Progress 05/01/04 to 04/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Accomplishments for the final year of "Kansas Teen Leadership for Physically Active Lifestyles" included completion of the third school-year of CATCH programming in afterschool sites and programming changes in Morris County. Specifically, Morris county CYFAR/NCP "Power Up Club" transitioned to the USD 417 in Council Grove due to staff changes at the Morris county Extension office. The transition to the school district has been positive and the afterschool program continued to grow under the direction of Amy Mayhill. The Power Up teens were instrumental in the expansion due to their on-going improvements to the physical activity component and their community health promotion campaigns (e.g., CATCH a Break) in the community. Ellsworth continued to welcome more children to the CAI (Cats in Action) afterschool program while experiencing staffing changes at the Ellsworth county Extension office. Under the direction of Brent Goss, CIA continued to thrive and new partnerships were established at the school district, recreation office and businesses. For the second year, Meade county focused its efforts in the Plains and Kismet communities and the result has been tremendous growth in reaching families through Family Festivals planned and implemented with the Meade county youth CATCH team. A total of 32 teen leaders across the three communities continued to lead physical activity programs during the school year, and to organize community awareness and involvement campaigns during the summer. Two teen leaders who started with the local programs four years ago graduated from high school and from the program. Since the beginning of the CYFAR/NCP teen leadership for physical activity program, four of the former teen leaders have become students at Kansas State University, or other Kansas post-secondary colleges and have attributed their confidence to their involvement as teen leaders of their local programs. All local programs continued to have waiting lists of teens who expressed interest in being part of the project when positions would open. Amazing growth was evident in all programs with 702 children (K-6) served by the cadre of teens and their adult mentors. Even with transition in all three sites (e.g., Ellsworth with new Extension leadership, Council Grove USD 417 taking over the local program administration and sponsorship and Meade continuing to recruit more and more partners and families participating. Former graduate student, Alisha Hardman conducted research with the CYFAR/NCP focused on assessing the impact of involvement in the program on the teen leaders. Aligned with the secondary outcome of the project, Hardman conducted extensive focus groups with the teens in order to determine how (or if) they have benefited form the leadership experience, and to determine the quality of their adult-youth partnerships. The study results are being featured at the 2009 CYFAR conference and an article is forthcoming. PARTICIPANTS: In addition to three subaward Extension sites, 18 collaborating organizations benefitted from the project. Those collaborations resulted in 1104 individuals being served in Ellsworth, Meade and Morris counties . From schools, businesses, local Parks and Recreation departments, Extension offices, and faith communities the communities developed, supported and are seeking way s to sustain the leadership project which focused the skills of your on obesity prevention. In 2009, 77 youth and adults participated in the annual HealthFest (April 17-18) which included training in CATCAH as well as National 4-H Health Rocks. Other professional development trainings were offered at the same time of regularly offered FCS agent training. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audience of 32 teen leaders staffed the program that directly served 702 school age youth in physical activity programs in afterschool and in community settings. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The primary outcome of "Kansas Teen Leadership for Physically Active Lifestyles" is to motivate teens to be more physically active by engaging them in leader roles that require them to model physically active lifestyles in their afterschool positions in rural Morris, Ellsworth and Meade counties. By teaching teens physical activity programs, having them lead activity for younger children and supporting their implementation of community activity campaigns, we seek to increase the level of physical activity (primarily from sedentary to moderate) to the CDC-recommended 60 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Throughout the year, teen leaders led physically activity sessions using the CATCH Kids Club, SPARK and evidence-based curricula in afterschool settings. Along with activity programs for grade school students in afterschool, teen leaders implemented community campaigns and events that promoted physically activity across their community. BMI generally increased from pre to post measurement. The project does not use BMI as an outcome measure, but as a mediator of physical activity. If BMI is within recommended guidelines, then the level of physical activity is more likely to also be at within recommended levels. Intensity of physical activity across all sites as reported on Three-Day Physical Activity Recalls completed quarterly Self-reports of physical activity levels across all sites revealed increases in medium activity (i.e. increased breathing, moderate movement) level, decreases in hard levels (i.e., hard breathing, quick movement) of activity and increase in light physical activity (i.e. slow breathing, little or no movement). The self-reports of the teens are likely to be accurate within typical limitations of self-report surveys. These results may indicate that some seasonal effects coinciding with the school year may have influenced the teens' activity levels which were higher with sport tryouts at the beginning of the school year.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Fourth year outputs included completion of the second full school-year of CATCH programming in afterschool sites and expansion. Morris county expanded programming to Dwight and White City. Ellsworth consulted with Wilson on walking trail development and afterschool programming. Meade county expanded to Plains and Kismet. A total of 51 teen leaders continued to lead physical activity programs during the school year, and to organize community awareness and involvement campaigns during the summer. All local programs had waiting lists of teens who expressed interest in being part of the project when positions would open. The teens served 467 children (K-6) with all sites experiencing increases in child participants. Meade county experienced the greatest change with the addition of Plains and Kismet and a series of Family Fun events that were tailored Hispanic youth and their families. Teen led community awareness and activity campaigns continued to engage community members and
