Source: Kim Schrader, 4-H agriculture extension specialist 

The collaboration between the military and University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service (CES), through the 4-H Youth Development program, exemplifies a shared approach to supporting military-connected youth and their families. This partnership is known as the 4-H Military Partnership. 

UK CES provides 4-H educators with the training and resources needed to support military-connected youth, ensuring that the next generation of leaders is well-prepared to face the future with confidence and skill. 

With 46,406 active military personnel, 35.3% of whom have children with a significant portion falling within the 4-H age range of 5-18 years, supportive educational programs are needed.  

Among the 12,008 Kentucky National Guard members, 42.9% have children with 58.9% within the 4-H eligible age. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Defense's Military One Source, these figures underscore the potential reach and impact of educational programs. 

The 4-H Military Partnership program: 

• Focuses on positive youth development, offering military-connected youth opportunities to engage in learning experiences in science, health, agriculture, civic engagement and more 

• Provides a platform for young individuals to explore their interests, developing essential life skills and growing them into future leaders. Through hands-on projects and supportive mentors and peers, youth learn by doing — fostering a sense of independence, confidence, resilience and compassion. 

• Offers programming in a safe, nurturing environment for military-connected children. Stability is crucial for families frequently on the move or dealing with the challenges of deployment and reintegration. By connecting these families with local and state 4-H programs, the partnership ensures that military children have the continuity and support needed to excel. 

Engaging in 4-H programs shows youth are four times more likely to contribute to their communities, twice as likely to make healthy choices and twice as likely to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) opportunities.  

For military families, this means that while service members focus on their duties, children are participating in high-quality, positive youth development programs. 

For more information on the 4-H Military Partnership, contact the (COUNTY NAME) office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service.  

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Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.   

The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment news and communications team provides monthly Extension Exclusives in the categories of Horticulture, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H and Family & Consumer Sciences. To see more exclusives, visit https://exclusives.ca.uky.edu.  

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