New systematic reviews on 4-H public speaking programs and volunteer engagement

How can 4-H youth programs improve volunteer recruitment and retention? What is the impact of 4-H public speaking programs? The latest BCTR systematic translational reviews (STRs) address these questions. These topics were proposed to the BCTR Research Synthesis Project as questions that needed addressing with the best existing research available in order to strengthen 4-H programming and improve volunteer engagement and retention.

The Impact of 4-H Public Speaking Programs STR reports that there seem to be some positive outcomes from youth participation in public speaking programs, but more rigorous research is needed to confirm these findings.

The Volunteer Motivation STR finds that when volunteers’ experiences are more closely connected to their initial motivations to give time, they may be more likely to sign up and stay on in a volunteer role.

The BCTR Research Synthesis Project supports the development of high-quality evidence summaries on topics nominated by practitioners and faculty within the Cornell Cooperative Extension system to illuminate the evidence base for their work.

To meet this need, the Systematic Translational Review (STR) process was developed to provide replicable systems and protocols for conducting timely and trustworthy research syntheses. STRs include the systematic features of a traditional review, the speed of a rapid review, and the inclusion of practitioner expertise to help guide search parameters and identify appropriate sources. By drawing upon both practitioner wisdom and the best available empirical evidence, the STR process supports the translation of evidence to practice in real-world settings.

A full listing of past STRs can be found here.

Talks at Twelve: Andrew Turner, Thursday, May 12, 2016

Exploring the Building Blocks of Disruptive Innovation in Cornell Cooperative Extension
Andrew Turner, New York 4-H Youth Development

Thursday, May 12, 2016
12:00-1:00 PM
Beebe Hall, 2nd floor conference room

BCTR in the Fall 2015 Human Ecology Magazine

The BCTR's New York State 4-H Youth Development Program is featured on the cover of the Fall Human Ecology Magazine. Also inside, an article introduces the BCTR Faculty Fellows program.

Lighting a Fire: 4-H programs spark New York youth to pursue STEM careers and higher education (pp. 20-25)

Excerpt:

Linking Research and Real Life

In New York, 4-H reaches 170,000 youth across 62 counties. The state organization is anchored at Human Ecology’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research, where researchers partner with 4-H community educators to develop programs, test new ideas in youth development, and measure outcomes.

Together, BCTR faculty and 4-H leaders are studying the best ways to recruit and retain youth and offering professional development opportunities to 4-H educators, including conferences where faculty share the latest youth development research to educators and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) county leaders.

“BCTR is a natural place for 4-H,” says Elaine Wethington, Bronfenbrenner Center acting director. “Part of the process of translating research is to have faculty interact with practitioners on the ground to co-develop new projects. Connecting with 4-H and its programs provides opportunities to benefi t many more New York youth by allowing our researchers to learn from 4-H and also helping 4-H to improve its programs.”

Andy Turner, New York state 4-H program leader, agrees the partnership is a two-way street that benefi ts 4-H and the College of Human Ecology.

“There are strong similarities between the positive youth development framework that is guiding 4-H and the work of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological model of human development,” he says. “Bringing 4-H into the BCTR allows us to look for ways to integrate youth development practice with emerging research and evidenced-based practice. It’s clear that 4-H is a major player in the extension and outreach mission of the college”

 

Community Connections: Bronfenbrenner Center launches Faculty Fellows program (p. 41)

Excerpt:

Pairing faculty members with community members and extension staff, the college’s Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research this year named three professors to two-year terms as Faculty Fellows. The new program, funded in part by a gift from Evalyn Edwards Milman ’60 and Stephen Milman ’58, MBA ’59, allows professors to pursue research in response to public needs.

“Our aim is to embed the fellows and their students in BCTR activities and have them learn from others doing translational research,” says Elaine Wethington, acting director of BCTR and professor of human development and sociology.

For more on the new fellows, see our recent news post.

Human Ecology Magazine - Fall 2015

NY State 4-H on PBS for American Graduate Day

Soledad O'Brien, Jamila Simon, and Nosa Akol

As part of PBS American Graduate Day 2015 on Saturday, Oct. 3, Broome County CITIZEN U leader Nosa Akol and Jamila Simon, New York State 4-H citizenship and civic engagement specialist, spoke to a national audience about the power of youth development programs.

