Today, too many children and youth are adrift, without a steady moral compass to direct their daily behavior or to plot a thoughtful and responsible course for their lives. Increasing basic life skills and learning and practicing leadership skills will help youth become capable, competent, responsible, and caring adults. Teens apply for the Youth Leadership Program through their local Extension office located in all 75 counties in the state. Applications focus on the teens commitment to learning based on project work, leadership and community service at the local level. Applicants are judged against a standard.
Selected participants continue in the program for one year.
Participants attend a statewide workshop and plan, implement and evaluate a three-day conference for teens focusing on issues relevant to teens. The activities give youth the opportunity to think about and practice life skills and workforce preparation skills. Two counties have piloted the program and another county has been added this year. Goals of the program are to bond youth from different communities in the county and to develop a future adult leadership base that will remain in the county after college. The program has trained over 90 youth in areas of leadership, self understanding, communications, group process, goals and decision-making, community involvement and workforce preparation.