youth: persistently high rates of alcohol and other drug use, teenage pregnancy, violence, school failure, youth obesity and many more. Simultaneously, new concerns are being voiced about whether we are building the kinds of skills and competencies needed to ensure a competent work force and engaged citizenry.

Thus, the vast majority of young people are building their lives on a foundation that truly is fragile.  Some – perhaps most – young people will still manage to navigate through adolescence into adulthood relatively unscathed, despite their circumstance and some of the harmful choices they make.  Too many will not, however.  For them, experiences in early years will leave scars that will take years to heal.  And, some will become trapped in negative cycles of violence, addiction, and hopelessness that will deprive them and their community of valuable contributions. But this is not the end of the story.  The mosaic of young people’s lives has a hopeful theme. That hope becomes evident in the life skills and developmental assets available to shape young people’s choices.  Through its 4-H program, Extension is intentionally working to ensure that more young people experience many of the life skills and assets, which offer a positive and hopeful path to a brighter future for young people and society.

Through active 4-H participation youth learn to manage relationships, make decisions, become resilient enough to overcome the risks they face, become better communicators, and serve their communities.  4-H’s hands-on, learn-by-doing approach reaches hundreds of thousands of North Carolina’s youth each year in schools, community clubs, camps, and in other settings.

 4-H Youth Development Programs:
·        Uniquely extend research-based curricula to youth, families, and educators in response to their expressed needs.
·        Support legislatively mandated university outreach to K-12 schools.
·        Work in partnership with other youth serving agencies and sponsoring organizations.
·        Provide unique opportunities for young people to participate in inquiry-guided learning opportunities with university scholars, researchers, faculty, and community leaders. 

Who is involved?
In 2004, 4-H involved 181,145 youth and 23,782 adult and youth volunteers in local 4-H programs supported by the resources of the Cooperative Extension System at North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University. The North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Program operates in a spirit of excellence to “make the best better.”  Youth, ages 5 to 19, use 4-H to become responsible, productive and caring citizens within their friendship circles, families, schools, and communities. They are actively involved in a variety of programs.
Delivery Mode Male Female Total Units
Organized 4-H Community Clubs 8,512 13,051 21,563 1,069
Organized 4-H Home-School Clubs 1,139 1,444 2,583 126
Organized 4-H After-School Clubs 4,793 6,218 11,011 337
Organized 4-H Military Clubs 76 219 295 29
TOTAL Organized 4-H Clubs 14,520 20,932 35,452 1,561
Special Interest 28,107 35,286 63,393 3,191
4-H Overnight Camping 1,765 2,489 4,254 358
4-H Day Camping 4,258 4,900 9,158 507
TOTAL 4-H CAMPING 6,023 7,389 13,412 865
School Enrichment 38,270 40,141 78,411 2,747
Individual Projects/Study 2,121 2,419 4,540  
School-Age Child Care 13,530 14,254 27,784 740
4-H Instructional TV/Video 1,794 2,116 3,910  
TOTAL 104,365 122,537 226,902  
TOTAL (Duplications Eliminated) 83,743 97,402 181,145 8,094

Focusing Our Challenge:

4-H designs and delivers programs that empower personal, local action in response to risk factors such as juvenile crime, teen suicide, school-drop-out, child abuse, alcohol and drugs, family dissolution, and sexual activity. 

4-H supports every youth’s right to lead a healthy and productive life filled with protective factors such as:
·        An ongoing relationship with a caring adult-parent, mentors, tutor, or coach.
·        Access to safe places and structured activities.
·        A healthy start.
·        A marketable skill through effective education.
·        An opportunity to give back through community service.

4-H Programming Is Relevant:
4-H’ers live on farms, in suburbs, and in towns and cities.  Programs are designed to meet the needs of youth, families, schools, and communities. 

4-H’ers and where they live:
Farms 11,200 6%
Areas of Under 10,000 and rural non-farm 102,490 57%
Towns and cities, with populations of 10,000 and up to 50,000 44,336 24%
Suburbs of cities over 50,000 10,876 6%
Central cities over 50,000 12,243 7%
Total 181,145 100%
4-H takes pride in its multi-cultural diversity.  Youth are encouraged to become citizen leaders in service of their entire community. 4-H’s Diversity:
Racial Groups Hispanic Ethnicity Not Hispanic Ethnicity
White or Caucasian (only) 5,769 112,610
Black or African American (only) 337 50,115
American Native Indian or Alaska Native (only) 846 3,200
Asian (only) 3 1,115
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (only) 30 90
White & Black or African American 79 4,522
White & American Indian or Alaskan Native 18 188
Black & American Indian or Alaskan Native 0 307
White & Asian 7 132
Balance (other combinations) 1,585 192
TOTAL HISPANIC 8,674  
TOTAL NOT HISPANIC   172,471
TOTAL YOUTH 181,145
Who Are 4-H Volunteers?
Dedicated adult volunteers provide the helping relationships that enable youth to become responsible, productive citizens.  These volunteers also provide the basis for both the fiscal efficiency and productivity of 4-H.  Youth also are actively engaged in community service and service learning through 4-H volunteering.  4-H volunteers encourage a sense of cultural diversity as they enable youth to become their “best selves.”  In 2004, there were a total of 24,974 adult and youth 4-H volunteers.

Diversity of 4-H Volunteers:
Racial Groups Hispanic Ethnicity Not Hispanic Ethnicity
White or Caucasian (only) 446 17,860
Black or African American (only) 16 6,138
American Native Indian or Alaska Native (only) 11 252
Asian (only) 5 112
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (only) 3 3
White & Black or African American 2 44
White & American Indian or Alaskan Native 0 25
Black & American Indian or Alaskan Native 0 6
White & Asian 1 7
Balance (other combinations) 30 13
TOTAL HISPANIC 514  
TOTAL NOT HISPANIC   24,460
TOTAL YOUTH 24,974

4-H Camping: A Legacy of Excellence:
North Carolina’s youth and families continue to “Discover the World Through 4-H Camps.” Camps and educational conference center operations continue to grow in celebration of being exemplary units in the certification system managed by the American Camping Association.  Over 13,412 youth participated in 4-H day and residential camping in 2004.

Three thousand, one hundred twenty-one youth “discovered the world” during 16-units weeks of junior camping and 12 weeks of specialty camps including: Marine Science and Sailing, Cloverbud Camping (ages 6-8), Fur, Fish & Game Camp, Horsemanship, Shooting Sport, Adventure Camp, and Challenge Camp. 

4-H plans to maintain our facilities in a safe manner and to continue to develop programming that are relevant to our core audience. While maintaining our emphasis on youth development, we plan to increase marketing for conference and retreat programs.  Plans are underway to market expansion while nurturing relationships with our primary customers for the five centers.

An Initiative Welcome and Overview
Welcome to Developing Responsible Youth, one of the five statewide program initiatives of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. Although the Initiative is managed through primary program resources made available through the North Carolina 4-H Youth Development Program and the Department of 4-H Youth Development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University, it is designed to drive collaboration with and among all agencies, programs and organizations dedicated to the well being of young people in our state.

Our initiative is designed to actively engage youth, volunteers, stakeholders, and youth development professionals “to create helping relationships to enable youths to become responsible, productive citizens.” Through 4-H and other, allied youth development programs young people are empowered to invest and grow cognitive, social, physical and emotional skills to reach their full potential for becoming coping, competent and contributing participants in their friendship and peer groups, families, schools and communities.

The Initiative focuses on utilization of experiential, non-formal, community based youth development practices which recognize the worth and dignity of every individual, and believe that the development of life skills enables young people to become caring, coping and competent citizens who will build strong foundations for our future. In the spirit of this shared value, the initiative is committed to the well being of and seeks to maintain the confidence of youth, volunteers, stakeholders, the Extension System, and all youth development professionals.

