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Increasing community awareness and knowledge about environmental problems is the primary goal of environmental education. This study explores the best practices of the Youth for Environment in Schools--Organization (YES-O) in selected schools in the National Capital Region, Philippines. A qualitative study involving interviews and focus group discussions directed the collection and analysis of data. The study discovered that the implementation of the YES-O program was successful due to the following best practices: (a) personal advocacy, (b) resource availability, (c) flexibility, (d) integrated school efforts, (e) participatory approach, and (f) monitoring and evaluation strategies, which were all supported by the emerging themes. Meanwhile, capacity building and strong networks emerged as important themes supporting the YES-O program implementation in secondary schools. The schools can continue their practices to sustain the implementation of the program. However, schools should take into account certain indicators that require improvement to enhance their performance. These may include strengthening their networking, linkages, and partnership strategies to better engage and synergize environmental education given the mandated programs, projects, and activities of the YES-O program implementation.

In light of the proven benefits of high-quality afterschool STEM programming for teens, the author worked with colleagues at University of Maryland Extension to institute the Pollinator Ambassador program. The program was launched through a county-based 4-H program at a partner site in a community outside Washington, DC. Following the 4-H Thriving Model and other research-based best practices, the program introduced participants to the vital importance of bees and other pollinators through hands-on activities. Its success in engaging participants and building their awareness of science careers can make it a model for other STEM-based youth development programs.

As communities grapple with the harmful, inequitable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been particularly hard on low-income and marginalized youth, renewed attention has been directed toward how out-of-school time (OST) programs can help youth reconnect and re-engage. In this article, the results of a systematic literature review on the sponsors and partners that support OST programs for low-income adolescents are presented. The available research from ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and publications posted on the National Institute of Out-of-School Time's website were searched and synthesized on the types of organizations involved in OST programs, what they offered, and how they worked together to support youth in OST settings.

Volunteers are noteworthy youth development professionals in the 4-H program whose training translates into practices that promote positive outcomes among young people they serve. This study explored how contextual and programmatic factors were associated with volunteers' practices of the essential elements with youth. Programmatic influences included breadth of volunteer training, tenure in 4-H whereas gender and age were contextual factors. Results supported associations between breadth of volunteer training and the essential element of mastery; this effect was not found with other essential elements. Also, volunteers' tenure in the 4-H program moderated the relationship between breadth of training and practices promoting mastery, with stronger association between training breadth and mastery for less seasoned volunteers. Moreover, among volunteers reporting greater breadth of trainings in the past year, men reported greater levels of facilitating independence than women, an effect not found across the whole sample. Our findings suggest mastery as a relevant essential element retained in training and applied in 4-H volunteers' practice. Implications are discussed regarding volunteer training content and promotion of responsibilities for both new and seasoned volunteers, as well as consideration for possible effects of differences in gender role expectations influencing the practice of promoting certain essential elements.

Perceptions of program safety for youth might include such features as physical safety, psychological safety, and social-relational safety. A holistic sense of safety, or one that inclusively encompasses and integrates features of, and relations with, the ecology in which youth develop, could be engendered through programmatic designs that attend to the dynamic relations among physical, psychological, and social-relational safety. Having a better understanding of the phenomenology of safety among program participants, and how such perceptions function in youth programs would enable positive youth development (PYD) program practitioners to better align their conceptions -- that is, their "objective" definitions -- of program safety with the phenomenological experiences of youth and, in so doing, better promote PYD and thriving outcomes. The present study was informed by preliminary quantitative findings emerging from the broader Compassion International (CI) Study of PYD (Lerner et al., 2019; Tirrell et al., 2021; Tirrell, Gansert, et al., 2019; Tirrell, Geldhof, et al., 2019). As described in this article, youth who engaged in CI-supported programs in El Salvador reported feeling safe at the CI programs, but also reported feeling generally unsafe, and worrying about their safety, in the broader contexts of their lives.

