Youths not only participate in Extension services but also can be equipped as facilitators to extend information about a critical topic to new audiences. Our interdisciplinary team of Extension professionals created a program to equip youths as peer educators, increase youths' awareness and understanding of a new topic (local foods), promote…

A sample of 197 incarcerated youth (n=197) responded to a survey designed to assess perceptions of the facilities, staff, and programming. Job training, computer training, arts and crafts, and recreation were highly rated for inside-facility programming. A safe place to go was one of the most highly rated programming options for outside of the…

Community educators in six cities involved youth in documenting ethnic gardening practices with master gardeners. Interviews with 29 educators, 28 participating youth, and 4 gardeners found that youth learned about gardening, developed positive relationships with elders, and enhanced skills. Implementing participatory research required more…

Three hundred Four-H adolescents were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward the aged and the relationship of these attitudes to selected personal and situational factors. Results showed that these youths generally held positive attitudes toward older persons. Those having a positive sense of purpose in their own lives held more positive…

Features two approaches to studying teenagers' interests and needs. Wisconsin involves multiple agencies in a communitywide teen assessment; Louisiana aims to make 4-H programing more responsive and current. Both emphasize the importance of gathering data directly from teenagers. (JOW)