The Initiative seeks to celebrate through action “The Power of Youth in a Changing World”, the National 4-H Strategic Plan and its vision: “A world in which youth and adults learn, grow, and work together as catalysts for positive change;” and its mission: “4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential working and learning in partnership with caring adults.” We also embrace that plan’s belief that if we really care about youth, if we really want them to succeed, we must reorganize around them by transforming the relationships we have with youth in designing, delivering, and governing 4-H and other youth development programs to celebrate several critical dimensions of program excellence: the power of youth; access, equity, and opportunity; an extraordinary place to learn; exceptional people, innovative practices; and effective organizational systems.

The Initiative strives to encourage both youth development program design and content validity by encouraging youth development professionals to become actively involved in three overlapping, continuing domains of professional best practice: 1) Scanning the environment for youth development needs, 2) designing and delivering quality programs and 3) reporting and celebrating program impact. Major contemporary youth development paradigms being utilized include: life skills, internal and external assets, and resilience theory. These theoretically grounded paradigms when used individually or concurrently offer youth development program staff a full range of adaptation possibilities for assessing program impacts. Program staffs are encouraged to adapt educational programs to local situations in the context of the outcomes of the National 4-H Impact Assessment Project. That project created a list of program characteristics most likely to engender positive youth outcomes when incorporated into youth programming. Those critical program characteristics are:
·        A positive relationship with a caring adult
·        A physically and emotionally safe environment
·        The opportunity to value and practice service for others
·        An opportunity for self-determination
·        An inclusive environment
·        An opportunity to see oneself as an active participant in the future
·        Engagement in learning; and
·        Opportunity for mastery.

Developing Responsible Youth: A Cycle of Professional Action
Teams of youth development educators accomplish the thirteen objectives, listed under the eight focus areas, in the Developing Responsible Youth Initiative. They continuously work to accomplish three related, overlapping focus area/objective specific processes. Each team works to build youth development professional capacity, develop and refine best professional practices and expand the rigor of impact evaluation as they:
·        Scan the environment for emerging focus area specific youth development needs.
·        Design and deliver programs responsive to those existing and emerging needs.
·        Design evaluation tools to facilitate program impacts for reporting into the Extension Reporting System.

Y1: Long-term support systems will develop competent youth by building internal and external assets through life skill development.

Program Description: Youth of this country have more opportunities for educational experiences in their daily lives than ever before.  Formal learning is only the beginning. Today, youth can gain information and knowledge through media, the World Wide Web, the workplace and community involvement.   4-H clubs offer non-formal hands-on experiences as well as more traditional modes of learning. A major goal of the 4-H Youth Development Program is to help young people develop life skills and assets that will allow them to become competent, caring and responsible citizens. In 2004, the 4-H Club Program, placed emphases on helping young people improve their decision-making skills, communication skills, managing relationship and serving their community. In 2004, a total of 35,452 young people between the ages of 5 to 19 participated in 4-H club programs. The positive youth development of young people through 4-H club programs can be illustrated by the following program impacts: 33,126 youth have increased their decision making skills; 28,175 increased their communication and interpersonal skills; 19,471 increased their knowledge of community service opportunities; 32,970 increased self-confidence; and 17,717 increased their competency in managing relationships. 

Measures of Progress:
·        Increased communication skills                                                  21,391
·        Number of you competing in Public Speaking programs             2,264
·        Increased leadership skills                                                         13,131
·        Increased awareness of community service                                32,970
·        Increased decision making skills                                                33,126
·        Number of new families involved in club programs                     2,646
·        Number of families sustaining active club programs                    9,942                          

Agents also reported that over 12,588 families had been actively involved in 4-H club programs in 2004 and that 568 new 4-H clubs had been formed for youth ages 5 to 18.

Impacts:
·        $315,401 saved by communities from 4-H community service projects
·        $172,723 scholarships received by 4-H’ers
·        $579,155 earned as a result of their project work
·        $381,668 saved by 4-H’ers as a result of their project work

Volunteer Involvement:
8,772 volunteers worked with young people in 4-H clubs during 2004.  Their combined efforts total 87,001 hours for a value of $1,495,547. On average, volunteers committed 10 hours to their local 4-H club program. 

Success Stories:
 ·        Does 4-H make a difference? According to one Randolph family it does. Her children have been involved with 4-H for 14 years. Her three children have participated in dairy events, teen retreats, presentations, cooking contests, county, state and national events, camping programs, etc. Because of their 4-H involvement, her son received an all-expenses paid trip to 4-H camp, a dream he wouldn't have been able to fulfill otherwise! Also, the daughter attends college and receives two scholarships from 4-H. In the mother's words, “my kids have gained so much from their 4-H involvement! When the college bills started adding up, we didn't know what to do, but the 4-H scholarships offset the expenses. My daughter smiled and said 4-H comes through again!

·        4-H is the only youth development organization reaching out to at-risk youth in Bladen County. Out of the 5,800 total eligible youth in the county, 4-H reached 1,927 through various programming efforts in 2004. This represents 33% of the total population and is a 368% increase from the total number of youth reached in 2003. 4-H participants have gained valuable life skills, reduced court involvement, and learned to be a positive impact in our communities. Through new and continued efforts, Bladen County 4-H is striving "To Make the Best Better" by reaching more youth in 2005.

·        It is often hard for parents who have children with disabilities to find programs that can fit the needs of their child. Often when the programs are available many parents are scared to let their child try because they might fail or get frustrated setting them back emotionally. This summer an autistic child joined 4-H and worked on a rabbit project. His parents had all the usual fears but he not only raised the rabbit he completed a curriculum book and learned more about rabbits than anyone ever imagined. This month this young man, after encouragement from the 4-H staff, and his parents, submitted a project record book on his rabbit project. The book shows how much he has progressed from August to January in his communication skills, and thought processes. His parents are thrilled with his progress and say it is thanks to his involvement in 4-H.

Impact Bullets:
·        Increased communication skills                          21,391
·        Increased leadership skills                                 13,131
·        Increased awareness of community service        32,970
·        Increased decision making skills                        33,126
·        Saved their communities $315,401 through community service projects/volunteerism
·        Earned $579,155 as a result of their 4-H project work
·        8,772 volunteers worked with young people in 4-H clubs during 2004. 

Their combined efforts total 87,001 hours for a value of $1,495,547. On average, volunteers committed 10 hours to their local 4-H club program. 



Person’s Completing the Report: Mitzi Stumpf, Dale Panaro (Wake), April Dillon (Lincoln), Tovi Martin (Mecklenburg), Krista Hancock (Cumberland), Zoann Parker (Halifax), Cameron Lowe (Pasquotank), Danny Butler (Martin), Travis Burke (Pasquotank), Wallace Simmons (Haywood), Peggie Lewis (Rockingham), Natalie Rountree (Hertford), Cathy Bown (Moore), Rebecca Liverman (Washington), Danelle Barco (Camden), Juanita Bailey (Perquimans), Spring Williams (Burke), Aggie Rogers (Robeson), Ellen Owens (Currituck), Nina Crawford (Wake)

Y2: Limited resource youth residing in diverse/public housing will increase life skill development, which will ultimately result in making informed decisions about life choices to manage life situations and transitions.

Program Description:
Youth residing in public housing are no different in their basic developmental needs, but because of day-to-day situations, financial restrains, and stresses they face, they may need special program delivery techniques. Programs designed for public housing youth uses a variety of program strategies to help youth feel appreciated, valued, successful and competent. Creating programs that include teaching multiple lessons, setting achievable goals, promoting empowerment, offering tangible incentives, building on success, intense individual attention, and peers in leadership roles will enhance public housing youth life skill development.
Seventeen (17) counties reported 13,815 youth ages 5-19 participated in programs that helped them acquire skills in using the decision-making process, saying "no" to peer pressure, clearly defining aspirations, and increasing knowledge and skills in conflict resolution. Additionally, 1,168 youth participated in hands-on conflict resolution programs. Thirteen (13) 4-H clubs for youth ages 5-8 were organized to support life skill development in limited resource communities.