The benefits of youth voice and meaningful and informed youth participation in social and systemic change initiatives are well-documented (Gonzalez et al., 2020; Gonzalez & Kokozos, 2019; Ginwright & Cammarota, 2007), and storytelling has shown promise as an effective pedagogical tool for nurturing and amplifying youth voices. Inspired by the benefits of youth leadership, the authors collaborated with three university undergraduate students to develop #PassTheMicYouth, a multimedia extension program that aims to amplify the social justice contributions of young people and provide educators with resources that center diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in high school and undergraduate classrooms as well as within youth-serving organizations. The flagship resource is a twenty-lesson curriculum entitled "Amplifying Youth Voices: A Storytelling for Social Change Curriculum," which is informed by the Critical Positive Youth Development (CPYD) framework. This paper first reviews and synthesizes scholarship related to the CPYD framework and storytelling as a pedagogical tool, with specific emphasis on personal storytelling and counternarratives. Quantitative and qualitative findings are then introduced and discussed, and finally the strengths and limitations of the study are reviewed and implications for future research and practice are outlined.

We present a dialogue between two community-based scholars in Tio'tia:ke/Montréal, who are examining the experiences of low-income Black families and youth, and gender-diverse, homeless youth. We argue that success must be understood differently in light of the systemic discrimination many youth navigate in schools and explore how research may mirror experiences of discrimination and lack of access that youth navigate in schools. The article highlights how relational research approaches may provide lessons for supporting youth and community leadership and posits that we must foster deep practices of trust-building, shared aims for research impact, and trust in youth.

In this article we explore the work of two after-school programs in Toronto, Ontario. Our Youth Success (OYS) is a community-based mentoring program dedicated to lowering the push-out rates of students of Spanish and/or Portuguese-speaking descent. In the Youth Speak Program (YSP), community activists use spoken word poetry and rapping as a vehicle for Black students to express their emotional lives. The data we present come from two separate studies which both used ethnographic approaches, focusing on observation and interviews with participants (Hammersley & Atkinson, 2019). Using Critical Race Theory (CRT), we examine interview data on how the pedagogical relationships developed in these spaces promote the wellbeing of Latinx and Black youth beyond academic outcomes. We argue that these spaces provide insight into the transformative possibilities of critical pedagogies for the wellbeing and healing of communities who have long been marginalized from mainstream institutions.

Concerned with the ongoing youth mental crisis in the United States, researchers intentionally planned for positive youth development (PYD) practices in nature. Educators, appreciating the critical importance of youth developing relationships and a sense of belonging, may regard this model as a powerful tool to enhance existing programs. Both youth and parents report this as ahigh quality PYD program, resulting in thriving youth. Youth participants feel welcome, supportively challenged, and passionate about the topic; resulting in a growth mindset, hopeful purpose, and openness to challenge and discovery. The program inspired an affinity for nature in both youth participants and associated adults. 97% of youth and 95% of adult caregivers report being inspired to spend more time in nature as a result of the program. The program also inspired increased youth interest in science college and career opportunities.

In the context of an established research-practice partnership with the Hope Resource Center, we piloted The Stories Project, a narrative inquiry study alongside refugee-background youth workers and U.S.-born community members. Our inquiry explored the process by which storytelling could be used to humanize and advocate for refugee-background youth in the United States. Data sources included interviews, dialogue session recordings, participant artifacts, and researcher memos. Findings centered the voices of refugee-background youth workers as they honored each other's unique perspectives and life experiences as well as recognized each other's shared humanity. Collectively, the youth workers identified the importance of being vulnerable, humanizing the refugee experience, and building advocacy as ways to promote social change.

4-H academics responded to the COVID pandemic by rapidly adapting CDC and other resources for virtual delivery. A statewide epidemiology project was taught to 48 youth with the goal of minimizing fears and confusion, increasing prevention measures, leveraging current topics for education, and bolstering the social-emotional health of youth participants. Results indicated that youth enjoyed the project and adopted behaviors to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, such as increased mask-wearing.

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the Virginia Cooperative Extension internship program from the perspective of student participants and their supervisors. Three focus groups were conducted with internship supervisors from the summer of 2019. Student survey data was used to identify concerns from the student perspective to inform the supervisor focus group questions. In addition to the questions, a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was also used to collect qualitative data within the supervisor focus groups. Findings suggest areas of strength that can be used in marketing as well as opportunities for program improvement.