motivate physical activity. For example: In Morris county, teens blended physical activity promotion with the national Lights On for Afterschool celebration. Teens led PTOs in activity during monthly meetings. The Morris county "Take a Break" business physical activity breaks promoted by the teens expanded outreach to Council Grove, Dwight and White City. For the second year, Ellsworth county teens led the summer's Ft. Harker Days physical activity events and participated in other special community recreation events. The Ellsworth program helped support the expansion of volleyball, soccer and other non-competitive sports options for local schools. Meade county teen leaders conduct the "Barn Yard Olympics" at the county fair, organize the Change Team Hawaiian Luau and the Dalton Gang Run. Though outreach to Plains and Kismet does not include daily afterschool, bi-monthly family, school and community physical activity events resulted in more families coming to school-sponsored programs
and to recognition that physical activity is fun, easy and good for the whole family. A special highlight for the teen leaders was attendance at the 2007 CYFAR conference in Chicago and presentation of their workshop. Teen leaders also presented CATCH physical activity strategies to other teens from across the state at the Kansas Youth Leader Forum (KYLF) conference. The project's fourth annual Health Fest!, reaching 45 teens and adults, featuring Health Rocks! with Dr. Susan Holder of Mississippi State University and Bobbie Harris, Department of Physical Education, Wichita State University. Finally, the national 4-H Healthy Living Mission Mandate will serve as the "tent" for which the Kansas Teen Leadership for Physically Active Lifestyles project will be sustained. The success of Ellsworth, Morris and Meade programs is being shared at the 2008 CYFAR conference, through publications and local workshops.
PARTICIPANTS: 467 school-age children served (K-6 grades). 97 youth served; of which 51 were project "leaders" (7-12 grades). Total: 564
TARGET AUDIENCES: The New Communities Project of "Kansas Teen Leadership for Physically Active Lifestyles" addresses the rising rate of youth overweight and obesity in Kansas by engaging teens from Morris, Meade and Ellsworth counties in the process. Specifically, the project uses a multi-level (i.e., state, community and youth) approach to apply evidence-based physical activity promotion strategies to teen audiences. Those strategies include: Group social norm influence for increased physical activity among youth. Modeling physical activity for younger aged children (i.e., use of CATCH curriculum in afterschool). Teens self-monitoring of their physical activity and screen time (e.g., television, computer, video). Implementation of community physical activity promotional campaigns and activities. Teens monitor their own physical activity levels and television/screen time quarterly. State-level faculty also collect BMI and three-day physical activity recalls of the teens. State Team
members and NCP Core team personnel provide evaluation and technical assistance to the local intermediates and change teams with the ultimate outcome being increased levels of physical activity among teens and increased community support for the promotion of physical activity.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Community sites continue to expand their reach to other communities. Specifically, Morris county serves Council Grove, Dwight and White City. Meade county serves the Kismet and Plains communities. This expansion is indicative of the success that the projects are having and of the need to engage youth to increase physical activity across whole communities.
Impacts
The primary outcome is for teens to be more physically active by engaging them in leader roles that require them to model physically active lifestyles. Since the baseline, physical activity outcome continued to be measured by teen BMI (Body Mass Index): Pre (August, 2006) = 24.6%; post (May, 2007) = 26.5%. BMI is used not as an outcome measure, but is a mediator of physical activity. If BMI is within recommended guidelines, then the level of physical activity is more likely to be within recommended levels. High BMI may be indicative of greater (i.e., heavier) muscle mass of multi-sport students. The 3-Day Physical Activity Recall was completed quarterly: 2006 pre very light: 53.3%; 2007 post very light: 35.9%. 2006 pre light: 16.6%; 2007 post light: 33.4%. 2006 pre medium: 16.4%; 2007 post medium: 19.2%. 2006 pre hard: 10.4%; 2007 post hard: 6.5%. Self-reports revealed increases in medium activity (i.e. increased breathing, moderate movement) level, decreases in hard
levels (i.e., hard breathing, quick movement) of activity and increase in light physical activity (i.e. slow breathing, little or no movement). Results may indicate that seasonal effects coinciding with the school year may influence teen activity. A second outcome, promoting physical activity through community efforts coordinated by teens is measured through quarterly focus groups. Teens reported: making more of an effort to be active, feeling more confident (e.g., more patient, less timid, could lead group activities, manage discipline problems), noticing that siblings played outside more, their families were more active.
Publications
- Research to Practice Dilemmas: Extensions Intermediary Role in Rural Community Health Initiatives, National 21st Century Families Conference: From Research to Reality April 17-19, 2007 Little Rock, Arkansas
- Peer reviewed proposal accepted for USDA/CYFAR Conference research presentation Extensions Intermediary Role in Community Health Promotion (May, 2008; San Antonio, TX)
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