Measures of Progress:
·        Thirteen (13) 4-H Clubs formed for youth ages 5-8
·        5,001 acquired decision making skills
·        1,349 increased skills in saying no to peer pressure
·        1,103 increased skills in defining aspirations
·        1,168 increased skills in conflict resolution
·        1,479 participated in community service projects
·        13,815 limited resources youth participated in 4-H programs in public housing and targeted limited recourse communities

Impacts:
·        $45,400 was saved as a result of community service
·        1,662 youth demonstrated resistance to peer pressure
·        998 youth demonstrated defined aspirations
·        718 youth (5-8) participated in NCA&T State University curriculum based projects

Volunteer Involvement:
Nine hundred and twenty (920) volunteers donated 13,067 hours of time valued at $ 224,621 for public housing and targeted limited resource communities.

Success Stories:
·        Geographic location and inadequate roads have severely limited the economic and industrial growth of the small rural county of Yancey, NC. Problems youth face there are poverty, substance abuse, illiteracy, child abuse and poor parenting skills. NC A&T University helped Yancey County 4-H sponsor their first 4-H Mini-Society Program. The twenty-seven participants age 8-12, fourteen leaders age 13-15, three 4-H Volunteers and four staff members reported in evaluations that the program was a big success. Youth gained skills to help them in the “Real World”, by learning about government, ethics and economics. As the youth excitedly created businesses, wrote a newspaper and held civil servant jobs their “Land of Pride” became a reality. They even hired security guards to protect their newly developed monetary system. They learned about concepts such as scarcity and supply/demand. These Yancey County youth can’t wait to participate in this uniquely beneficial entrepreneurial activity again.

·        Families who are in the process of acquiring their first home through Habitat for Humanity (HFH) must complete Sweat Equity. Cooperative Extensions' Family and Consumer Science, Agricultural, and 4-H Agents partnered with HFH to provided Sweat Equity hours through home buying, maintenance, and budgeting classes. Recognizing the children also have a need for life skills, the 4-H Habitat Club was formed. Targeted skills included planning and organizing, critical thinking, recognizing difference, personal safety, expressing feelings, and understanding self. Two volunteers lead meetings serving six youth. In addition, the youth prepared forty treat bags to be donated to the local nursing home. The hands on experience enabled them to realize that they are valuable members of their society and families. A post evaluation of the youth ranging from grades K-3 demonstrated the development of skills necessary to make informed decisions about life.

Impact Bullets:
·           13,815 limited resources youth participated in 4-H programs in public housing and targeted limited recourse communities
·           1,662 youth demonstrated resistance to peer pressure
·           718 youth (5-8) participated in NCA&T State University curriculum based projects

Persons Preparing The Report: Mitzi Stumpf-Downing

Y3: Youth involved in special interest educational programs will show increased life skill knowledge and subject matter skill

Program Description:
Special Interest involves out of school programming lasting at least 6 hours with youth who are taught by 4-H volunteers.

Measures of Progress:
·        58% of the 5,503 workshops were free to participants
·        All subject matter areas were covered
·        Citizenship – 729 workshops
·        Communication & Expressive Arts – 1,780 workshops
·        Consumerism – 2,097 workshops
·        Environment – 4,672 workshops
·        Healthy Lifestyles – 6,192 workshops
·        Personal Development & Leadership – 2,088 workshops
·        Plants & Animals – 4,176 workshops
·        Science & Technology – 2,713 workshops

Impacts:
·        18,102 youth demonstrated a positive knowledge/attitude change as observed by parents or leaders
·        17,726 youth demonstrated a positive life skill change as observed by parents and leaders
·        3,119 adults used experiential learning techniques in their program delivery

Volunteer Involvement:
·        81 counties reported reaching 40,608 youth through 3,785 volunteers (value $365,000) in 2004.  The value of the programming to the targeted audience was about 2.4 million and value to society was rated at 1.8 million.

Success Stories:
·        The Hispanic population is rapidly increasing in Richmond County. With limited understanding of the English language and financial restraints, Hispanic children lack educational opportunities outside the classroom to learn life skills. NC Cooperative and 4-H partnered with Richmond County schools of offer 6 hours of educational information at the ESL Summer Enrichment Program. The program themes were Safety, Nutrition and Animals reaching 20 Hispanic youth. As a result of the 4-H learning experiences, 18 Hispanic youth learned to identify and select foods in the food guide pyramid for a balanced diet, 12 Hispanic youth learned their emergency contact addresses, 17 Hispanic youth learned first aid techniques, 19 Hispanic youth increased their knowledge in agriculture and 17 Hispanic youth learned what to do in case of a home fire.

·        Keeping children engaged during out of school time is not only a challenge for parents but also a marketing opportunity. Burke County Cooperative Extension Service in cooperation with local sponsors and adult volunteers met this challenge with the 2004 Summer Fun Program. This year 260 youth participated in 26 separate learning activities with the help of 89 adult volunteers. Once Summer Fun ended, parents started coming forward to enroll these youth in 4-H resulting in the creation of 5 new 4-H clubs in Burke County. These accomplishments were completed without any financial support from our local government.

·        One of Wake Co. 4-H's newest initiatives is the SuperSeed Prevention Program. This initiative seeks to build resilience among youth, families and communities through substance abuse prevention and early intervention initiatives. SuperSeed had a wonderful first year with 12 programs at 9 different sites with a total of 104 youth completing. Evaluation results were positive in all areas, with increased skills and healthy attitudes reported. The largest gains were noted in refusal skills with a 34% increase that indicated they would definitely say no when friends ask them to do something negative. 33% of youth reported an increased commitment not to physically hurt someone, and 22% of youth indicated a stronger commitment not to drink alcohol. With this strong foundation established, SuperSeed currently has a waiting list to serve other school, faith and community sites.

Impact Bullets:
·        4,108 youth increased their decision-making skills
·        3,975 youth increased their problem solving skills
·        5,992 youth increased skills associated with making healthy lifestyle choices
·        2,488 youth increased their communication skills

Person’s completing the Report: Ed Maxa, Barb Dunn-Swanson (Randolph), Karee Teague (Watauga), Kathy Kuhlman (Macon), Nelson McCaskill (Iredell), Jeanette Schuszler (Caldwell), Laurie Lewis (Hyde), Louise Hinsley (Beaufort), Juanita Bailey (Perquimans), Deleon Wilks (Sampson), Kay Cole (Alamance), Melissa Staebner (Yadkin), Mary Bowles (Richmond), Tanya Heath (Wilson), Nina Crawford (Wake), Ann Godwin (Wake), Fonda Lyons (Wake)

Y5: Youth in high-risk environments will participate in community based programs resulting in opportunities for the youth to acquire internal and external assets

Program Description:
The increasing pace of life, economic instability, and social isolation from family and friendship networks challenges North Carolina youth, families, and communities. Limited resources and risky behaviors increase challenges. Programs targeted to building assets and preventing risk behavior foster positive developmental outcomes for youth.

Communities across the state increasingly engage 4-H programs to help youth at risk to learn health and life skills, science and technology, entrepreneurship and career skills, and academic skills. Mentoring and community restitution programs connect youth to positive role models and relationships. 4-H county programs are innovators in involving youth with limited resources or behavior problems in positive, transformative programs.

Measures of Progress:
·        4-H programs effectively increase internal assets (stress management, problem-solving, character and communication skills) (2485 youth reporting) and external assets (caring adults, positive community norms) (3219 youth reporting), and positive alternatives to risk behavior (refusal skills, academic skills, extracurricular involvement) (3104 youth reporting) that provide a foundation for positive choices in teen years into adulthood.