Evaluation data is needed to demonstrate the impact of 4-H science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming on children and youth. However, collecting evaluation data from cloverbuds (ages 5-7) is particularly challenging given their developmental age. We adapted an observational Cloverbud evaluation tool to measure basic life skills, essential elements of positive youth development experiences, and, unique to this tool, STEM specific experiences. We developed the STEM items using educational science standards allowing Extension to document STEM in addition to youth development outcomes. Doing so, may increase the adoption of 4-H STEM programming by teachers in the school setting.

4-H academics responded to the COVID pandemic by rapidly adapting CDC and other resources for virtual delivery. A statewide epidemiology project was taught to 48 youth with the goal of minimizing fears and confusion, increasing prevention measures, leveraging current topics for education, and bolstering the social-emotional health of youth participants. Results indicated that youth enjoyed the project and adopted behaviors to reduce the spread of infectious diseases, such as increased mask-wearing.

Not in education, employment and not in training (NEET) youth as vulnerable groups need to learn and relearn new set of skills needed for the digital age since traditional jobs will be replaced with new jobs that will demand a new set of skills. The study aims to explore the perspectives of NEET youth on the skills they had learnt in youth work practices that are necessary for the digital age. A qualitative approach was employed to guide the gathering and analysis of the data. Some of the skills learnt in youth work practices include business acuity, digital skills, active citizens, and teamwork skill. To improve youth work practices in the digital age, this study recommends that youth workers need to have intensive knowledge so they can implement youth work activities effectively and improve the outcomes of NEET youth in the digital age.

The benefits of afterschool activity participation for youth development are well-documented. An interesting question dominating this field is whether there is a threshold at which point participating in too many activities (breadth) and spending too much time in those activities (intensity) is negatively associated with desirable outcomes. Using 9th grade student data (N=115,731) from three administrations of a state-wide school survey, we explore whether students' breadth and intensity of afterschool participation is associated with GPA and perceived family and community support. Findings corroborate prior research in demonstrating the association between breadth and intensity. Importantly, we extend the discussion, with three important observations. First, a linear model is insufficient for modeling these complex associations with outcomes. Second, there is a threshold at which too much participation has a negative impact in these outcomes. Third, variations in activities, time windows and indices have small or no influence in the association with outcomes.

This research delves into analyzing and comprehending humanistic attitudes within the management framework of the Youth Red Cross (PMR) organization at Madrasah Tsanawiyah Negeri Palopo. Employing a qualitative approach, data is gathered through interviews, observations, and subsequent analysis. The study encompasses various stakeholders: the Headmaster of MTsN Palopo serves as an informant to provide an overview of the school, while administrators relay information regarding the school's general profile. Facilitators from the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia) and participating teachers offer insights into activity implementation. Additionally, interviews with active student participants, including core committee members and department heads, capture their perspectives on activity execution. Findings reveal the pivotal role of humanism in PMR organization management. Members demonstrate a profound concern for fellow students' welfare, evidenced by humanitarian activities like social action and first aid training. Management ethos within the PMR organization also champions humanistic principles. Student leaders focus on service-oriented leadership and meticulous time management from planning to empowering PMR members to actively engage in altruistic endeavors. Humanistic values underpin the ethos of PMR organization management, fostering an environment conducive to leadership cultivation, first aid proficiency, and altruism. Central to this ethos is the ethos of caring for fellow members and students, laying a robust foundation for PMR activities and management steeped in human values. This environment not only supports leadership development but also emphasizes first aid training and mutual assistance, all centered on fostering humanistic values.

This research paper investigates the intersection of the maker movement and educational innovation, using the China-U.S. Young Maker Competition as a foundational example. It examines how maker education, fueled by hands-on learning and a curiosity-driven approach, can evolve and influence. The study explores the roles and impacts of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Design-Driven Innovation (DDI), and Cross-Cultural Perspectives (CCP) within maker education. It highlights HCI's connection of technology with learning, DDI's focus on user-centered solutions, and the significance of CCP in enhancing cultural collaboration, vital for fostering an innovative and creative future. This paper offers a detailed perspective on the current state and future potential of maker education. It proposes a roadmap for the coming decade, emphasizing collaborative learning and creative endeavors, all set within the engaging environment of the competition.

