YOUTH LEADERSHIP & CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Limestone County, AlabamaBetty Ann Broman

County Extension CoordinatorLimestone County

Alabama Cooperative Extension System

Rural Alabama Initiative Grants

Funded to support local issues, particularly involving educational opportunities

Written by local Extension Office (other grants were written by non-Extension people)

$14,460 was received to implement grant

Limestone County, Alabama

Population of approximately 73,000 residents Located in the Tennessee Valley of North Alabama Limestone County School System (6 high schools) Athens City School System (1 high school) Two Private Schools (K-12) 559 Square miles Commuter County to Huntsville Blend of Agriculture and residential environments;

some manufacturing Growing Population base

Staff Involved

Betty Ann Broman, County Extension Coordinator

Marian Beck, Regional Extension Agent for 4-H and Youth Development

Verona Hargrave, Agent Assistant for 4-H & Youth Programs

Program Objectives

Leadership and Career Opportunities for youth interested in Agricultural and/or Family and Consumer Sciences education or careers (loosely defined)

Give youth opportunities to see first-hand the mechanisms and relationships between education, agriculture, family, and the Alabama economy

Secondary Objectives

Experience agriculture enterprises in parts of Alabama that are different from those practiced in the Tennessee Valley

Experience first-hand opportunities that others do not have the chance to see

Build relationships with other teen leaders

Expose youth to ‘different’ business opportunities

Help youth understand the importance of ‘thinking’ and decision-making skills

Process

Involve school administrators and FCS/Agri-Science Teachers

Select up to 24 sophomores and juniors through application process

Conduct 6 leadership forums (3 spring, 3 fall)

Two summer one-day trips One five-day trip throughout Alabama Graduation

Time Line

January – February 2008: Select participants through application process

March – May: Spring Leadership forums June 2008: Two one-day trips in North

Alabama July 2008: One week trip throughout

Alabama September – November 2008 November 22, 2008: Graduation

Spring Forums

Activity-based

Team Building

Trust

Leadership

Setting Priorities

Setting Boundaries/Rules

Diversity

Fall Forums

Lecture & Activity Oriented

Continued Teamwork

Risk & Rewards

Management & Planning

Creative Thinking

Leadership & Growth

Summer One-Day Trips

North Alabama Venues (Close to home!)

Educational Opportunities

Agricultural Operations

Family & Consumer Science Opportunities

Entrepreneurial Showcases

Community Investment/Tourism

Research at work

Alabama A&M University

Maples Angus Farms

Lunch courtesy Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association

Isom’s Orchards

(Large commercial peach & apple operation; other fruits & vegetables also grown, Including strawberries)

Tennessee Valley Research & Experiment Station

Shoals Commercial Culinary Institute

(Home entrepreneurs can ‘rent’ commercial kitchen facilities to produce home-made goods for commercial sale)

Jack O’Lantern Hydroponic Farms

(Vegetables grown in water medium and sold to local restaurants)

Lunch @ Marriott using Hydroponic Vegetables

Sims Bark Farm

Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Spring Farmer’s Market Experience

Tuscumbia Community Development Project. Youth observed vendors and participated in food demonstrations – and a little fun.

Statewide Tour

July 14-17, 2008 Twenty Youth; three adult chaperones Venues throughout the state of Alabama

were selected to show depth of Alabama economy: a blend of education, agriculture, family & consumer sciences, research, industry, and tourism

Alabama Power hosted a Leadership Forum on the final morning

Jefferson County Farmer’s Market

Most fresh restaurant produce in Alabama goes through this facility

Univ. of Alabama Child Development Center

Westerveldt Forestry

University of Alabama Campus & College of Human Environmental Sciences

Alabama Catfish Farming & Research Center

Chilton Horticulture Research Station

Nutrina Feed Mills

Training room orientation and overview: Plant was noisy and no cameras were allowed in production area!

Alabama Farmer’s Federation

Discussion focused not only on agriculture, but on job/career decisions. Two former Extension employees – now employed by Farmer’s Federation - led the discussions.)

Hyundai Motors/Manufacturing

No cameras allowed inside plant!

Montgomery Biscuits Baseball

Revitalization of downtown

Montgomery

Auburn University

Blue Belle Creamery

Forum from Alabama Power Company

Culinard School

Located in Birmingham – Trains professional chefs

Unanticipated Learned Experiences

The importance of youth working and learning as a group

The lack of exposure many of the youth have to real-life experiences

The enthusiasm of groups (education, industry, etc.) to host this type of youth group

The impact of networking on the group How the youth learned to ‘appreciate’

each other

What we Learned

Be prepared; Be prepared; Be Prepared! Communications with parents Communications with Schools Having all the details about payment worked

out in advance Hosts should know purpose of trip

Good selection of participants is important

Best candidates for this type of venture are not always your top students

Comments from participants

“It showed me that I may end up in a career that I didn’t expect to be in, and I may need to make revisions to my educational plans.”

“This has really opened my eyes to all the different things there are to do in life.”

“I think the trip opened my eyes to all the work that goes into everything we use. I am now more aware about what farmers are going through with their land, crops and animals. I will try to spread the things I learned so that others will know what’s going on in our world.”

More Comments

“One thing that stood out to me about our trip was how we got access to those places because of connections. It showed me that impressions are important. It mad me bore open-minded about career choices. Hearing everyone talk about how they got where they are today provided to me that you can change careers and still be successful.”

“I learned to trust, depend on and how to take control in a respective way. You have to trust people even if you just met them.”

….and a final comment “Although I wasn’t here for this reason, I learned

something that will benefit me: I learned that you shouldn’t judge people by the way they look or their social status. You should be willing to get to know everyone for who they are, not look down on them because they seem a little crazy or weird. This past year I’ve had the privilege to get to know a lot of different people. I wasn’t in my comfort zone all of the time but I’ve learned that there will be many times in my future where I won’t be. I’m glad I went on these trips, especially the week-long trip. You really learn how people truly are by living with them. I am glad to say that through this program I have new friends that will last a lifetime. I am ready to take on college now with an open mind and new outlook on the way people are.”

QUESTIONS????

Betty Ann BromanCounty Extension Coordinator

Limestone CountyAlabama Cooperative Extension System