Impact Indicators:
·        Youth involved in afterschool enrichment, mentoring, restitution, teen court, and camping programs consistently report increased life skills (2930 youth), academic performance (1982 youth) and reduced risk behavior (2078 youth) and judicial involvement (1900 youth). Community service (2018 youth) engages youth contributions and strengthens connections to positive role models, neighbors, and continued involvement in 4-H.

Volunteer Involvement:
·        Youth-at-risk programs involved 806 volunteers in 16,839 service hours, with 794 contacts. The dollar value of volunteer time (est. at $ 17.19 per hour) is $289,462.

Success Stories:
·        Sixty-four (64) middle school youth, identified as at-risk, met weekly for 12 2-hour After Hours workshops at local middle schools. Forty-one youth participated in 60 or more sessions. Youth learned the dangers of substance use while developing life skills shown to prevent substance use. Teen mentors and teachers provide homework assistance and positive role models. Standardized post evaluations a parent/teacher surveys showed that 62 of participants increased knowledge of the effects of substance use and 85 improved drug refusal skills. Ninety-two (92) showed increased assertiveness skills and 62 showed increased self-control. After-Hours is a collaborative program of Cooperative Extension and Catawba County Schools, funded by the Governor's Crime Commission.

·        Perquimans 4-H Friends of Youth, a Governor's One On One Program, matches youth with screened and trained adult volunteers. Youth enjoy weekly mentoring, 4-H camps, and other 4-H workshops and events. Youth are also encouraged through awards to graduates, alumni, and volunteers given at a banquet. One On One is designed to serve as a deterrent to Youth Development Academy (Training School), which costs $29,200 (Perquimans Windfall Detention Center) to $65,000 (state Youth Development Center) per youth per year. From 1994-2003, Perquimans Governor’s One On One Volunteer Program has served 247 youth, with only one subsequent placement in a youth development facility. Of the 40 youth served in 2004, none were referred.

Impact Bullets:
·        Teen Court and Restitution programs benefit youth and communities. During 2004, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) funded Sampson, Camden and Greene County’s serve 104 delinquent youth and used 158 youth and adult volunteers. Over $10,300 in restitution was paid to victims. More than 1,631 hours of community service and only one participant had a later citation.
·        Gates County LifeSmart, serving 128 Sixth-to-Twelfth graders, increased employability skills, financial resource management, goal setting, teamwork, career management strategies and everyday life skills.
·        Afterschool Support Our Students (SOS) programs depend on 4-H. Alexander County
4-H trained SOS staff in Career Smarts, Mini Society, and other life skills, resulting in 56 youth increasing life skills, 87 youth increased academic performance, and 23 engaging in community service.
·        Robeson County 4-H YO! (Youth Opportunity) targeted five economic development zones, starting five clubs offering diversity training, public speaking, presentations, and fashion revue and five teen parent clubs focus on self esteem, stress management, and decision making skills. Members improved grades, decision-making skills, and community service.
·        Migrant Education helps Hispanic youth find a place in new communities. Ashe County 4-H sponsored 4-H AIM clubs that introduced 4-H projects and increased life skills to middle and high school students. The state Department of Public Instruction evaluator rated the program as “extraordinary,” exceeding grant requirements.
·        Ashe County 4-H Blue Ridge Conservation Corps (BRCC) provided workforce preparedness for high school youth at risk for school dropout or Juvenile Court involvement. Conservation and construction projects taught job skills, financial management, and work ethics and increased school grades.

Person’s completing the Report: Ben Silliman, SAC Co-Chair/Editor; Bettina Odom (RYFC Co-Chair, Bertie); Alysia Bailey (Currituck), Juanita Bailey (Perquimans), Danielle Barco (Camden), Sherry Bedsole (Currituck), Mary Bowles (Richmond), Jennifer Brewer (Person), Cathy Brown (Hoke), Travis Burke (Pasquotank), Greg Clemmons (Onslow), Shea Anne Dejarnette (Robeson), Stan Dixon (Greene), Jazmin Dozier (Gates), Myrna Duncan (Gates), Linda Gore (Moore), Louise Hinsley (Beaufort), Julie Jones (Davidson), Michael Kelleher (Ashe), Peggy Kernodle (Durham), Birdget Kirk (Duplin), Walker Massey (Ashe), Donna Mull (Catawba), Edward Murphy (Gates), Angela Reninger (Bladen), Brian Riddick (Gates), Shevon Riddick (Gates), Suzanne Rinehart (Alexander), Natalie Rountree (Hertford), George Santucci (Ashe), Jeanette Schuzler (Caldwell), Fran Senters (Lincoln), Crystal Smith (Franklin), Deborah Smith (Ashe), Joyce Watts (Yancey), DeLeon Wilks (Sampson), Katherine Williams (Wake)

Y6: Engaging families vulnerable to stress and crisis to help youth acquire resiliency skills to cope with hardships

Program Description:
The increasing pace of life, economic instability, and social isolation from family and friendship networks challenges North Carolina youth, families, and communities. Limited resources and risky behaviors increase challenges. Programs targeted to building family resiliency and preventing risk behavior foster positive developmental outcomes for youth. Although only a few counties engage in family resiliency work, such programs are critical. From a practical point-of-view, families spend more time and have more direct influence, even on teenagers, than any source except peers. Families provide an important buffer against stressors and monitor behavior standards and social support of young people. Many youth-at-risk programs require parent participation, recognizing that strengthening the child’s home base increases his or her chances for risk avoidance and asset building.

Measures of Progress:
·        Sixty-nine families participated in self-help programs statewide; with 37 increasing their practice of effective communication skills and 38 reported increased use of family coping and nurturing practices.

Impact Indicators:
·        Family resiliency programs reduced conflicts through improved communication skills for 36 families. Thirty-six families adopted more effective coping and nurturing practices and 64 sustained family involvement with youth.

Volunteer Involvement:
·        Thirty volunteers were involved in programs for families-at-risk, contributing 40 hours of effort, making contact with 10 families. Volunteer time valued at $ 17.19 per hour was $688. The estimated program cost for three programs reported was $1,500, while the value to society was estimated at $ 50,000.

Success Stories:
·        Robeson County 4-H through the YO! (Youth Opportunity) Program, has set up 5 teen parent clubs. The clubs are designed to give teen parents (both mothers and fathers) a safe place to go to discuss concerns and issues related to their unique situation and also give them a support system to help them discover why they made the decisions they made to get them to where they are and arm them with the tools to turn their lives around. Thanks to these teen parent clubs, many of these parents have been able to go back to school, break violent patterns in relationships, and even change their behavior patterns so they do not become pregnant again. Some of these parents are also becoming involved in 4-H learning the life skills they need as well as the programming that will be available for their children in the near future.

·        The Wake County Partnership for Educational Success (PES) is a partnership between the Wake County Public School System and Wake County Human Services that seeks to promote partnerships among families, systems, and communities. New and innovative approaches include family centered services for children (0-5) and for students in participating schools. Administrators from both systems work to identify and eliminate system barriers to family and community involvement needs.  In FY03, there were 23 participating schools in the Southern Region and 2 schools in the East Wake Region. The Director of WC4-HYD serves as a Project Leader and Site Buddy. In addition, 4-H staffs are serving as Lead Facilitators, Task Force Committee members, and PES Training Team Members. During FY03, six staff served as family advocates on school-based teams. That number has risen to 11 staff serving in each of the middle schools and two high schools where PES is being implemented during FY04.