This community-based action research (CBAR) project acknowledges and disrupts existing systemic barriers to bring teacher candidates and grassroots youth organizers together through dialogue and reflection for transformative action. The practice of community-based pedagogy is described and utilized to demonstrate how critical understandings of community may imagine new ways of learning in conventional teacher education programs. This process enhances teacher candidates' understanding and use of community-based pedagogy while supporting youth organizers in social justice initiatives within schools and communities. The findings, which draw from the CBAR project of a white, cis-gender woman who is a teacher educator-scholar-community organizer, provide implications for teacher educators aiming to foster collaborative partnerships with youth-centered grassroots community organizations and intergenerational community members. Teacher educators are invited to engage in paradigm shifts to curate community-based teacher education programs that are stimulated by and benefit local schools and communities.

Background: Historical trauma and cultural loss resulting from colonialism have contributed to educational and health disparities among Pacific youth. Recognizing the protective factors is essential for mitigating disparities and enhancing the overall well-being of these youth. Objective: This review provides evidence about the current state of youth development among Pacific youth. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature published between 2010 and 2020, including the fields of education, social, psychological, and medical sciences. We employed qualitative data analysis of 35 peer-reviewed studies. Results: The majority (69%) of the studies focused on program interventions among 10-19-year-old youth at-risk primarily in New Zealand among Maori (51%) and in the U.S. among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (46%). Health interventions were common in Hawai'i, while the New Zealand studies focused more on measuring youth resilience. Among the three outcomes identified, health/well-being was the most studied area, followed by social-emotional, and cognitive development. The outcomes suggest mainly positive effects on health and well-being, socio-emotional, and cognitive development related to Pacific youth. Conclusions: While the last decade has seen a growth of culturally anchored programs, more research is needed to account for wider social, economic, and political dynamics that impact youth development, which was largely unaccounted for in the extant studies. There is a need for broader developmental frameworks that would, first, align with the context and culture of the youth's community, and second, expand our horizon of the developmental patterns as they occur in diverse sociocultural contexts.

This study explores young people's arts participation through music-making in Finland and the factors that may regulate that participation. It seeks to understand the construction of active modes of arts participation in and through adolescents' musical life courses. The interview study was conducted with young people (N = 18) participating in musical activities in formal and nonformal learning spaces, such as music institutions or activities offered by municipal youth programs. By introducing five musical pathways based on young people's life courses, we explore the ways that adolescents negotiate individual and collective meanings as creative agents in their musical lives. The study shows that access to music education, webs of support, and continuity of musical activities are the key factors regulating young people's arts participation through cultural authorship.

In the wake of the federal government's retrenchment from urban America in the 1970s and 1980s and the resulting rise in inequality, youth-serving, out-of-school time (OST) nonprofits took on a greater role in supporting urban public schools and students. Since then, many educational OST nonprofits have become enriching spaces for youth outside of traditional K-12 classrooms. Yet, their reliance on private philanthropic donations to function often complicates their goals. This article uses a critical, participatory, qualitative case study method to describe the experience of a youth-serving community-based education nonprofit organization in a Northeast city in the United States. In order to understand this nonprofit's role in the urban schooling community context, this article analyzes its aims and interrogates its barriers to success, using two theoretical perspectives: social reproduction and community cultural wealth. Qualitative analysis revealed that the organization is unmoored--unable to completely meet its own goals centered on community cultural wealth, because of limiting traditional conceptions of capital that reinforce and maintain unfair racialized power dynamics.

Background: Summer camp is an experiential learning setting that supports youth development. Due to high fees, youth from low-income backgrounds often have fewer opportunities to attend. Subsequently, there is little literature about these youth's camp experiences. Purpose: This research examined growth and the characteristics supporting growth in memorable camp experiences shared by youth more than one year after attending camps for youth from low-income backgrounds. Methodology: We collected written narratives via an online survey distributed May 2022. A total of 352 youth (M[subscript age] =16.06; SD[subscript age] =0.88) provided narratives. About 56% of youth identified as female and about 23% of youth identified as a youth of color (36% identified as white; race/ethnicity data was not available for about 40% of youth). Considering the entire narrative as the unit of analysis, we inductively coded narratives for growth and characteristics supporting growth. Findings: We identified growth in 33% of youth's narratives (e.g., adopting new perspectives, discovering passions, value clarification, developing resilience). Growth occurred when youth had opportunities to try new activities, overcome challenges, or felt accepted and connected with peers or staff. Implications: These findings provide useful information for practitioners and serve as a foundation for research about youth from low-income backgrounds' camp experiences.

