Impact assessment of the Nevada 4-H program: an examination of public school students' perceptions and behavior

• Main Author: Lewis, Steven Richard
• Other Authors: Baker, Matt
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: Texas A&M University 2008
• Subjects: impact evaluation; 4-H; youth risk behavior; youth development; positive youth development
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/85775

A 4-H impact evaluation study, conducted in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Utah, was replicated in the Nevada public schools. The purpose was to measure the impact of the 4-H experience on the lives of Nevada youth, and to provide impact data for accountability and improvement for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension 4- H Programs. The 1,492 respondents were; 47.6% male and 52.4% female; 34.6% 5th grade, 28.1% 7th grade, and 37.3% 9th grade; 63.1% urban and 36.9% rural; and 11.7% 4-H and 88.3% non 4-H youth. Eight youth development constructs were measured including; extracurricular activity involvement; school leadership positions held; close relationship with adults; caring for others; amount of negative behavior; personal identity; positive identity; and self-confidence, character and empowerment. ANOVA for constructs by independent variables, age groups gender, 4-H participation, and population density revealed that 4-H participation significantly contributed to the variance in extracurricular activity involvement (p = .000), school leadership positions held (p = .025), caring for others (p = .000), and self-confidence, character and empowerment (p = .004).