Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:The FVSU 4-H 1890 CBG Healthy Living project has reached over 3000 rural underserved and underrepresented youth and families in Worth, Peach, Toombs, Lowdes, Bibb and Twiggs Counties in Georgia annually. The targeted rural 4th through 12th grades youth who have benefited the most in the community are the project participant populations of: special needs audiences, housing authority youth and families, Boys and Girls Clubs of America youth and families. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The Fort Valley State University 4-H 1890 project activities seek to accomplish the following objectives: 1: To engage youth as Youth Ambassadors/Teens as Teachers to lead educational programs, program operations, and service activities. The 4-H grant project is specifically designed to teach underserved/at-risk/minority youth and families' quality healthy living education. This project: (1) Educated youth participants about making healthy lifestyle choices and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle; (2) Increased participants' physical fitness and knowledge of nutrition education, and (3) Trained 50 Middle and High School Youth Healthy Living Ambassadors to deliver childhood obesity prevention education to peers and families to create healthy communities in in Georgia. Fort Valley State University has reached over 3000 underserved youth. The Project work with Youth who are in grades 4th to 12th in rural Georgia. All community project sites will grow designate areas for gardens to continue to grow vegetables and fruits. Through youth-adult partnerships, project healthy living ambassadors will learn about the nutritional value of all produce grown and teach other youth what they have learned. The 4-H project mobilizes underserved youth to take action around nutritional deficiencies, healthy food choices, and physical activity. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The Fort Valley State University 4-H 1890 project Village Community Garden provides fresh produce in the desert in Sylvester, Georgia. Poverty stricken rural community of less than 6,200 population bridges arts and agriculture to create the largest art sculpture in the world that feeds people. Agriculture researchers and 4-H extension staff at Fort Valley State University combined aeroponics technology to grow soilless crops every 30 days, bee farm, banana farm and integrated black plastic research to grow traditional crops that feeds over 1,000 households annually at no cost to them. The project impacts Georgia's underserved/at-risk/minority youth and their families with quality healthy living education and experiential learning opportunities, improves dietary choices and increase physical fitness among youth and adults. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Fort Valley State University 4-H 1890 project utilized existing national 4-H curriculum activities from: 4-H STEPS to a Healthy Teen curriculum, focus on food skills, nutrition, and budgeting skills based upon USDA guidelines, and Purdue University Vegetable Garden Curriculums which reached over 3000 new youth through the FVSU 4-H 1890 CBG project. All project activities seek to engage youth as Youth Ambassadors/Teens as Teachers to lead educational programs, program operations, and service activities.
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/14 to 08/31/15
Outputs
Target Audience: Program/Event Program Location(s) Total Number of Youth Reached (including new youth) Total Number of New Youth Total Number of Youth Ambassadors (Teens as Teachers, Youth in Leadership Positions) Total Number of Adults Reached (including new adults reached) Total Number of Volunteers Engaged (Adults only) 1. 4-H STEM Health Rocks Summer Day Camp FVSU 200 150 7 9 3 2. FVSU Twiggs County weekly 4-H Club Meetings Elementary, Middle and High schools 900 270 12 25 7 3. FVSU Peach weekly County 4-H Club Meetings Georgia Boys and Girls Club 25 25 2 4 2 4. FVSU Sumter weekly County 4-H Club Meetings Georgia Boys and Girls Club 25 25 2 4 4 5. FVSU Toombs weekly County 4-H Club Meetings Georgia Residential Treatment Home 20 20 2 4 4 6. FVSU 4-H FFA AG Youth Health and Field Day FVSU 503 423 24 167 20 7. FVSU 4-H Twiggs County Healthy Night Out Event Twiggs County High School 702 270 12 111 30 Changes/Problems:The biggest challenge has become meeting the demand of reaching new underserved/underrepresentedyouth audiences while simultaneously disseminating new information to existing 4-H youth audiences. Future CBG RFAs' may consider incorporating set stipend costs for paying 4-H adult volunteer/mentors in an effort to continuously build capacity and sustainability within 1890 4-H programs. There is a tremendous need for this type of programming to be led byteens or college students in Georgia in an effort to continue to reach newunderserved audiences over the next three decades. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This grant reporting period afforded 48 new youth the opportunity to become trained as 4-H healthy living youth ambassadors to train other teens and their family members. Seven 4-H Healthy Living Ambassadors (Youth Teen Leaders) were afforded an opportunity to attend the NIFA/USDA National 4-H Conference as professional development training. Youth were also trained in digital citizenship. Teen leaders lead a variety of programs design to address youth head, hands, heart, and health. These programs included EFNEP, Junior Master Gardeners, Just Move, Health Rocks, and Community Service. The 4-H Healthy Living project had a significant impact on youth and their families in local communities. Gardening has sparked the interest of participants and their parents. 