Global policy mobilities have been studied predominantly at the national level of education, but their implications and effects at the subnational level have been disregarded. This paper analyzes Proyectá tu Futuro, the first social impact bond (SIB) for education and employability implemented in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Since 2010, SIBs have become a booming type of policy, rapidly traveling and being adopted across countries and policy spheres. SIBs aim to align the incentives of the private sector--the third sector--and the public sector to obtain results while improving public-policy efficiency. However, often it is policy entrepreneurs' agendas and not results or efficiency goals that trigger SIBs' adoption. In this study, we analyze the diffusion of SIBs as policy mobilities and the processes of adoption and translation in the context of Buenos Aires. To this end, we draw on an analysis of policy documents, existing legal frameworks, and interviews with key actors. Our findings point to the role of "glocal" policy entrepreneurs as key agents for the adoption and translation of SIBs, as well as their capacity to advance their own agendas in the context of global policy mobilities in federal education systems.

This project examined the experiences of six Ethnic Studies students who simultaneously engaged in two youth participatory action research (YPAR) projects, one in school and one out of school. The in-school project was situated within an urban high school that had a predominantly Latinx student population. The research explored the relationship between program context and student experiences of YPAR and was guided by the following question: How do students who are simultaneously involved in two YPAR projects experience an in-school YPAR endeavor along with an afterschool YPAR project, and what are the possibilities and limitations of such interventions? This qualitative case study utilized ethnographic methods, interviews, and a survey to better understand the youth experiences. Findings illustrated that students preferred YPAR to both an Ethnic Studies classroom and a traditional classroom. However, within YPAR, the students preferred the out of school endeavor as it offered more freedom to conduct their work. This research demonstrates the challenges of implementing YPAR within schools. Students noted how traditional classrooms reinforce hierarchical schooling, the in-school YPAR project operated as a form of bounded inquiry, while the out of school endeavor provided a space for open inquiry.

Out-of-school time (OST) programs that work with historically marginalized youth, employ staff that match the demographics of participants, and are well connected to mental health resources are uniquely positioned to support participants to recognize the risks and assets linked to their mental health and well-being. Such programs can simultaneously address career readiness, exposing youth to mental health professionals and career pathways and thereby nurturing the future bilingual-bicultural mental health workforce. This article evaluates the Latino Service Providers (LSP) Youth Promotor Internship program, which was launched in response to the steady increase of the Latinx population in Sonoma County and an attendant concern for ongoing mental health disparities.

During recent decades, educational reform in the U.S. has favored standards-driven curricula with the purpose of improving education. However, national assessments have not demonstrated significant improvements in educational outcomes, especially among economically disadvantaged and minoritized populations. To mitigate these outcomes, youth-serving organizations provide children from these populations with out-of-school time programs to enhance their academic and social skills. This study highlights the significance of programs offered by nonprofit organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs and the need to establish partnerships with universities to foster systematic collaboration. The program described in this article is a one-week summer science camp for students entering grades 4-7. The authors created an instructional unit that integrated literacy and mathematics into a science unit focused on water quality and related environmental issues, while also exploring student outcomes. The interdisciplinary project-based instructional unit focused on culturally responsive practices. Through these practices, students developed awareness of environmental issues and increased their understanding and use of scientific vocabulary related to water quality.

Understanding and identifying the professional development needs of 4-H youth development professionals should be the first step in developing the Extension workforce. However, 4-H professionals find it challenging to use the Professional, Research, Knowledge and Competencies (PRKC), which consists of 348 unique competency items, to guide professional development trainings. The purpose of the study was to determine the professional development needs of National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP) members. A Borich model was used to create a top 10 prioritized list of each PRKC domain to guide professional development of NAE4-HYDP members.

