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Parent Anxiety Causes And Consequences: Perspectives From Camp Program Providers, Barry A. Garst, Ryan Gagnon, Troy Bennett Apr 2016

Parent Anxiety Causes And Consequences: Perspectives From Camp Program Providers, Barry A. Garst, Ryan Gagnon, Troy Bennett

Publications

Although out-of-school time experiences such as camp contribute to youth development, youth in-volvement in these developmental experiences is largely dependent on parents who determine which activities are appropriate for their children. A contributing factor to parents’ decisions to send their child to camp is the amount of risk and non-clinical anxiety that parents associate with the camp experience, yet little attention has been paid to these issues, particularly from the perspective of camp program providers. It is unclear to what extent parent anxiety is an operational and pro-grammatic concern for camp program providers. Informed by risk perception and parent involve-ment …


Practices And Approaches Of Out-Of-School Time Programs Serving Immigrant And Refugee Youth, Georgia Hall, Michelle Porche, Jennifer Grossman, Sviatlana Smashnaya Jul 2015

Practices And Approaches Of Out-Of-School Time Programs Serving Immigrant And Refugee Youth, Georgia Hall, Michelle Porche, Jennifer Grossman, Sviatlana Smashnaya

Journal of Youth Development

Opportunity to participate in an out-of-school time program may be a meaningful support mechanism towards school success and healthy development for immigrant and refugee children. This study extends existing research on best practices by examining the on-the-ground experiences of supporting immigrant and refugee youth in out-of-school time programs. Findings from semi-structured interviews with program directors in 17 Massachusetts and New Hampshire programs suggest a number of program strategies that were responsive to the needs of immigrant and refugee students, including support for the use of native language as well as English, knowing about and celebrating the heritage of the students’ …


Program Development And Implementation For South Carolina Youth Through Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program (Efnep), Katherine Cason, Kattia Blanco, Joyce Senior, Jillian Clinton, Matt Francis, Christen King, Ashley Knight, Courtney Lee, Ana-Lisa Patterson, Katherine Smith, Amanda Wells, Griffin Wynkoop Apr 2015

Program Development And Implementation For South Carolina Youth Through Expanded Food And Nutrition Education Program (Efnep), Katherine Cason, Kattia Blanco, Joyce Senior, Jillian Clinton, Matt Francis, Christen King, Ashley Knight, Courtney Lee, Ana-Lisa Patterson, Katherine Smith, Amanda Wells, Griffin Wynkoop

Focus on Creative Inquiry

The Expanded Food Nutrition and Education Program (EFNEP) is a federally-funded program that aims at informing and educating limited-resource children, youth, and families in developing and maintaining a nutritionally sound diet, and a physically active lifestyle. Many of the intervention programs implemented through Youth EFNEP are created to be part of an existing school curriculum or as an after-school program. Currently, few programs exist that allow for easy transferability of these already existing curriculums to a summer camp setting.Therefore, the purpose of our Creative Inquiry was to develop the students' abilities to design and implement a Nutrition Education program for …


Communication, Coping, And Connections: Campers’ And Parents’ Perspectives Of Self-Efficacy And Benefits Of Participation In Deployment Support Camps, Christy D. Clary, Theresa M. Ferrari Jan 2015

Communication, Coping, And Connections: Campers’ And Parents’ Perspectives Of Self-Efficacy And Benefits Of Participation In Deployment Support Camps, Christy D. Clary, Theresa M. Ferrari

Journal of Youth Development

Military youth have unique challenges, particularly when a parent is deployed. Camp participation has been linked to multiple positive outcomes, thus camps have become popular as a setting for addressing these youth’s unique needs. With limited existing research on outcomes related to participation, this study explored to what extent participation in OMK camps affected military youth’s self-efficacy for communication, coping, and social skills. Participants responded to an online instrument three months after camp. Both campers and parents reported the largest increase in self-efficacy for communication skills, followed by social skills, and then coping skills. Open-ended responses overwhelmingly supported that developing …


Horses And At-Risk Youth: An Equine Facilitated Learning Program Focusing On Authentic Leadership Skill Development, Brittany L. Adams-Pope, Nicole L.P. Stedman Dec 2014