Impact Bullets:
·        Afterschool programs provide critical family support. Positive youth development activities in afterschool hours provide a safe, low-risk environment that can also provide support and educationally challenging activities. Thus programs cited under Resilient Youth, Families, and Communities, Objective 5, help lower stress for working parents and provide all families with learning resources.
·        Migrant education programs engage family members as a critical component of supporting youth. Programs cited in Objective 5 serve youth directly and through strengthening families.
·        Teen Court programs also require parent involvement as a way to increase support to and accountability of parents and strengthen parents’ support and monitoring of youth behavior. Teen Court programs cited in Objective 5 can also be viewed as important family resiliency efforts, consistent with the 4-H philosophy of engaging families to support and share with youth members.

Person’s completing the Report: Ben Silliman, SAC Co-Chair/Editor; Bettina Odom (RYFC Co-Chair, Bertie); Alysia Bailey (Currituck), Juanita Bailey (Perquimans), Danielle Barco (Camden), Sherry Bedsole (Currituck), Mary Bowles (Richmond), Jennifer Brewer (Person), Cathy Brown (Hoke), Travis Burke (Pasquotank), Greg Clemmons (Onslow), Shea Anne Dejarnette (Robeson), Stan Dixon (Greene), Jazmin Dozier (Gates), Myrna Duncan (Gates), Linda Gore (Moore), Louise Hinsley (Beaufort), Julie Jones (Davidson), Michael Kelleher (Ashe), Peggy Kernodle (Durham), Birdget Kirk (Duplin), Walker Massey (Ashe), Donna Mull (Catawba), Edward Murphy (Gates), Angela Reninger (Bladen), Brian Riddick (Gates), Shevon Riddick (Gates), Suzanne Rinehart (Alexander), Natalie Rountree (Hertford), George Santucci (Ashe), Jeanette Schuzler (Caldwell), Fran Senters (Lincoln), Crystal Smith (Franklin), Deborah Smith (Ashe), Joyce Watts (Yancey), DeLeon Wilks (Sampson), Katherine Williams (Wake)

Y7: Youth and adults in communities will be strengthen capacities in understanding community needs, policy development, resource development, and collaboration through technical assistance.

Program Description:
The increasing pace of life, economic instability, and social isolation from family and friendship networks challenges North Carolina youth, families, and communities. Limited resources and risky behaviors increase challenges. Programs targeted to youth assets and family resiliency must be grounded on citizen commitment to building positive neighborhoods, schools, work and play spaces, social services as well as volunteer commitments.  Thus building community awareness, partnerships, and cooperative solutions for youth and families is critical to positive youth development. Although only a few counties engage in community resiliency work, such efforts illustrate that there is more to youth programming than offering youth activities. From a practical point-of-view, the physical, moral, social, intellectual, and economic climates in which youth and families spend time powerfully influence their well-being and future prospects. Community development requires tireless long-term efforts but provides the best foundation for sustained youth and family resiliency.

Measures of Progress:
·        The number of persons reporting or demonstrating increased knowledge in the policy development process statewide was 130. The number demonstrating increased knowledge of issues related to economically challenged youth  was 112. Four key decision makers increased knowledge of issues pertaining to migrant or non-English speaking populations in targeted communities while 34 key decision makers increased knowledge of issues related to economically challenged youth. Two new collaborations were established and 12 collaborations maintained in communities at risk.

Impact Indicators:
·        Estimated dollars saved, contributed or invested by collaborating partners through collaborative and networking was $15,000. The number of programs sustained for 6 months past funding was 1; for 2 years or more past funding was 1.

Volunteer Involvement:
·        Volunteer involvement in community at-risk programs was 100. Total volunteer hours contributed to communities at risk was 1000, with a dollar value at $ 17.19 per hour of $17,190.

Success Stories:
·        Wake County 4-H Project ASSIST (The Americans Stop Smoking Intervention Study) is a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Wake County Human Services, Wake County NC Cooperative Extension/4-H Youth Development and members from 37 community and faith based organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Department of Public Instruction, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Coalition, Building Together Ministries, and Wake Teen. Project ASSIST partners work together to develop and implement countywide strategies for preventing initiation and promoting quitting among youth and adults, eliminating exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and eliminating disparities by improving the health related norms of populations more adversely affected by tobacco use.

Impact Bullets:
·        Wake County 4-H Youth Development has collaborated with Wake Forest/Rolesville High School (1800 students enrolled) to provide the Athletes TRY program with funding from the Wake County ABC Board. Science based curricula and peer-teaching projects are used to help athletes develop life and healthy decision making skills.
·        4-H Youth Development is participating in a multidisciplinary team with members from Parks, Recreation and Open Space, General Services, the Wake County Soil & Water Conservation District, and North Carolina State University to design a Youth Conservation Corp (YCC). This group is uniquely designed to align, address, and achieve desired environmental and youth development outcomes through this highly integrated program.
·        Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils, which fund many of the programs reported under Objective 5, are among the most important collaborative in each county. A majority of 4-H county staff participates as members or chairs of these boards, providing a positive youth development focus to community risk prevention and asset building.
·        Migrant Education programs, reported under Objective 5, emphasize engagement of new youth and families into the fabric of their communities. Community awareness, shared service and cultural activities, and volunteer activities all help to integrate migrant youth and families, strengthening resiliency at all levels.
·        Mentoring programs such as Governor’s One on One, reported under Objective 5, require extensive volunteer bases, thus involve ongoing public education, recruitment, and support by collaborating community organizations. Successful programs are often the product of years of coalition building, planning, and program refinement.

Person’s completing the Report: Ben Silliman, SAC Co-Chair/Editor; Bettina Odom (RYFC Co-Chair, Bertie); Alysia Bailey (Currituck), Juanita Bailey (Perquimans), Danielle Barco (Camden), Sherry Bedsole (Currituck), Mary Bowles (Richmond), Jennifer Brewer (Person), Cathy Brown (Hoke), Travis Burke (Pasquotank), Greg Clemmons (Onslow), Shea Anne Dejarnette (Robeson), Stan Dixon (Greene), Jazmin Dozier (Gates), Myrna Duncan (Gates), Linda Gore (Moore), Louise Hinsley (Beaufort), Julie Jones (Davidson), Michael Kelleher (Ashe), Peggy Kernodle (Durham), Birdget Kirk (Duplin), Walker Massey (Ashe), Donna Mull (Catawba), Edward Murphy (Gates), Angela Reninger (Bladen), Brian Riddick (Gates), Shevon Riddick (Gates), Suzanne Rinehart (Alexander), Natalie Rountree (Hertford), George Santucci (Ashe), Jeanette Schuzler (Caldwell), Fran Senters (Lincoln), Crystal Smith (Franklin), Deborah Smith (Ashe), Joyce Watts (Yancey), DeLeon Wilks (Sampson), Katherine Williams (Wake)

Y8: To increase the quality of after school programs by helping to provide safe, nurturing and appropriate environments for children, through Cooperative Extension work.

Program Description:
Available and quality after school programs provide safe, supportive, and stimulating environments for youth and help working parents balance work and family. North Carolina 4-H continues to be a leader in after school training and programming at the community, state, and national level. NC 4-H staff served as leaders and facilitators in the first NC Center for After school Programs conference in Greensboro.  NC 4-H was among the leading states in disseminating the 4-H After school Model and was selected as training leader for the Model to states in the Southern Region. Basic School-age Care, developed by 4-H to orient providers, continues to be the most widely utilized training in the state. 4-H curricula are among the most popular enrichment resources for after school sites.

Demand for after school training and program leadership continues to grow. Federal grants for 21st Century Community Learning Centers represent the largest and most rigorous funding source for after school, and several county 4-H programs are primary partners with local schools on proposals funded in 2004. The Department of 4-H Youth Development marked a decade of training and technical assistance to Support Our Students (SOS), the state’s largest after school network, serving over 20,000 youth. 4-H-led SOS community programs continue to be among the leaders in quality environments and student academic and behavioral outcomes.