4-Hers are allowed to plant vegetable and fruits of their choice. In addition, these plants and pictures are shared with parents via social media. As a result, healthy competitions between the schools have begun in regards to who has the best garden. Also, parents look forward to seeing what kind of fruits and vegetable their child will bring home next. Just Move has been one of the kid's favorite. This activity allows kids to create their own physical fitness activity some of which included dance, basketball shooting, and walking. Health Rocks gave participants the opportunity to address many problems they face at school and they were informed on how to address these issues. 4-Hers were given very valuable life skills that will be necessary as they become contributing citizens in their communities. All of these programs have been a great success because teen leaders are addressing the concerns of their younger audiences using the 4-H program vehicle to steer their actions. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Healthy living results have been disseminated through the national 4-H healthy living common measure surveys, through published articles on the FVSU College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology website, and via 4-H social media Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to communities of interest. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Over the next reporting period, in an effort to provide healthy living ambassadors (YTL) with volunteerism, leadership, knowledge, skills, and competencies to deliver programs to peers, initiate and engage in obesity prevention activities, and work effectively with target audiences to reduce childhood obesity, the FVSU 4-H Program staff will: •Reach 400 new underserved youth with six (6) hours of direct 4-H healthy living programming, instruction and activities, •Engage teens as teachers to lead and help plan educational programs, program operations and service activities, •Utilize "Common Measures Survey Tool" to assess the impact to teen leaders and participants, •Learn concepts based on USDA My Plate for nutrition information regarding growing, harvesting, processing and cooking fresh foods, •Provide a "Calendar of Program Events" within four (4) weeks in advance for media advisory purposes, •Conduct four media-focused community events over the next reporting grant project cycle, •Promote events, share photos via social media channels (Face book, Twitter, and Instagram) using hashtag #healthyliving, •Identify and provide two impact stories of youth or communities who have participated in/benefitted from the NIFA/USDA 1890 4-H CBG Project, •Use the 4-H "Name and Emblem" in accordance with all relevant regulations when implementing and publicizing the Program, •Ensure a background check is completed on all adult professionals, volunteers and leaders, and •plant 15 trees at 15 high schools in an effort to contribute to create a healthier breathing environment at local schools.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The Fort Valley State University 4-H Program project goals are: (1) to train youth as Youth Ambassadors/Teens as Teachers to lead educational programs, program operations, and service activities, (2) to teach underserved/at-risk/minority youth and families quality healthy living education, 3. to educate youth participants about making healthy lifestyle choices and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, (4) to increase participants' physical fitness and knowledge of nutrition education, and (5) to train 48 Middle and High School Youth Healthy Living Ambassadors to deliver childhood obesity prevention education to peers and families to create healthy communities in Georgia. The Fort Valley State University 4-H Program reached over 3000 underserved youth over this past reporting cycle. The Project worked with Youth who are in grades 4th to 12th in rural Georgia. Fort Valley State University 4-H Club member Ka'Shawn Burke joined a delegation of eight 4-H youth for a meeting with President Barack Obama and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack at the White House on April 13, 2015. While there, the 4-H'ers engaged the President and Secretary on the programs they are leading to improve their communities in healthy living, food security and STEM education. The youth were invited by Secretary Vilsack as part of the White House Rural Council's ongoing effort to turn the tide against rural poverty. The Council's new effort, Rural Impact, addresses the challenge of rural child poverty by bringing together federal agencies and public and private resources. Each 4-H youth in the delegation has worked in their home state on programs to provide food, supplies and educational services to better equip families to fight childhood poverty. Ka'Shawn Burke stated that: "President Obama and I met with eight members of the National 4-H community in the Oval Office. Each one of them had an inspiring story about how they are opening up new doors for kids in their hometowns, and how this work is building stronger communities where they can learn, play and grow," said Secretary Vilsack in a blog he posted about the meeting. Burke was chosen to meet with the president because he has raised awareness by promoting healthy eating and physical activity to citizens in his community. Ka'Shawn's 4-H Healthy Living ambassador platform is Childhood Obesity. This was inspired by 4-H and his Basic Ag Science & Technology Class. Burke is a 16 year old sophomore who is