Horses And At-Risk Youth: An Equine Facilitated Learning Program Focusing On Authentic Leadership Skill Development, Brittany L. Adams-Pope, Nicole L.P. Stedman

Journal of Youth Development

Interesting and innovative youth development programs are important to further youth education. Programs focused on developing leadership skills in youth, specifically at-risk youth, are important when thinking of the future of our communities. The primary purpose of the study was to determine the impact of an equine facilitated, authentic leadership program on at-risk youth. Youth participated in a three-day equine facilitated learning program based on authentic leadership with focus groups conducted three days before and three days after the program. In this article, we describe the development and methodology of the program and specific implications for practice.


Examining The Use Of Social Media Among Four-H Alumni In Louisiana, Kali B. Zammit Jul 2014

Examining The Use Of Social Media Among Four-H Alumni In Louisiana, Kali B. Zammit

Journal of Youth Development

The purpose of this study was to examine the use and determine the preferred method of social media among 4-H alumni in Louisiana. Based on a review of literature, communicating with youth through social media has become a major trend and necessity, especially among 4-H Youth Development and Cooperative Extension Service professionals. A 24-item instrument was developed and administered online to Louisiana 4-H alumni who received the 2011 Louisiana 4-H Senior Honor Cord and provided usable e-mails. The overall preferred method of social media among Louisiana 4-H alumni was Facebook and text messaging. A majority of 4-H alumni use their …


The 4-H Health Rocks! Program In Florida: Outcomes On Youth Tobacco, Alcohol, And Other Substance Abuse Prevention, Muthusami Kumaran, Kate Fogarty, Amanda Terminello, Whitney M. Fung Jul 2014

The 4-H Health Rocks! Program In Florida: Outcomes On Youth Tobacco, Alcohol, And Other Substance Abuse Prevention, Muthusami Kumaran, Kate Fogarty, Amanda Terminello, Whitney M. Fung

Journal of Youth Development

Youth tobacco, alcohol, and other substance abuse is a serious concern in the State of Florida, as well as across the nation. 4-H Health Rocks! is a positive youth development prevention program that utilizes experiential learning methods and youth-adult partnerships. The program and supporting curriculum were designed to foster personal and social skills to better equip adolescents to overcome pressures to participate in substance use. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of Health Rocks! in Florida and program evaluation including its impact on participants’ drug knowledge, drug beliefs and attitudes, and drug resistance skills. Program evaluation …


Exploring Interactive Writing As An Effective Practice For Increasing Head Start Students' Alphabet Knowledge Skills, Anna H. Hall, Michael D. Toland, Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Steve Graham May 2013

Exploring Interactive Writing As An Effective Practice For Increasing Head Start Students' Alphabet Knowledge Skills, Anna H. Hall, Michael D. Toland, Jennifer Grisham-Brown, Steve Graham

Publications

The current study used a pretest–posttest randomized control group design with 73 Head Start students, ages 3–5 years. The researcher served as the interactive writing teacher for the treatment group, rotating to five different classrooms in one Head Start center 3–4 days a week for 13 weeks. Children in the treatment group received a 10–15 min interactive writing lesson each day in small groups within their own classroom settings. Children in the control group received standard literacy instruction in small groups with their own classroom teachers. Child outcome data on upper case, lower case, and letter sound identification were collected …


The Effects Of Non-Academic Mentoring On School-Related Cognitions: A Pilot Study, Stacey Macarthur, Brian J. Higginbotham, Edward Ho Apr 2013

The Effects Of Non-Academic Mentoring On School-Related Cognitions: A Pilot Study, Stacey Macarthur, Brian J. Higginbotham, Edward Ho

Journal of Youth Development

Mentoring has been shown to positively influence various youth outcomes and developmental assets. The 4-H Mentoring: Youth and Families with Promise (4-H YFP) program is a multi-component program designed to enhance individual, familial, and social assets of at-risk youth. This pilot study examines the effects of participation in the 4-H YFP program on school-related cognitions. Data were collected on 20 mentored at-risk youth and 18 waiting list youth. RMANOVA analyses identified significant differences on one scale and expected trends on five additional scales. Ecological systems theory is used to inform the interpretation of results.