Measures of Progress:
·        County 4-H staff trained 1300 after school providers, assisting 381 sites with state licensure, starting 66 new 4-H clubs and sustained 91 existing clubs. Programs supported by Extension served 12,616 youth, and generated $311,518 while sustaining $27,805 in funding. After school programs involved 12,616 Youth and 1,075 Adults.

Impact Indicators:
·        4-H professionals increased involvement of parents (879), business leaders (159), and volunteers (226).
·        Over 500 providers trained by 4-H reported increased knowledge and skills in each of the six elements of after school quality: Administration (491), Human Relations (658), Indoor Environment (675), Outdoor Environment (668), Activities (688), and Health, Safety, Nutrition (621). In sites that were evaluated, over 5000 youth demonstrated greater self-confidence (5750), interpersonal skills (6250), community service (5293), homework completion (5111), and academic performance (3384).

Volunteer Involvement:
·        After school quality programs engaged 1114 volunteers who contributed 13,757 hours of service and had 1991 client contacts, with a dollar value of (at $ 17.19 per hour) of $243,667.

Success Stories
·        21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grants represent the “gold standard” for after school funding and evaluation. Local schools seek reliable, innovative, expert partners to craft competitive proposals and implement effective programs.  In 2004, 4-H served as a primary partner in six funded proposals. Ashe County expanded its already extensive after school programming to students in grades K-12 through a 4-year, $1.5M grant.  Robeson County 4-H partnered with the school district to obtain a three-year $1,000,000 grant for 3 after school programs serving limited resource youth and families. Teachers trained in 4-H curriculum and experiential learning began to see improvements in student grades, behavior, and social skills from the program’s first week. Gaston County 4-H partnered with local schools offer 4-H enrichment projects to complement mathematics and reading enhancement to 50 students at Southwest and York Chester Middle schools. Wayne County is managing partner for a $1.3 million 4 year project in which students at Dillard, Goldsboro, and Brogden Middle schools will gain mentoring, life skills, tutoring assistance, and share in Saturday Academy Summer Institute special interest programs. Wake County provided innovative leadership to a coalition of school, faith-based, and community groups that received a 21st Century grant. Greene County 4-H is a primary partner on a $1.2 million 3-year extension of SOS programs at Snow Hill Primary, West Greene Elementary, and Greene County Middle schools. Youth gain skills in nutrition, 4-H projects and presentations, and participate in mentoring, community service, and summer camps.

·        Iredell County Prime Time and the SHAKE program after school care sites, as well as private after school care sites have increased knowledge and skills through 4-H programs in such areas as nutrition, food safety, science, citizenship, and conflict resolution. As a result of these programs, 941 youth have received increased quality in their after school care experience. Site directors include 4-H programming to achieve and increase their star ratings for licensure, thus helping to provide safe, nurturing, and appropriate environments for their children.

Impact Bullets:
·        Basic School Age Care, developed by NC 4-H to introduce after school providers to quality standards for administration, human relations, indoor and outdoor environments, activities, and safety/health/nutrition. Mecklenburg County reached 60 providers, Montgomery and Stanly counties reached 31 providers, Wayne County served 42 providers, Alexander County reached 26 after school staff, Davidson County trained 15, and Graham County helped 6 and Transylvania County trained 16 Summer program staff.
·        The 4-H After school Model, previewing 4-H curricula, child guidance, and ways to form 4-H clubs in after school settings was taught to 650 providers by county 4-H staff and to another 1,800 by state School-age Care program staff. Sixty-five new clubs were begun in after school settings. Over 90% of participants rated the training as good or excellent and identified increases in knowledge on quality programming
·        Specialized 4-H project clubs are gaining popularity in after school settings. Ashe County youth requested and lead clubs for Cooking, Auto, Detectives and Investigators. Surry and Franklin counties sponsor forestry-related clubs, teaching everything from scientific observation to recognizing wood-based products.  Catawba County features gardening and foods and nutrition clubs, and Rowan after school youth are building a nature trail. Engaging youth at their focus of interest heightens participation and leadership. Youth in specialized clubs consistently report increases in self-confidence and interpersonal skills.
·        4-H managed Support Our Students programs produce exemplary programming and performance evaluations for academic and life skills. Mitchell County’s 3 sites involve156 students in homework help as well as enrichment activities such as business management, Native American heritage, health and physical activity, and a musical drama presented at the annual 4-H Fashion and Talent Show. Wayne County 4-H SOS serves 167 middle school youth with life skills and academic assistance. Last year 39% of students increased math grades by half a grade or more and 26% increased English grades by half a grade or more over the previous year.
·        Extension managed programs to help meet a year-round need by sponsoring centers for youth. Ashe County offers quality programming through SOS, Migrant Education, Blue Ridge Conservation Corps, and two school-based programs. Wilkes County consistently shows growth in academic and life skills in 8 programs it operates. Gates County operates three elementary school-based sites engaging 75 children in 4-H projects, health and nutrition, and academic support.
·        Extension-supported providers manage programs but receive training and curriculum resources from 4-H. After school staff express strong demand for and demonstrate high satisfaction with 4-H training, especially with 4-H staff willingness to adapt topics to their needs. Not surprisingly, over 75% of participants increase knowledge during training. Counties practicing the support model include Catawba (75 providers), Randolph (63 providers), Franklin (35 providers), Northampton (18 providers) Hoke (5 providers).  In addition, several counties also offer programs directly to youth, including nutrition, handling peer pressure, personal and leadership development (Duplin, 731 youth), character education (Northampton, 450 youth), embryology (Orange). Youth in these programs consistently report increased confidence, interpersonal skills, health and safety.
·        Extension outreach to family childcare providers is especially critical in rural areas. Nash County assisted three homes to increase capacity by 8 children, then provided six staff with 30 hours of training on age-appropriate curriculum and teaching techniques.

Person’s Completing the Report: Ben Silliman, SAC Co-Chair/Editor; Julie Landry (SAC Co-Chair, Ashe); Linda Blackburn (Ashe), Kay Bridges (Iredell), Cathy Brown (Hoke), Mille Bruton (Montgomery), Linda Buchanan (Graham), Morgan Crouse (Rockingham), Shea Anne Dejarnette (Robeson), Stan Dixon (Greene), Sarah Featherstone (Rowan), Robbie Furr (Mecklenburg), Lori Ivey (Stanly), Kelly James (Davidson), Bridget Kirk (Duplin), Caroline Johnson (Surry), Julie Leonard (Davidson), Peggie Lewis (Guilford), Jennifer Miller (Ashe), Donna Mull (Catawba), Angela Reninger (Bladen), Shevon Riddick (Gates), Suzanne Rinehart (Alexander), Howard Scott (Wayne), Misti Silver (Mitchell), Barbara Swanson (Randolph), Kathleen Thorpe (Transylvania), Zach Uphold (Gaston), Joyce Watts (Yancey), Judy West (Wilkes), Katherine Williams (Wake)

Objective Y-9: To increase availability of quality school age care as a result of collaboration and/or increased resource development, through Cooperative Extension work

Program Description:
Available and quality after school programs provide safe, supportive, and stimulating environments for youth and help working parents balance work and family. North Carolina 4-H state and county staff provide leadership to state and national organizations promoting affordable, quality after school care. State and county 4-H programs contributed to a dramatic increase in after school capacity in the past decade.  However, increasing demands by all families and declining subsidies for limited resource families mean that quality after school care is unavailable to many North Carolina youth. This fact was dramatically illustrated when the state Division of Child Development identified unmet needs for summer care for some 75,000 youth. Through a grant from the Division, NC 4-H School-age Care program staff at NCSU funded 9 programs in 8 counties to provide 433 youth with quality youth development experiences while their limited resource parents were at work.
NC 4-H state and county staff continue to work with schools, churches, community-based organizations, parent groups and business groups to meet school-age care needs in ways that foster positive youth development. Declining resources and increasing demands for performance outcomes increased the difficulty of this task. Nevertheless, 4-H staffs have been equal to the task, and funding for Extension-managed as well as Extension-supported programs continues to increase. This trend is due, in large part, to the skills of 4-H state and county staff in building collaborations, then writing high-quality grant proposals, then providing training, and learning resources to implement programs once they are funded.

