IMPACT 2018

The 4-H Healthy Habit grant, sponsored by National 4-H Council and the Walmart Foundation, mobilized youth to take action around healthy choices. Over 75 partnerships were developed across 28 counties in Nebraska. More than 2,700 K-12th grade youth received at least six hours of healthy living education.Extension professionals mentored 54 teen volunteers who then spent over 800 hours helping plan, prepare, and deliver programs in their communities. Teens (n=48) reported giving their family healthy meal or snack ideas (60%) and learning about healthy food choices (91%).

Next Chapter, a college readiness program and a UNL pre-admittance program, is offered to 8th grade students enrolled in 4-H. Throughout high school, pre-admitted students engage in events, activities, and curriculum during which they will learn how to successfully transition from high school to college. In two years, Next Chapter has served over 1,800 youth in all five Extension Districts. The Next Chapter program is also growing through partnerships in Tennessee, Illinois, and New Mexico.

4-H GROWS HEREEMPOWERING YOUTH WITH THE SKILLS TO LEAD FOR A LIFETIME

In Nebraska, 4-H reaches 1 in 3 age-eligible youth and families in all 93 counties with the support of over 12,000 volunteers. Nebraska 4-H strives to enable all youth to develop strong personal mindsets and the social skills necessary for successful futures. 4-H reaches youth through club, camp, afterschool, school enrichment, and special interest programs.

PREPARING YOUTH TO MAKE DECISIONS TODAY AND FOR THEIR FUTURENebraska 4-H prepares young people to make well-informed decisions through Career Development and Healthy Living programs.

Connecting the Dots, an interactive career exploration simulation program tripled the number of youth reached, engaging over 4,700 9th and 10th grade students in opportunities to learn about careers of interest as well as how to “connect the dots” from 9th grade, through post-secondary, to the workplace. • 97% think it is important that they do

their job well. • 84% learned how to act

professionally. • 80% say 4-H has helped them

identify things they are good at and explore their future career options.

Nebraska 4-H is working to ensure that 4-H is accessible to all Nebraska youth. 4-H Teens as Teachers is a program that employs teens to design programs in partnership with 4-H staff to uniquely reach new and underserved youth in their communities. In

2018, 21 teen teachers reached more than 3,500 youth in 8 counties. After engaging

in 4-H programming, youth reported the following:

• 80% said they like to learn new things.

• 78% reported setting goals for themselves.

• 92% are willing to work hard on something, even if it is difficult.

• 50% say it is hard to be a leader.

In 2018, the Juntos program was delivered at four sites in Northeast Nebraska. The Juntos program is designed to provide Latino youth and their parents the knowledge and skills needed to bridge the gap between high school and higher education. Bilingual facilitators helped Latino youth from 40 Nebraska families explore pathways to college through collaboration and engagement with Nebraska Extension.

NEBRASKA 4-H IMPACT 2018

REACHING NEW & UNDERSERVED AUDIENCES

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status. Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination. © 2018

211 Agricultural Hall, Lincoln NE 68583-0703 • 402-472-2966 • unlextension@unl.edu

4h.unl.edu @Nebraska4H @Nebraska4H

EMPOWERING YOUTH LEADERSHIP & ENTREPRENEURSHIPNebraska 4-H empowers youth’s unique Leadership skills and Entrepreneurial spirits to ensure they make lasting

positive contributions to their communities.

More than 250 mentors, volunteers, and businesses supported Youth Entrepreneurship and Business Opportunity activities. More than 900 youth participated in the entrepreneurship curriculum, and 676 students participated in INVENTURE Day. During INVENTURE Day, youth familiarize themselves with local businesses and business owners, identify potential entrepreneurial careers, and develop a business around a given product. • 72% of participants have a better

understanding of the process of creating a business.

• 68% have learned skills that will help them to be successful in running/operating their own business.

Over 1,200 youth and 350 adults were

engaged in leadership development

activities including a Leadership Summit

field day targeting 5-6th graders, 4

trips to Citizenship Washington Focus

which allows teens to explore, develop,

and refine civic engagement skills, and

the Nebraska Extension Priceless Pre-

Teen Program held in in-schools and

afterschool programs.

• 85% of youth felt confident in their

ability to build positive relationships

after training compared to 34%

before training.

• 89% of youth believe they can create

positive change in their community

after training compared to 34%

before training.

The ESI curriculum uses technology and web-based activities to teach middle and high school students the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. In 2018, 191 curriculum units were purchased from National 4-H online marketplace.

“Our ESI Camp allowed 14 Middle School students to explore what it takes to become an entrepreneur by setting a budget, being a smart consumer, exercising salesmanship, and earning a profit. Each kid learned that they can be successful if they have a plan, work hard, and are willing to learn.”

- Grant Project Director

ENGAGING YOUTH IN STEM & AGRICULTURAL LITERACYThrough 4-H programming, youth are engaged in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Agricultural

Literacy efforts that will enable them to lead these industries in the future.

More than 3,000 youth were engaged in programming to inspire young people to pursue studies and careers in STEM. Youth programs explored topics such as 3D printing, acoustical engineering, animal science, environmental science, plant science, and wearable technology. As a result of programming, 87% of youth participants learned something new about science and/or engineering, and 78% of youth participants would like to have a career in the science and/or engineering field.

Nebraska Extension partnered with the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science to host two special pop-up conferences for 38 Nebraska science teachers. Participants explored how to implement the new Nebraska Science Standards and strengthened their partnership with Nebraska Extension. As a result of the program, 100% of teachers who attended the conference have the skills needed to facilitate STEM lessons with youth, and they feel confident in their ability to link careers to STEM areas.