Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
(N/A)
ORONO,ME 04469
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Location: Lewiston and Portland, MainePrimary Audience: Middle School YouthSecondary Audience: High School YouthMaine 4-H Community Central is a transformative program designed to empower and connect middle schoolers in Lewiston and Portland, Maine. The primary focus is on fostering personal development and community engagement through the innovative Discover 4-H Clubs. Youth residing in the two largest cities in Maine will participate; youth who reside in public housing, including immigrant and refugee youth and low socio-economic status youth are potential participants.The program unfolds in three distinct series throughout the year. In the Fall 8-week series, middle school youth embark on a journey of self-discovery. Through interactive activities and workshops, participants enhance their confidence, self-awareness, goal-setting abilities, wellness practices, and personal standards.The Spring 8-week series shifts the focus to the discovery of others within the youths' immediate circles, including peers, family, and school. This phase aims to strengthen teamwork, communication skills, and the ability to navigate peer pressure effectively.During the Summer 4-week series, participants broaden their horizons by exploring and discovering the broader community and the world. Activities in this series promote empathy, social justice awareness, and a sense of belonging.Upon graduation from middle school, students seamlessly transition into a high school club. High school participants, our secondary audience, play a vital role in further building social and cultural capital. They engage in mentoring activities and actively contribute to designing and delivering programs within their communities.Maine 4-H Community Central is not just a program; it's a holistic journey that nurtures the personal growth of middle schoolers while fostering a sense of connection and responsibility to their communities. Through this innovative initiative, we aim to create a generation of empowered and socially conscious leaders who will continue to make a positive impact in Maine and beyond.@font-face{panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face{panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;mso-font-charset:0;mso-generic-mso-font-pitch:variable;mso-font-signature:-469750017 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal{mso-style-unhide:no;mso-style-qformat:yes;mso-style-parent:"";margin:0in;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;;mso-ascii-mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}p{mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:0in;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;margin-left:0in;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;;mso-fareast-}.MsoChpDefault{mso-style-type:export-only;mso-default-props:yes;mso-ascii-mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-fareast-mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1{page:WordSection1;}
Animal Health Component
80%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
0%
Applied
80%
Developmental
20%
Goals / Objectives
Community Central will be implemented at two community sites in collaboration with six middle/high schools and local youth-serving organizations to nurture personal growth while fostering a sense of connection and responsibility to their community, increasing social and cultural capital for 324 youth in grades 6-8, who will be mentored by 110 teens in grades 9-12, over five years.
Project Methods
The primary (high context) audience consists of 324 middle school youth (ages 11-14). They will engage in three distinct program areas annually, following the model of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (1986). First, they will embark on a journey of self-discovery and personal awareness, focusing on building confidence, relationships, wellness, and personal standards. Secondly, they will concentrate on their immediate circles, honing skills in teamwork and communication. Finally, they will explore their broader community, emphasizing empathy, social awareness, and a deeper sense of belonging. Middle school youth will collaborate with program staff to plan topics within these contexts and benefit from mentoring relationships with high school participants, fostering skill development for potential future high school engagement. They will also report stronger connections to their communities and schools.The secondary audience is 110 teens (ages 14-19) who will attend weekly sessions to develop workforce skills and reinforce middle school programming learning. A primary focus will be acquiring skills necessary for successfully preparing and delivering two workshops to middle school youth annually. Teenagers will report enhanced connections with their community and middle school peers and increased confidence in workforce abilities. In Years 4 and 5, teens will collaborate with program staff to organize a middle school conference for participants and the broader community.