Measures of Progress:
·        4-H county programs reported $377,880 in new funding and $354,655 in sustained funding for after school programs. Forty new collaborative projects and 54 school-age care centers were established in 2004.

Impact Indicators:
·        NC 4-H implemented 30 new programs in 2004, representing 1060 additional after school spaces. Ninety-five new collaborations serving children and families were formed while 207 existing collaborations were sustained.

Volunteer Involvement:
·        School-age care availability efforts engaged 729 volunteers, who contributed 4,194 hours, made 614 contacts with interested partners. Volunteer contributions at the rate of $17.19 per hour represent a resource of $72,470 in value to communities across North Carolina.

Success Stories
·        Because of the continued pressure on school age youth to perform at a level that is required by standardized state test in order to succeed in school and because of the growing number of parents who are unable to provide homework and or tutoring assistance to help their children build the skills and increase their capacity to succeed, more intense and targeted work is needed in after school hours with these children. As a result of this expressed needs by parents and the schools, a grant was written targeting children who were at academic risk of failure. As a result of the collaborative process and need, a grant in the amount of $42,200 was awarded to the Ashe Center’s 4-H After School Program to design and implement an after school TRAC for low performing students in the Ashe School System.

·        The 4-H school-age care program continues to be an enhancement to the total middle school and elementary school districts, with a 4-H presence in every school site. Multiple subject matter enrichment kits are provided to after-school, and in-home daycares as well as the offering of the embryology program in addition to our continued weekly direct and indirect 4-H curriculum use in the program sites. The summer sizzle middle school day camp is a collaborative, self-sustaining successful effort between the two school districts and 4-H, with 4-H taking the lead in planning and implementation.

Impact Bullets:
·        Ashe County built upon a strong collaborative including local schools, Partnership for Children, Child Care Resource and Referral, Department of Social Services, Ashe County Parks and Recreation, GEAR UP from Appalachian State University to gain funding for a 21st Century Community Learning Center project that will open new opportunities to work with schools and the Arts Council.
·        Ashe County school-age programs engaged Wilkes Community College and Appalachian State University to provide mentors for 5th Dimension; A Safe Home For Everyone (ASHE) organization, presented “Hands Are Not For Hitting”, and SERVE Educational Lab provided new materials on quality after school programs. 4-H Summer Parks was able to expand numbers with a $45,000 grant. The Ashe County 4-H SAC program’s 19 years of service and success would not be possible without the continuing support of partners and collaborators.
·        Collaboration with schools presents expanding opportunities as many districts increase after school programming to increase academic performance.  Six 4-H programs are major partners on new 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants.  Wake County refreshed a nine-year collaborative relationship with public schools supporting the Support Our Students program with a new agreement that sustains support for school use and expands support for increasing transportation costs.
·        Nash County 4-H collaboration Resource and Referral funded four training workshops for 65 after school providers. Networking during these workshops expanded 4-H collaboration with 13 new programs.
·        Collaboration with after school providers is building availability since quality programs are more likely to be sustained. Gates, Onslow, and Bladen counties training and technical assistance with the star licensing process are helping agencies and private centers build ongoing, high-quality programs.
·        Collaboration with parents is the beginning and end of sustaining quality programs. Wayne County 4-H implemented eight after school programs for 215 youth in kindergarten through fifth grade, providing quality, accessible programming where youth are safe and well supervised by trained, qualified staff. Programs consist of a nutritious snack, recreation, study time to have assistance in homework, and a 4-H activity. Parent surveys show that over 90 percent of the parents are pleased with the 4-H program and that 100 percent feel their child is safe during their after school time.

Person’s Completing the Report: Ben Silliman, SAC Co-Chair/Editor; Julie Landry (SAC Co-Chair, Ashe); Linda Blackburn (Ashe), Greg Clemmons (Onslow), Iris Fuller (Orange), Sandy Hall (Nash), Jennifer Miller (Ashe), Donna Mull (Catawba), Angela Reninger (Bladen), Shevon Riddick (Gates), Howard Scott (Wayne), Crystal Smith (Franklin), Judy West (Wilkes),Katherine Williams (Wake)

Y10: School based youth educators and administrators will be actively engaged in the design, delivery, and revisions of programs, which enrich school-based curriculum design and delivery resulting in improved academic performance

Program Description:
School based curriculum delivery focuses on the training of teachers who then serve as volunteers in the delivery of the curricula to the students. In order to be an acceptable school-based program there must be 6 hours of subject matter delivered by a teacher during school hours. Through school enrichment, a delivery mode used in the 4-H Youth Development Program, 78,411 youth received a minimum of 6 hours of instruction. 4-H agents trained 2,747 teachers in experiential learning processes. Each of the subject matter curricula that are used in this effort is correlated with the Standard Course of Study adopted by the Department of Public Instruction.

Measures of Progress:
·        Number of teachers trained in subject matter – 1,392
·        Number trained in experiential learning – 986
·        Number demonstrating an increase in positive knowledge of subject matter – 29,216

Impact Indicators:
·        10,898 students, 13.9% of those participating, demonstrating an increase in academic performance (grades)
·        9,339 students, 11.9% of those participating, demonstrating increased homework completion
·        10,806 students, 13.8% of those participating, demonstrating increased amounts of quality classroom work
·        14,225 students, 18.1% of those participating, demonstrating Increased quality interaction in class
·        2,440 teachers, 88.8% of those participating, used the Experiential Model to deliver school enrichment programming

Volunteer Involvement:
·        1,749 volunteers contributed 26,067 hours valued at $17.19/hr or a total of $448,091. This represents a $10 contribution of labor for every dollar spent on the program. Success Stories:
·        LifeSkills, a nationally recognized and tested substance abuse program is being taught in 5th/6th grade classes in cooperation with Catawba County schools. Students participate in 45-minute weekly lessons for 9 weeks. Youth learn about the dangers of tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol and develop skills to help youth resist substance use. Student evaluations indicated 86% of the students reported that they learned a lot or some new information as a result of the program. 65% of the students indicated that they would definitely use or have used information learned as a result of the program and 21% said they would probably use information they learned. Cooperative Extension receives funding totaling $13,000 from Catawba County schools to support program implementation. This is the third school year the program has been taught in school classes.
·        726 youth participated in the chick embryology program from January - June 2004. 31 Teachers were trained in embryology and experiential learning. Following the course, 67 percent returned evaluations with the following student results: 21 percent increased the quality of classroom work, 13 percent improved their quality interaction in class and 32 percent demonstrated an increase in positive knowledge of subject matter. According to one teacher,” this is an excellent program to promote responsibility, leadership and ownership. My students were very engaged in the whole project.” Other comments reported on the evaluations included: “awesome project”, “it was a wonderful experience for my 4th grade students! They learned so much”, “wonderful”
·        With limited emphasis on science in the school system, Richmond County fifth graders need opportunities for hands-on learning experiences to enhance and support the science curriculum. North Carolina Cooperative Extension and Richmond County 4-H collaborated with Richmond County schools to provide the 4-H Science Adventures school enrichment program for 699 students at Millstone 4-H Camp on September 29, 30 and November 2. Twenty resource teachers were recruited to teach a rotation of 6 educational classes for 3 days. The teachers responding to a survey reported the following impacts after the 4-H Science Adventures program: 99 improved interest in class work, 127 improved completion of homework, 130 improved interaction during class, 108 improved science knowledge and 77 improved their science grade. Life skills learned included: wise use of resources, problem solving, personal safety, healthy lifestyle choices, self-discipline, self-responsibility and responsible citizenship. Impact Bullets:
·        In Cumberland County 92% of those participating increased their academic performance
·        65% of the students participating in Catawba county indicated that they would definitely use or have used information learned as a result of the Life skills program
·        Eighty-two of 126 teachers in Alexander County responded that they used the experiential model in their delivery of the 4-H curriculum.
·        Teacher evaluations showed that 85 of 115 students improved science grades by one letter grade in Hertford County

