Abstract
Research suggests 4-H programs build Life Skills such as leadership, communication, citizenship and learning. However, 4-H programs vary from long-term on-going experiences to shorter, more intense opportunities. This paper discusses a program evaluation articulating the life skill development of participants in a 3-day residential State 4-H Conference on a Midwestern college campus. The Life Skills assessed were in the areas of leadership, citizenship, communication, and learning as part of overall Life Skill development. Participants were youth ages 14-18 years. A retrospective pretest-posttest was used to evaluate skill development and understanding. Analysis, including paired sample t-tests, indicated growth in each of the 12 common outcome measures evaluated. This study supports the importance of purposeful planning and youth engagement in the learning process to achieve desired life skill outcomes.
Highlights
Lerner, Almerigi, Theokas, & Lerner (2005) define positive youth development as a strengthbased conception of adolescence
This study focuses on the Life Skill development of youth as a result of their participation in the Iowa 4-H Youth Conference
To assess whether any of the four life skill composites varied based on the demographic data collected, a series of nested regressions were conducted with demographic data included as covariates
Summary
Lerner, Almerigi, Theokas, & Lerner (2005) define positive youth development as a strengthbased conception of adolescence. Derived from developmental systems theory, positive youth development (PYD) emerges when the potential plasticity of human development is aligned with developmental opportunities and supports appropriate for the individual adolescent. As Kress (2006) summarized, the outcomes of positive youth development are based on experiences and include complex dynamics such as the development of character, citizenship, and leadership—things not taught didactically. To become productive and contributing individuals who can be effective and proactive in determining the course of tomorrow’s world as well as today’s, youth must develop positive leadership knowledge, attitudes, skills and aspirations (Kleon & Rinehart, 1998)
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