active in ROTC, a Cross Country Runner, a 4-H Healthy Living Youth Ambassador, and is a member of the 4-H Robotics Club with Fort Valley State University. This meeting with President Obama continues a tradition started in the early 1900's. Since President William Taft, every sitting U.S. President has met with a delegation of 4-H youth at the White House. President Obama extends the streak as the 16th consecutive Commander-in-Chief to meet with 4-H'ers. http://ag.fvsu.edu/index.php/news/georgia-youth-kashawn-burke-talks-poverty-hunger-with-president-obama-in-the-oval-office/ Success Story: "Teen Leaders Tomorrow" One of the major concerns of many teen leaders was how they would handle disciplinary problems with the 4-Hers they planned to work with. After heavy debate and discussion, teen leaders decided not to punish these kids but to put them in leadership positions. The theory is that many kids act out because they feel as though they have no real value or that their voices are not heard as much as the other kids. In addition, these troubled kids possibly are overlooked in class by teachers in an effort to not reward bad behavior. With this plan established we were amazed at the response by the "troubled" youth. These kids were allowed to directly assist teen leaders and lead club meetings and activities. The majority of the so called "bad kids" proved to be awesome leaders. Many of them were able to command the attention of their classmates and encourage them. The most astonishing results were the improvement in troubled youth's behavior. One such student, Keisha, was considered by many to be a "bad student." During the first session at her school, she was asked to be a leader. She jokingly answered, so what will that make me...a "Teen Leader of Tomorrow!" Everyone laughed but her title stuck and all teen leader assistants were given this title. As the year progressed, Keisha's behavior and leadership skills improved along with her grades. She also stated how she had begun to make a better effort at eating healthy. During the last session she thanked the teen leaders for giving her a chance when no one else would! Success Story: Over the past two months, the FVSU 4-H Healthy Living program has focused on Tobacco awareness as it relates to the substance abuse prevention. One of our 4-H'er's, Davonte Clark, was able to get his mother and father to stop smoking cigars as a direct result of what he had learned in his 4-H healthy living club activity. 4-H'ers examined a smoke free lung and smoker's lung. Students had the opportunity to dissect a healthy lung image and a smoker's lung image. They also had the chance to compare and contrast each lung through our hands on educational healthy lung display, where students were able to match their personal descriptions to the display and feel the difference of each lung. After recording the discussions, the clubs watched a YouTube video of a scientist testing out the effects of cigarette. The scientist placed an air pump inside a healthy lung and placed a cigarette to the opposite side to the pump. The lung inhaled and exhaled, and students had the opportunity to watch a smoker free lung turn into a smoker's lung. The students learned how lungs deteriorate. (http://youtu.be/tCdOAzyKplM).
Publications
|
Progress 09/01/13 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Targeted audiences included: Program/Event Program Location(s) Total Number of Youth Reached (including new youth) Total Number of New Youth Total Number of Youth Ambassadors (Teens as Teachers, Youth in Leadership Positions) Total Number of Adults Reached (including new adults reached) Total Number of Volunteers Engage (Adults only) 1.4-H Camp FVSU 200 190 9 25 9 2.Twiggs County 4-H Club Meetings Twiggs Academy/ Elementary, Middle schools 900 875 2 500 9 3.Terrell County 4-H Club Meetings Positive Youth Direction Center 175 175 2 5 2 4. Peach County Afterschool Meetings Boys and Girls Club 100 100 5 0 2 5.Toombs County 4-H Club Meetings Blount Youth Home 20 20 2 4 2 5. 4-H/FFA Ag Youth Health Day FVSU 427 427 12 245 23 6. 4-H/ Twiggs County Healthy Night Out Event Twiggs County High School 1026 1026 15 382 14 Changes/Problems: The majority of the grant project reporting period work was completed by extension staff and college students. The full-time 4-H Project Coordinator began her first day of work on July 1, 2014 due to University hiring freeze. The most challenging aspects of our program are maintaining youth healthy living ambassadors that will take the initiative to train their peers and family members without a FVSU 4-H staff person or 4-H adult volunteer being present. These challenges exist for different reasons for different youth. Some youth are discouraged and feel that outside of 4-H staff or 4-H adult volunteer support, their peers easily fall back into unhealthy habits. Other youth are challenged due to lack of transportation issues in rural Georgia. Some otherchallenging aspects of this project is locating adults that will buy into the concept of youth led 4-H clubs and keeping adult volunteers engaged and committed at every stage of the process. We are addressing these challenges by giving adults recognition to show them how valuable they are to us, and we are intentionally associating their time in hours and salary. For example if an adult volunteer makes $12 an hour, and if they volunteer 2 hours at a time, that equals $24 dollars to the 4-H program. Award recognition makes adult feel appreciated. