Preparing youth, primarily as they become high school graduates, to be ready to enter college and careers, has been a primary driving force in primary and secondary education for over 20 years. However, there lacks consistency in the definition and of the true idea of college and career readiness in the twenty-first century. Additionally, there is…

The University of Georgia (UGA) has a training requirement for adults working with youth. To meet this requirement for Georgia 4-H and Extension Master Gardener volunteers, a standardized online training module was created and delivered across program areas. Volunteers were surveyed to evaluate training effectiveness and experience. Understanding…

Involvement with the 4-H program during youth has been empirically shown to have positive effects on participants and to influence their life perspectives and career development. The activities offered within 4-H allow individuals to build relationships with peers and mentors, develop life and leadership skills, and create a positive self-concept.…

Sharing the importance of agriculture, agricultural education, and programmatic efforts through Extension is vital to ensuring policy makers and the general public understand the need for supporting the overall agricultural industry. However, communicating such importance can be challenging without accurate, evidence-based language to describe…

Children who have been commercially sexually exploited are a vulnerable population, often in need of housing services. However, little is known about housing services for this population. To address this gap, the current study aims to further the understanding and knowledge about housing services for children who have experienced commercial sexual…

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program is a residential, quasi-military program for youth ages 16 to 18 who are experiencing difficulty in traditional high school. This report covers the program years 2018-2019 and is the fourth in a series of annual reports that RAND Corporation researchers have issued over the course of a research project…

The National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program is a residential, quasi-military program that serves young people ages 16 to 18 who are struggling to complete their high school credential. This is the ninth report in an annual series that RAND researchers have issued. The prior annual reports cover 2015 through 2022. Each annual report documents the…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess volunteer involvement in school-based agricultural education (SBAE) programs. An electronic survey (based on Seevers and Rosencrans, 2001) was sent to a census of SBAE instructors in three states. Attitudes of involving volunteers was positive although there were some roles SBAE participants'…

The present study examines the impact of Relationship Smarts Plus among 1,657 adolescents age 12-18 across 25 Georgia counties. The program, aimed at increasing awareness about healthy versus unhealthy relationships and promoting smart dating strategies and the application of healthy communication and conflict resolution skills, was offered 54…

Good schools are essential, but not sufficient for the long-term academic, economic, and civic success of our nation's young people. Rather, an integrated set of supports is needed in families, in all facets of communities, and in schools. Research, community wisdom, and common sense tell us that families, schools, and the broader community need…

Youth transitions to rewarding careers remain a critical problem for America's current and future workforce. In Baltimore, where only one in five graduates of Baltimore City Public Schools matriculates to a four-year college and the unemployment rate for 16 to 19 year-olds is over 40 percent, opportunities to gain meaningful training and work…

Ninety-five male juvenile sex offenders in an adventure-based behavior management program (LEGACY) were matched with male juveniles in state treatment-as-usual and other specialized programs in the same state to determine program effectiveness (as measured by rearrest rates). The LEGACY program demonstrated significant treatment effectiveness on…

This study examined the experiences of 10 former proteges, six female and four male participants between the ages of 18 and 24, who were identified as at-risk and subsequently participated in the Youth Enrichment Program (YEP) in central Georgia for a minimum of two years. This study was designed to investigate proteges' beliefs and perceptions…

Educational programs are often considered the last opportunity for an incarcerated youth to prepare for successful transition into society. While there is considerable literature identifying and describing the characteristics of youth and program services for youth in correctional facilities, it is important to gain a better understanding of…

Recent studies analyzing juvenile delinquents participating in wilderness therapy programs have reported little statistical effectiveness. Interpretation of these findings may be unjustified due to definitional confusion more than a clear examination of program effectiveness. Using a research methodology similar to Jones, Lowe, and Risler (2004),…