Camps provide a substantial opportunity for youth to develop important life skills. Identifying and training staff on critical competencies are essential to achieving the desired outcomes for camp participants. The purpose of this study was to determine the most critical competencies of the 4-H residential camp staff for achieving high staff performance. The modified Delphi technique was used to achieve study objectives. The Delphi panel of this study consisted of 23 4-H camping experts from across the United States. This three-round Delphi study led to identify 15 critical competencies that will be useful in standardizing 4-H camp staff training programs.

State mandates imposed by governors during COVID-19 affected extracurricular activities for children and youth. To continue providing 4-H programming during quarantine, Clemson Extension 4-H Youth Development Agents created the SC 4-H@Home program. Daily activities were developed that could be completed at-home using common household items and were delivered via email to registered participants. A survey was conducted at the conclusion of the program that included open- and closed-ended questions to gauge the effectiveness of the program. Results indicate that, overall, the SC 4-H@Home program was beneficial to youth and contributed to their education during the COVID-19 crisis.

One of CYFAR's unique features is the built-in planning year for all grant recipients. We present our evaluation team's approach during year 1 to establish a foundation and plan for scholarly publications during funding years 2-5. The systematic literature review provided the team with a better understanding of the culture and context of the project's target population. Collaboration between PI/Co-PI and Evaluator served as a powerful tool to achieving this goal. Not only does this model benefit future CYFAR grant recipients' and Extension professionals' curriculum development and program evaluation, it can also inform recruitment efforts and community partnership development.

Research suggests participating in youth hands-on cooking programs, like those offered by Extension and 4-H, can improve nutrition behaviors and reduce the risk for obesity. We surveyed Georgia Extension professionals (n = 127) to explore factors (e.g., employee characteristics, resources, county demographics) related to offering youth hands-on cooking programs and curricula used. Over 2/3 of participants offer programs and reported creating their own curriculum. More years of experience, having received Extension Specialist training, and increased confidence were positively related to offering these programs. Results suggest training could increase confidence and program implementation and standard curricula may be needed/

Very little has been published reporting on long-term outcomes experienced by young adults (aged 19 to 34 years old) who participated in 4-H youth development programs. We adopted Gambone et al.'s (2002) framework advancing three long-term outcomes for early adulthood: economic stability, health and well-being, and community involvement. With cross-sectional survey methods, we compared long-term impacts between 693 California 4-H young adult alumni and 373 young adults in a U.S. general population sample who had not participated in 4-H. The results demonstrated that 4-H alumni report more positive long-term outcomes than the U.S. general population sample. The study contributes to the dearth of research around long-term outcomes, may be useful for marketing and funding, and will help better understanding the public value of Extension.

A family-skills program for Latino fathers and youth was implemented to prevent youth obesity. Lessons learned focused on practices to address barriers to engagement and retention among fathers and youth within the Latino community. Program development issues included selection of organizations, facilitators, language, and delivery methods. Implementation issues included timing and location. Cultural issues regarding learner needs, and teaching and implementation methods need to be considered. Using the lessons learned, Extension professionals can create impactful programs that engage and retain Latino fathers and youth.

Within the Canadian university sports context, athletics departments are increasingly partnering with community sports organizations to promote youth sports participation, while simultaneously providing student-athletes with volunteer opportunities aimed at developing civically engaged young adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of varsity student-athlete volunteers (n = 10) within a university athletics-community sports partnership program. Volunteers discussed their motivations to volunteer in the partnership program and highlighted various benefits for themselves (e.g., transferable skill development), the youth athletes (e.g., having relatable role models), and the institution and community more broadly (e.g., enhanced community outreach, credibility of programming). Key takeaways and practical recommendations are provided with the aim of fostering quality volunteer experiences within these partnership programs.

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 of UGA youth protocols and service preparedness increased after training for both volunteer groups, though preparedness may be affected by life stage, engagement in youth service roles, and/or comfort with virtual training. The module was considered accessible and convenient by respondents, thus providing a successful approach for offering trainings across program areas.