Utilizing 4-H In Afterschool Settings: Two Approaches For Integration, Rachel Rudd, Naomi Brower Apr 2013

Utilizing 4-H In Afterschool Settings: Two Approaches For Integration, Rachel Rudd, Naomi Brower

Journal of Youth Development

As our communities grow and change, afterschool programs represent an avenue to bring resources to populations which would otherwise not be available to them. Combining 4-H with the afterschool environment can be beneficial in supporting and raising the quality of afterschool programs being offered. This article explores the benefits and challenges of two approaches of implementing 4-H programming in afterschool settings: the 4-H managed program that is created and run solely by 4-H faculty and staff and the 4-H afterschool partnerships which are facilitated in partnership with existing afterschool programs. Regardless of the approach, combining 4-H with afterschool programs can …


From Model To Reality: The Role Of Implementation Readines, Deborah Moroney Oct 2012

From Model To Reality: The Role Of Implementation Readines, Deborah Moroney

Journal of Youth Development

Arnold and Gagnon’s timely work on the 4-H Thriving Model is an excellent example of the application of developmental science in youth development practice. In their article, the authors describe how 4-H, an established youth development organization, updated the theory of change. Designing an actionable theory of change based on science is indeed a commendable effort for any youth-serving organization. However, the work does not stop there. The diverse 4-H system now has the ultimate challenge of adopting and implementing the principles presented in their theory of change. In this commentary, I discuss the often-overlooked components of implementation readiness: motivation, …


Programming Ideas For Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Leslie Forstadt, Sarah Yuan, Kerri Ashurst, Melissa Scheer Oct 2012

Programming Ideas For Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Leslie Forstadt, Sarah Yuan, Kerri Ashurst, Melissa Scheer

Journal of Youth Development

This article provides an overview of some of the demographics of youth experiencing homelessness and examples of how Cooperative Extension is working with this population around the country. A discussion of the needs of this population is provided, along with strategies for how Extension can connect with current efforts to reach youth experiencing homelessness to build resilience. Data are summarized from a webinar for Extension professionals. Education in this area is worthwhile to youth development professionals who may be interested in designing new programs, expanding current programs, finding new program partnerships, and using programs to support youth experiencing homelessness. Local …


“Doing Our Part”: What Motivates Black Family Engagement In An After-School Program, Amanda Case Oct 2012

“Doing Our Part”: What Motivates Black Family Engagement In An After-School Program, Amanda Case

Journal of Youth Development

Researchers have demonstrated that Black caregivers (a) are more likely than caregivers of any other race to enroll their children in after-school programs, (b) face considerable challenges finding quality after-school programs, and (c) consider family engagement to be a hallmark of quality after-school programs. To date, however, researchers have largely ignored the voices of Black caregivers about what motivates and enables them to engage with their children’s after-school programs. As a result, after-school program staff report continued challenges effectively engaging Black families. The current case study aims to address this gap in the literature using evidence from participant observations, interviews …


An Experiential Model Of Evaluation: Incorporating Graduate Students In The Collection And Reporting Of Mixed-Method Data, Nancy Deringer Aug 2012

An Experiential Model Of Evaluation: Incorporating Graduate Students In The Collection And Reporting Of Mixed-Method Data, Nancy Deringer

Journal of Youth Development

A graduate level course was developed which incorporated the experiential learning philosophy of “learning by doing.” Students gained knowledge about program development and evaluation through using an on-line course management system as well as practicing what they learned during on-site evaluation visits. All background and supplementary reading materials, assignments, chats, and discussions were managed on-line. Students applied what they learned and collected quantitative and qualitative data while conducting site visits throughout the semester. Through this experiential learning evaluation course students made meaning from their direct experiences, took time to reflect upon their learning, and felt confident in their abilities as …


The Leadership Program’S Violence Prevention Project: Infusing The Arts Into Conflict Resolution, Lisa Chauveron Aug 2012

The Leadership Program’S Violence Prevention Project: Infusing The Arts Into Conflict Resolution, Lisa Chauveron