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? During the grant project reporting period, the project stafftaughtyouth participants about the 6 elements of the 4-H Healthy Living Program in monthly 4-H club meetings, about the purpose of the project, and how that information is relevant to them and their families. This period of time was also utilizedtrainingYouth Teen Leaders (4-H Healthy living youth ambassadors) from each of thedesignated project counties. The national 4-H Health Rocks curriculum and Healthy Habits of Healthy Teens activies were utilized during summer camp, 4-H monthly club meetings, university 4-H events, and during county community-wide healthy living events. Seven FVSU 4-H teenswere taken to the July 2014 National 4-H Citizenship, Washington Focus Event tolearn effective leadership and communication skills, developed volunteerism skills and the tenets of Cooperative Extension and civic engagement to help them engage in community service. Teens learned about government processes in the vibrant, living classroom of the nation's capital. Teensparticipated in civic workshops and attended meetings with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. They also visited the Arlington National Cemetery, the Whitehouse, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. memorial and other historical sites. One teen stated said: "this experience taught me that if you want to be successful in life, you must work hard, stand up for what is right, and be courageous like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.". This opportunity wasnot only a cultural experience, but one that will help transform these young people into college graduates and leaders in their communities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Twenty-one 4-H factsheets, were developed and distributed to over 5000 community of interest stakeholder at the annual 4-H STEM Healthy Living Summer Day Camp, annual 4-H/FFA Agriculture Health and Field Day University Central Georgia-multi counties wide event (reaches 750-900 youth and adult stakeholders), monthly 4-H healthy living in-school club meetings, youth residential 4-H club meetings, Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice female juvenile project participants, annual Farm, Home and Ministers Conference, project youth participant adult familiy members, faith-based community partners, and university campus-wide partners/stakeholders. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Train another 20-50 Middle and High School youth healthy living ambassadors to deliver childhood obesity prevention education to peers and families,provide youth with 4-H agriculture healthy living experiential learning opportunities, teach youth how to be and stay physically healthy through 4-H Aikido martial arts club, teach healthy living through a first-time drivers injury prevention program, implement a 4-H STEM Healthy Living SummerDay Camp,implement a 4-H/FFA AgricultureYouth Health and Field Day Event, continue multi-counties monthly 4-H healthy living club meetings, andtake a delegation of youth to the 2015 National 4-H Conference event, and take them to attend the 2015 National 4-H Congressional Breakfast the week of the National 4-H Conference event.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Georgia was ranked the 17th fattest state in the United States, according to the F as in Fat: "How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010," report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). According to the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC, 2012), "Children and youth should engage in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, ideally every day." Project participants will have improvements of physiological health indicators (strength, power and endurance) as well as improved eating patterns. In an effort to decrease obesity inGeorgia,the project staff focused on teaching underserved/at-risk/minority youth and families quality healthy living education, educating over 3000 youth participants about making healthy lifestyle choices and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle,increasing 75% of participants' attitude toward and understanding of healthful foods, andtrain 25-50 Middle and High School youth healthy living ambassadors to deliver childhood obesity prevention education to peers and families. During the project reporting period, 3420 youth received 6 or more hours of consecutive health rocks and food and nutrition education throughout the duration of the grant cycle. Over 170 youth received 16 hours consecutive hours of health rocks and food and nutrition education during summer 4-H camp and school gardens were established at Twiggs county Middle and High schools. According to the national 4-H youth common measures results: 85% of youth who participated in the survey indicated the following impact results: 85% Improved dietary choices 91% Improved attitude toward and understanding of healthful foods 97% Increased willingness to try new nutritional foods 82% Increased understanding of the elements of sound nutrition and daily caloric needs versus physical exercise 71% Increased participation by the family in eating together.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Promoting Positive Youth Development Among Underserved Audiences: Practice, Partnership, and Policy Perspectives
This article defines underserved audiences and identifies settings that 4-H can expand to reach underserved audiences. It highlights programs conducted with underserved audiences that promote characteristics of positive youth development. It addresses strategies for implementing best practices and increasing the potential for a diverse workforce. Finally, it discusses potential future national partners.
|