American Graduate Day 2015 celebrates the exceptional work of individuals and groups across the country who are American Graduate Champions: those helping local youth stay on track to college and career successes. Hosted by journalist Soledad O’Brien, the broadcast featured seven hours of national and local programming, live interviews, and performances.

Simon and Akol, a graduate of Binghamton High School, represented CITIZEN U and 4-H during their interview. A native of South Sudan, Akol shared how Cornell youth development programs helped her to gain confidence and communication and leadership skills to overcome painful bullying about her dark skin tone. In 2015, she won the 2015 4-H Youth in Action Award, the organization’s highest honor.

(Above story from the College of Human Ecology tumblr)

Video of Jamila and Nosa on PBS American Graduate Day:

Nosa Akol received the 2015 4-H Youth in Action Award, the highest 4-H honor, for her exemplary leadership in creating positive changes in her community, empowering peers, and overcoming personal challenges. The video below was created at the time of the award. In it Nosa discusses the influence 4-H and CITIZEN U have had on her life and others express their admiration for Nosa and her work.

Teen leader Nosa Akol takes her message to PBS - Cornell Chronicle
PBS spotlights Cornell youth development success - Cornell College of Human Ecology tumblr

4-H at the 2015 New York State Fair

Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett visits with 4-H members at the State Fair.

As always, the 4-H building at the New York State Fair was lively with activity and VIP guests. The ever-popular Dairy Cattle Birthing Center featured many 4-H youth with their cows. Visitors could view a domed incubator with hatching chicks. Another favorite annual event, the Robotics Challenge had teams competing for prizes. For the Junior Iron Chef competition, youth took Fair foods with little nutritional value and added healthy ingredients to create a new, tasty, and nutritional dish. A Fashion Revue featured runway models working 4-H youth designer creations.

Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett stopped by the 4-H Youth Building and was interviewed by 4-H members, saying,

[This is] a great opportunity to learn leadership skills, gain confidence and the ability to speak in public, and to think on your feet. It’s really great to see how many women are involved in 4-H – along with some terrific young men. My sister was involved in 4-H … and it seems to me it’s really changing from how I knew it 30 or more years ago. It has many more women involved than when I remember – and I’d like to see that continue.

College of Human Ecology Dean Alan Mathios also dropped in and was interviewed by 4-H youth.

Nearby the Fashion Revue Cornell researchers offered a glimpse of fashions and fabrics of the future including clothing that illuminates in sync with sound. Juan Hinestroza, associate professor of fiber science and apparel design, showcased work from his Textiles Nanotechnology Laboratory, including functional cotton that repels bacteria, eliminates noxious gases, and conducts electricity.

4-H Media Corps interview with Juan Hinestroza:

The New York State 4-H Facebook page has many more videos from the Fair, including the Fashion Revue, Robotics Challenge, and Dog Show.

Garrett savors New York State Fair's Cornell connections - Cornell Chronicle
Future fabrics dazzle at New York State Fair - Cornell Chronicle

New research initiative to promote positive youth development

Anthony Burrow and Jane Mendle

The BCTR is pleased to announce the launch of a new initiative called the Program for Research on Youth Development and Evaluation (PRYDE). Continuing the legacy of Urie Bronfenbrenner, the program will link science and service in innovative ways by involving 4-H communities in basic and applied research designed to understand and improve youth experiences.

PRYDE is led by BCTR faculty affiliates Anthony Burrow and Jane Mendle, both faculty members in the Department of Human Development. The program is supported by a BCTR-funded post-doctoral fellow, Jennifer Agans, as well as an advisory committee of 4-H and BCTR faculty and staff including Andy Turner, Karl Pillemer, Elaine Wethington, and Marie Cope. PRYDE’s initial projects include the development of an interactive mapping tool for Cornell faculty and staff to identify 4-H Youth Development programs with populations that meet their research needs, as well as and a new study to examine the role of purpose in youth engagement in 4-H programs.

These activities will lay the groundwork for PRYDE’s primary goal of creating a nationally prominent program for translational research on youth development to benefit the thousands of urban and rural 4-H participants in New York State and beyond. Stay tuned for resources and opportunities to get involved!

4-H’ers hit campus for 2015 Career Explorations

Experimenting with lithography during a nanotechnology workshop

The BCTR's Alexa Maille (STEM specialist, NY State 4-H) describes Career Explorations as "a program that focuses strongly on career pathways and offers kids the opportunity to try things that they have never heard of before.” The 4-H event, a version of which started in the 1920's, brings hundreds of teens to campus each summer to explore the sciences, interact with researchers, and experience campus life.