Journal of Youth Development

While the demand for youth violence prevention programs increases, the ability of the traditional school day schedule to accommodate violence prevention program time requirements has diminished. School reforms, such as No Child Left Behind, have pressed schools to focus more tightly on academics, often to the exclusion of subjects such as physical education and the arts. Viable violence prevention programs must offer components that supplement classroom curriculum as well as reduce violence and strike a balance between brevity and effectiveness. The Leadership Program’s (TLP) universal Violence Prevention Project (VPP) meets this call with a conflict resolution model for students in …


An Emerging Model Of Knowledge For Youth Development Professionals, Femi Vance May 2012

An Emerging Model Of Knowledge For Youth Development Professionals, Femi Vance

Journal of Youth Development

A model of knowledge for youth development professionals that is comprised of five knowledge domains: 1) Foundational Knowledge of Positive Youth Development; 2) Knowledge of Youth; 3) Knowledge of Group Facilitation; 4) Knowledge of Contexts and Organizational Systems and; 5) Specialized Youth Development Knowledge is proposed in this paper. The model is intended for use in youth development programs, which have been associated with better outcomes for participants when compared to other types of youth programs. The development of the knowledge base is framed by seminal research on teacher knowledge and informed by practice- oriented research in the out-of-school time …


Tooele County 4-H Youth Garden: An Interactive Approach, Stephen Sagers, Linden Greenhalgh, Darlene Christensen, Terra Sherwood Dec 2011

Tooele County 4-H Youth Garden: An Interactive Approach, Stephen Sagers, Linden Greenhalgh, Darlene Christensen, Terra Sherwood

Journal of Youth Development

The Tooele City 4-H Youth Garden program was designed to provide a non-traditional recreational activity for a growing youth population. Children ages 5-18, assisted by parents and other family members, tend an 8’x 15’ garden plot. A small registration fee covers 4-H enrollment. Tooele City provides land, water, employees, maintenance and equipment. Participants provide their own seed and labor, must attend an orientation in the spring, commit to work at least once each week in the garden, and attend periodic club meetings during the growing season. Club meetings cover basic gardening principles and specific issues related to individual garden plots. …


Using Poverty Simulation For College Students: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation, Maureen Todd, Maria T. De Guzman, Xiaoyun Zhang Jun 2011

Using Poverty Simulation For College Students: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation, Maureen Todd, Maria T. De Guzman, Xiaoyun Zhang

Journal of Youth Development

This paper speaks to the potential for simulation and experience-based educational programs in delivering changes in knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, as well as the utility of mixed- methods approaches to program evaluation. The authors discuss a mixed-methods study which evaluates the impact of a poverty simulation program on college students at three Midwestern universities. Findings suggest multiple benefits of the experience, including changes in attitudes and beliefs about how serious the experience of poverty can be, an understanding that poverty is complex and can be caused by multiple factors, and a decrease in their biases and stereotypes about people in …


Positive Youth Development In The Midst Of Coping With Parental Cancer: Implications For Youth Development Research And Practice, Kerri Ashurst, Jason Hans, Donna Smith, Kenneth Jones Nov 2010

Positive Youth Development In The Midst Of Coping With Parental Cancer: Implications For Youth Development Research And Practice, Kerri Ashurst, Jason Hans, Donna Smith, Kenneth Jones

Journal of Youth Development

Four implications for youth development research and practice resulted from a qualitative study on psychosocial developmental experiences of late adolescents coping with parental cancer during late adolescence. The study employed a developmental systems framework and grounded theory methods. Results suggest three primary psychosocial developmental influences, including multilevel influences (individual, familial, and extrafamilial risk and protective factors), coping strategies to maintain control, and responses to uncertainty and anticipatory grief. The particular combination of risk and protective factors present in participants’ lives resulted in positive outcomes; resilience was the central unifying concept that characterized the primary psychosocial developmental outcomes of each participant. …


Connecting And Communicating Effectively With Teens - An Online Survey Of Teen Communication Styles, Laura Bovitz Aug 2010

Connecting And Communicating Effectively With Teens - An Online Survey Of Teen Communication Styles, Laura Bovitz

Journal of Youth Development

The lives of most teens are rapidly changing and involve methods of communication that are unfamiliar to many adults. An online teen communication survey was developed to assess how and why teens communicate in order to assist adult educators in developing more effective methods of communication with this audience. The survey was completed by 148 teens ranging in age from 13 to 19. The results of the survey provide insight into teen viewpoints on their preferred methods of communication and provides valuable lessons for adults who work with this age group.