The teens as teachers model is a promising approach to impact teen behavior. The current study evaluated dietary knowledge and behavior among teen teachers participating in a 4-H youth development program (N = 46; M[subscript age] = 15.5 years; 67% female; 48% Hispanic; 38% White Non-Hispanic, 14% Other). A paired sample t test was conducted on pre- and post-program surveys to identify significant improvements in dietary knowledge and behaviors. Findings suggest teens as teachers is generally effective in promoting healthy dietary knowledge and behavior. We recommend this approach be disseminated within Extension 4-H youth development healthy eating active living programming.

The place of out-of-school time programming in supporting young people's learning and growth is well established. Yet little is known about the staff and volunteers who support young people in school- and community-based afterschool programs, summer camps, national and local youth-serving organizations, and more. The Youth Fields Workforce Study is a national effort to explore, define, and elevate the work of professionals and volunteers in an expansive range of youth-serving organizations. With support from The Wallace Foundation, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) led a constellation of partners, including the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST), in this study of the youth fields workforce. A major part of the study is the Power of Us Workforce Survey, designed to learn about youth workers and their experiences in the field. This article highlights the perspectives of youth fields professionals on critical workforce issues. Each Perspective explores a single workforce issue or sector: (1) Community institutions; (2) Summer Perspective; (3) Entry points and recruitment; (4) Compensation Perspective; (5) Career pathways; and (6) Recommendations

Introduction: In 2021, leaders in Birmingham, Alabama established one of the first LGBTQ-affirming charter schools in the United States to serve students who have dropped out, are not thriving in traditional schools, or are enrolled in home-school programs. Methods: Using deductive analysis, our research team filtered data through the five pre-defined themes of the Youth Thrive Framework: (a) youth resilience, (b) social connections, (c) knowledge of adolescent development, (d) concrete support in times of need, and (e) cognitive and social-emotional competence. Results: Study findings suggest that MCAA's innovative and adaptive approaches to curriculum, discipline, and student engagement align with the tenets of the Youth Thrive Framework. Conclusion: While the Youth Thrive Framework was originally designed in the context of the foster care system, we believe the five protective and promotive factors that comprise the framework may be applied to other contexts, such as educational settings, to support health promoting behavior.

Restorative Justice (RJ) models of diversion from the criminal justice system have been used successfully with adults and youth charged with minor offenses. Professionally mediated RJ conferences bring together the offender and the person(s) harmed to discuss the impact of their actions and develop a plan to restore community safety and make amends. An RJ model aimed at diverting youth from the juvenile justice system for minor offenses has successfully worked in an urban region in Kentucky for over a decade. The same RJ model was piloted in a very rural region of the state. The program goal was to decrease youth involvement in the criminal justice system and create positive change within the communities and families involved in youth-initiated crimes. Interestingly, the rural location of the RJ program has run into unique challenges not experienced in the urban area. This paper examines preliminary outcomes data. Differences in juvenile justice and community involvement approaches that need to be addressed when establishing an RJ program in a geographically rural area are highlighted. Suggestions for how to incorporate RJ diversion programs into rural communities are provided.

This study assesses the impact of five years of community level activities in the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan (PYFMP) on four school-related risk and protective factors including academic failure, low school commitment, school opportunities for prosocial involvement, and school rewards for prosocial involvement. The intervention and assessment were guided by an integrated conceptual framework which combined social cognitive theory and the risk and protective factors approach. The study conducted same and independent group comparisons of school-related risk and protective factors in 2005-06 (N = 3,967), and 2009-10 (N = 2,693). Two-proportion z-tests were performed at an alpha of 0.05 in four methods of comparative analysis including the following: same students, inter-grade change, same grade, and overall 2005-06 to 2009-10 comparisons. Trends for both school opportunities for prosocial involvement and academic failure were positive on all methods of analysis. Results for school rewards for prosocial involvement and low school commitment showed both negative and positive trends. There is a likelihood the interventions contributed to observed variations between baseline and follow-up because parents, teachers, and students were participants in community intervention activities; there were no other major community initiatives; and there is a convergence of data patterns across methods of comparative analysis and assessed factors. Specific recommendations are provided for community intervention program implementers in Pomona and other poorly resourced communities.