This year's Career Explorations (June 30-July 2) brought 360 teens to Cornell where they analyzed soil and water, ate bugs, made monoprints at the Johnson Museum, and built rockets, among other activities. The event features two tracks: University U, a variety of short programs aimed at middle school youth, and Focus for Teens, which offers 10th- through 12th-graders specific career tracks to explore for three days.

4-H teens get a taste for college at Career Explorations - Cornell Chronicle
Teens explore careers at Cornell conference - Ithaca Journal

New York 4-H member wins national award

Nosa Akol during her 2014 summer internship with the Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health at Cornell, where she served as a biological science aide.

Nosa Akol, a leader in the 4-H CITIZEN U program in Broome County, is the recipient of the  2015 4-H Youth in Action Award, the organization’s highest youth honor. Nosa, originally from South Sudan, is a senior at Binghamton High School.

Nosa's CITIZEN U projects included the Great Pothole Solution Project for the city of Binghamton and a nutrition education program to help local grade schoolers adopt healthier lifestyles.

She was chosen from more than 80 candidates for driving positive community change, empowering peers and overcoming personal challenges. Along with the award’s $10,000 scholarship, Nosa will be honored at National 4-H Council’s sixth annual Legacy Awards April 23 in Washington, D.C.

Jennifer Sirangelo, National 4-H Council president and CEO, praised Nosa, saying:

We could not be more proud to recognize Nosa as this year’s 4-H Youth in Action Award Winner. She exemplifies the life-changing impact of the 4-H experience and represents millions of confident 4-H’ers all over the U.S. who are empowered with the life skills to tackle personal and community challenges today and to thrive in their careers tomorrow.

New York 4-H'er earns top prize for youth engagement - Cornell Chronicle

Collaboration with CCE on new youth development curriculum

A new training curriculum for youth work professionals, Positive Youth Development 101, has just been released by the ACT for Youth Center of Excellence. Authored by Jutta Dotterweich, the curriculum was developed in collaboration with New York State (NYS) 4-H, the NYS 4-H Educator Association, the Risk and Thriving in Adolescence Program Work Team, and several youth development consultants and former trainers of the NYS Advancing Youth Development (AYD) Partnership.

This curriculum is designed for professionals who work directly with youth in late childhood and adolescence in a wide range of educational, recreational, or residential programs. It is especially appropriate for newly hired 4-H or community educators within the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) network.

The first phase of curriculum development consisted of a literature review and series of meetings to reflect on lessons learned from past youth development training initiatives such as the AYD Partnership. This led to a draft curriculum structured as a 10-hour training. The draft curriculum was pilot-tested in three upstate locations and in New York City. Participants included CCE 4-H educators and other CCE community educators working with youth, as well as community-based youth work professionals outside the CCE network. During each pilot training, participants provided extensive feedback on activities and materials.

Positive Youth Development 101 and all related materials are available without charge from the ACT for Youth site. This curriculum development and training project is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Smith Lever project 2012-13-272.

CCE Summer Interns present their research findings

Katrina Simon next to her poster on her research with 4-H

This year's Cornell Cooperative Extension Summer Interns presented on their summer research on October 7th. Included in the group were four students who worked with BCTR researchers (listed below). This year each student gave a condensed one-minute presentation on their work. Presentations were followed by a poster session/reception where students could talk to attendees about their research.

Each year the Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Summer Internship Program connects undergraduates with faculty research projects, helping Cornell fulfill its land grant mission by engaging students in outreach. From research to education and program development, interns are involved in a wide spectrum of activities which they document by blogging.

This year's BCTR-connected projects, which collectively reached eight counties:

Building a Community Legacy Together Program Evaluation
Faculty: Karl Pillemer
Location: CCE Orange County and CCE Genesee County
Student blog by Masrai Williams

Parent Education in New York City: The Parenting A Second Time Around (PASTA) Project
Faculty: Rachel Dunifon
Location: CCE New York City
Student blog by Paisley Marie Terenzi

Refugee Family Child Care Provider Project
Faculty: John Eckenrode with Lisa McCabe
Location: CCE Madison-Oneida County
Student blog by Emily Nina Satinsky

Research for the Continuous Improvement of 4-H
Faculty: Stephen Hamilton
Location: Erie (base), Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming Counties
Student blog by Katrina Simon

Cooperative Extension interns report on statewide research - Cornell Chronicle