A Leisure Education Program For Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Madalyn Weber Aug 2010

A Leisure Education Program For Postsecondary Students With Intellectual Disabilities, Madalyn Weber

All Theses

For individuals with intellectual disabilities finding and taking part in leisure experiences can be difficult without appropriate knowledge and skills. This study examined the use of a leisure education program with students enrolled in a post-secondary education program located on the campus of a mid-size southeastern university. This postsecondary educational program is designed to teach independent living and job skills to people ages 18-23 who have an intellectual disability. The -Leisure Ability Model is the conceptual framework for this study. Leisure attitude was measured through a revised version of the Leisure Attitude Measure; it assessed three components: cognitive, behavioral, and …


A Qualitative Investigation Of Californian Youth Interests In The Outdoors, Marni Goldenberg, Katherine Wassenberg, Jerusha Greenwood, William Hendricks Mar 2010

A Qualitative Investigation Of Californian Youth Interests In The Outdoors, Marni Goldenberg, Katherine Wassenberg, Jerusha Greenwood, William Hendricks

Journal of Youth Development

Prior research has found connections between youth participation in recreational activities and academic achievement, civic involvement, and improved health. To investigate California youth outdoor recreation attitudes, behaviors, and constraints, eight focus groups were conducted with community recreation center youth participants. Youth answered 10 questions about their experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of outdoor recreation. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Three to seven axial codes were identified for each question. Results showed that youth want to have more access to outdoor recreational activities. However, there are frequently considerable constraints for the youth to overcome including draws of technology, family obligations, and …


Organizational Supports And Youth Life Skill Development: Adult Volunteers As Mentors, Managers And “Mediators”, Kate Fogarty, Bryan Terry, Dale Pracht, Joy Jordan Dec 2009

Organizational Supports And Youth Life Skill Development: Adult Volunteers As Mentors, Managers And “Mediators”, Kate Fogarty, Bryan Terry, Dale Pracht, Joy Jordan

Journal of Youth Development

A statewide community club evaluation (youth self-report), empirically testing a logic model of factors influencing youth life skill development is described. Results supported that the way adult volunteers manage and mentor youth and explained how 4-H program features (e.g., youth sense of belonging, safety, and support) influence life skill development. Youth engagement in activities was also linked with life skills and organizational supports were linked with youth engagement in the model. Future directions based on the findings to be discussed include: (1) examining volunteer competencies to build upon in training; (2) use of SEM to understand the larger picture of …


Child Cognitive Development As Examined Using The Family Stress Model, Aimee Hanvey Aug 2009

Child Cognitive Development As Examined Using The Family Stress Model, Aimee Hanvey

All Theses

This study used the Family Stress Model to investigate the relationship between economic distress and child cognitive development. A number of family and community processes have been theorized to mediate the relationship between income and child cognitive functioning. Warm parenting, parental stress, and punitive parenting practices were examined as possible mediators in a sample of 12,440 kindergarten children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten (ECLS-K). Cognitive development was evaluated by reading and mathematical standardized tests, and economic distress was measured using the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Insecurity Scale. The results of this study found support …


Mapping Out Your Success: Using Mind Maps To Evaluate Youth Development Programs, Mary Sara Wells, Skye Arthur-Banning Jul 2009

Mapping Out Your Success: Using Mind Maps To Evaluate Youth Development Programs, Mary Sara Wells, Skye Arthur-Banning

Journal of Youth Development

A primary component of any youth program is documenting and promoting the results through evaluation. Frequently, however, administrators in youth development programs struggle to find meaningful ways of evaluating the impacts they have on the lives of youth. It is often difficult to capture the unique benefits these programs offer to participants, especially when traditional methods such as focus groups and interviews may be too time consuming and questionnaires may yield poor response rates. This article presents a creative form of evaluation targeted at demonstrating the success of programs in outcomes that are historically more difficult to measure. A “mind …