Person’s completing report: Ed Maxa; Robbie Furr, Rowan; Danelle Barco, Camden; Suzanne Rhinehart, Alexander; Iris Fuller, Orange; Janine Rywak, Anson; April Bowman, Stokes; Jackie Helton, Forsyth; Danny Butler, Martin; Tracy Carter, Davie; Tammy Elliott, Lenoir; Lesa Walton, Edgecombe; Rebecca Liverman, Washington

Y11:  Provide youth experiential educational opportunities in cooperative, nurturing, residential camping environments that stimulate the development of life skills, while focusing on the mental, physical and social growth of the individual.

Program Description:
Objective Y11 encourages youth in North Carolina to take advantage of a week, or more, at one of five residential 4-H Camps operated by the Department of 4-H Youth Development at NC State University.  Field Faculty (4-H Agents and Program Assistants) are encouraged to recognize the value of the camping experience as a “best practice” and incorporate camp as one of their delivery modes.  The objective encourages 4-H professionals to utilize their volunteer leaders, parents of 4-H’ers and 4-H clubs as the core of their recruiting efforts. 
Y11 also encourages the participation in the variety of “specialty camps” offered by the 4-H Centers as well as traditional, county-led camping groups.

Measures of Progress:
·        4-H camper numbers increased by 513 including 242 from limited resource families.
·        Non-4-H camper numbers increased by 604 including 201 from limited resource families.
·        1,220 youth increased their knowledge of the value of camping including 390 from limited resource families.
·        922 parents increased their knowledge of the value of camping including 238 from limited resource families.
·        82 volunteers increased their knowledge of the value of camping including 14 from limited resource families.
·        202 youth sustained their experience by attending a 4-H specialty camp of which 40 were from limited resource families.
·        146 youth attended a 4-H specialty camp for the first time including 48 from limited resource families.

Impact Indicators:
·        2,196 camping participants demonstrated improved self-confidence including 346 from limited resource families.
·        1,045 camping participants demonstrated improved overall behavior including 381 from limited resource families.
·        982 camping participants demonstrated improved social skills including 328 from limited resource families.
·        676 camping participants demonstrated improved lifetime sports skills including 218 from limited resource families.
·        1,064 camping participants demonstrated improved knowledge of a healthy, safe and sustainable natural environment including 288 from limited resource families.

Volunteers Involved:
·        123 youth and adult volunteers have contributed 2,367 volunteer hours worth an estimated $ 40,688 towards enriching the lives of youth thorough 4-H camping experiences.
·        The value of these camping experiences has an estimated value of $108,712 to the target audience and $205,008 to society.  Estimated program costs were $66,141.

Success Stories:
·        The average family income in Robeson County is just over $26,000, making it difficult for parents to afford quality summer care for their children. In March I set a booth up at the local mall for 4 hours. In that time I marketed all the Robeson County 4-H summer programs as well as our year round opportunities. Of the more than 200 people who came by my booth 20% signed up to receive more information on our programs. 50% of those people wanted more information specifically on our week long residential camping opportunity at Betsy Jeff Penn. Thanks to United Way funds the camping experience will only cost $250 per youth. An opportunity that these parents feel is worth saving pennies so that their child can have an incredible learning experience.

·        Secretary of State Colin Powell took time from his busy schedule to meet with Forsyth County 4-Hers and members of the Boys & Girls Club who attended 4-H Camp Challenge at Sertoma 4-H Center. Camp Challenge offers financial literacy lessons and camp activities to high academic achievers from low-income households. Colin Powell shared how hard work and a good education is important for youth to succeed. His words were well received by the 4-Hers. “It goes to show that hard work is something that you've got to be willing to do your whole life”, Devonte stated. “I especially like the part when he said to never believe people who put you down for making good grades. They say getting good grades is showing off, but getting those good grades gave me an opportunity to go to camp and do a lot of fun things I might not have other wise.”

·        In an effort to work and collaborate with other county agents, a week-end camping trip was planned with Robeson, Scotland, Hoke, and Moore Counties. Sixty-Eight campers, four 4-H Agents, 8 volunteers, and 1 specialist attended a two-day camp at Millstone 4-H Camp June 18-19. Youth were involved in canoeing, swimming, land sports, crafts, and electric projects, campfires and storytelling. This was a great camp experience for first time campers that introduced them to the 4-H camping program and.

Impact Bullets:
·        1,220 youth increased their knowledge of the value of camping including 390 from limited resource families.
·        922 parents increased their knowledge of the value of camping including 238 from limited resource families.
·        2,196 camping participants demonstrated improved self-confidence including 346 from limited resource families.
·        1,045 camping participants demonstrated improved overall behavior including 381 from limited resource families.
·        982 camping participants demonstrated improved social skills including 328 from limited resource families.

Person Preparing Report: Larry B. Hancock, Mitzi Stumpf-Downing

Y12: Youth and adult volunteerism will strengthen a community’s capacity for positive youth development.

Program Description:
Objective Y-12 encourages NC youth and adults to pursue volunteerism as both a means to an end, and as an end in itself by focusing upon the gifts and assets that each individual volunteer has to contribute towards the CES and 4-H visions. County 4-H programs emphasize various “streams” of volunteerism for both youth and adults, including 4-H club leaders, special emphasis volunteers, school enrichment volunteers, day and resident camp volunteers, after school volunteers, master volunteers, and advisory leaders. A target focus is for teen 4-H members to volunteer as teachers of younger youth, while coached by adult volunteers, in the new NC 4-H Teens Reaching Youth through Innovative Teams (TRY-IT) program. The objective builds upon volunteerism research and best practices that contribute to meaningful and safe educational experiences for youth, volunteers, and paid staff.

Measures of Progress:
·        3,143 current 4-H youth volunteers (including 905 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated new knowledge gained regarding volunteerism
·        4,762 current 4-H adult volunteers (including 895 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated new knowledge gained regarding volunteerism
·        1,797 current 4-H youth volunteers (including 495 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated positive attitude changes regarding volunteerism
·        3,978 current 4-H adult volunteers (including 895 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated positive attitude changes regarding volunteerism
·        865 new 4-H youth volunteers (including 337 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated new knowledge gained regarding volunteerism
·        1,560 new 4-H adult volunteers (including 454 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated new knowledge gained regarding volunteerism
·        882 new 4-H youth volunteers (including 328 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated positive attitude changes regarding volunteerism
·        1,671 new 4-H adult volunteers (including 519 from limited resource backgrounds) indicated positive attitude changes regarding volunteerism

Impact Indicators:
·        534 4-H youth volunteers (including 105 from limited resource backgrounds) served in expanded and/or additional volunteer roles in 4-H
·        679 4-H adult volunteers (including 97 from limited resource backgrounds) served in expanded and/or additional volunteer roles
·        867 4-H youth volunteers (including 224 from limited resource backgrounds) served in expanded and/or additional volunteer roles in their communities
·        645 adult volunteers (including 204 from limited resource backgrounds) served in expanded and/or additional volunteer roles in their communities

Volunteers Involved:
·        5,716 youth and adult volunteers contributed 63,618 hours working with 10,840 Extension clients, with their time valued at more than $1,093,593

Success Stories:
·        Identifying opportunities