Differences In The Experiences Of Boys And Girls In A Camp Environment, Margaret Miltenberger, Jane Jopling, Martha Garton Apr 2009

Differences In The Experiences Of Boys And Girls In A Camp Environment, Margaret Miltenberger, Jane Jopling, Martha Garton

Journal of Youth Development

Between the ages of nine and twelve, key developmental differences exist between genders. Boys’ and girls’ brains simply develop in a different sequence (Sax, 2007) and at a different rate (Hanlon, et al., 1999). Since the 1970’s a tendency toward gender blindness and a lack of understanding about the real developmental differences between boys and girls may have limited the ability of youth professionals to best serve all youth. This paper highlights a study of whether boys and girls differ in camp experience and in life skill development as a result of camp? Fifteen counties with 28 individual camps participated …


We’Re Here, We’Re Hopeful, And We Can Do Well: Conceptions And Attributes Of Positive Youth Development Among Immigrant Youth, Yulika Forman, Dan Du, Megan Kiely, Jennifer Carrano Apr 2009

We’Re Here, We’Re Hopeful, And We Can Do Well: Conceptions And Attributes Of Positive Youth Development Among Immigrant Youth, Yulika Forman, Dan Du, Megan Kiely, Jennifer Carrano

Journal of Youth Development

Using qualitative and quantitative information from Grades 8 and 9 of the 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development (PYD), we describe the conceptions of thriving youth present within adolescent immigrants to the United States, and interrelate these conceptions with quantitative scores for PYD, contribution, and positive future orientation. Conceptions of thriving that included positive future orientation were associated with higher quantitative scores for PYD and Contribution. Conceiving of thriving as making contributions to themselves or their communities was associated with higher quantitative scores for Contribution. These findings suggest that immigrant youth whose qualitative definitions of thriving include the U.S.-based conceptions …


A Good Friend’: The Role Of Peer Networks In Juvenile Treatment Courts, Pamela Linden, Shelly Cohen Apr 2009

A Good Friend’: The Role Of Peer Networks In Juvenile Treatment Courts, Pamela Linden, Shelly Cohen

Journal of Youth Development

A primary goal of Juvenile Treatment Courts is participant abstention from the use of alcohol and drugs. The present paper seeks to understand the role of social networks in participant abstention by examining the accounts of peer interactions of 37 current and former youth participants in New York State. This qualitative study found that while severing deviant network ties were involved in abstention in some cases, the dominant theme was the perceived protective role of emotionally close, albeit drug using, peers in supporting abstention. Although most cognitively based adolescent chemical abuse treatment programs explore the role of social networks in …


Building A Launchpad For Youth Impact And Organizational Change, Ben Silliman Apr 2009

Building A Launchpad For Youth Impact And Organizational Change, Ben Silliman

Journal of Youth Development

A recent report, 4-H Critical Indicators of Youth Development Outcomes for Mission Mandates, outlines a nationwide evaluation of youth program quality and impact of three new programming initiatives. The plan is presented as a model for youth development impact and organizational change. Discussion focuses on the three components of the plan, including evaluation context, framework for assessing program quality and outcomes, and implementation issues critical to successful evaluation.


Covering Our Bases: A Military 4-H Youth Development Program, Joanne Roueche, Debra Jones Oct 2008

Covering Our Bases: A Military 4-H Youth Development Program, Joanne Roueche, Debra Jones

Journal of Youth Development

Land-grant universities, through the 4-H program, have offered support and partnership to the military since World War I. More recently, the U. S. Army, Air Force, and 4-H have partnered to provide military installation youth programs involving over 7,000 youth in 4-H clubs in the United States and abroad. Military youth and families, not affiliated with Base or Post installations, were extended similar support as an aftermath of September 11, 2001. All youth involved through military outreach are enrolled as 4-H members through their respective counties integrating them into local, state, regional, and national 4-H activities and events. Authors share …