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4-H Afterschool Adventure Special Project
Program Description
Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) of Mercer County partnered with the Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources, and Culture to provide a 12-week adventure-based learning program to twenty at-risk youth at the Holland Weed and Seed Safe Haven in Trenton. 4-H Afterschool Adventure used a series of group initiative activities (Rhonke, Project Adventure) and outdoor adventure activities to foster the development of life skills (goal setting, problem solving, communication, team building, leadership) and ultimately the development of character (self-confidence, tolerance, respect, trust) in the inner-city youth enrolled in the afterschool program.
4-H
staff met with the youth for 3-4 hours during afterschool time at
least once a week for the duration of the program. 4-H Afterschool
Adventure started with two classroom based sessions designed to provide
youth the foundation they needed prior to the adventure-based activities.
These introductory sessions included Discovering My True Colors (©2000
True Colors, Inc.) and SMART Goal Setting. The 4-H staff then led
teams of youth through several group initiatives including: pyramid
construction, group skis, all aboard, toxic waste, moonball, swamp
crossing, and TP shuffle. In order to be successful in each challenge,
the students discovered the necessity of effective leadership, team
building, goal setting, communication, planning, and decision-making.
The staff facilitated and debriefed each activity in order to capitalize
on each 'teachable moment' and allow the students to discuss and
process the lessons learned from each initiative.
The 4-H Afterschool Adventure youth also participated in five outdoor adventure activities including simulated rock climbing, horse grooming and riding, canoeing, and mountain biking. These adventure activities were included to provide the participants with an opportunity to experience physical and mental challenges that lie outside of their comfort zone. Through risk taking, trust, and commitment, students were able to achieve beyond preconceived expectations.
Impact
Changes in Self Esteem, Trust, and Personal Responsibility
Twelve of the 20 program participants completed an instrument designed to measure self-esteem, trust, and personal responsibility before and after 4-H Afterschool Adventure. The average change in self-esteem for the participants (Holland) was a gain of 2.97 percent, a gain of 4.11 percent in trust, and a gain of 14.28 percent for personal responsibility - for a gain of 4.59 percent in the total life skills score (SE+T+PR). The control group (students attending a similar Trenton Weed and Seed Safe Haven afterschool program that didn't participate in the 4-H adventure program) experienced losses in every measure (trust, -13.40 percent; personal responsibility, -10.20 percent; life skills, -5.17 percent) except self-esteem (+1.90 percent).
The participants were asked to list the two most important things they learned as a result of 4-H Afterschool Adventure. A selection of their responses follows.
-
You
can go above your reach. - To accomplish more things.
- I learned to never give up.
- That we have certain goals.
- To work as a team.
- You have to put you and your teammates ideas together to make it better.
- I learned to give people a chance, even if you don't know them.
- How to trust the other people on my team.
- Learned how to make friends.
The director of the Holland Weed and Seed Safe Haven noted, There has been a noticeable change in many of our participants' behavior. At first, participants were reluctant to participate in group activities, but through positive encouragement, they were able to enter the team circle and contribute effectively. I believe our children were given an outlet for expression, and this, in turn, created the elevation of higher self-esteem.
Future Plans
As
a result of this program, Mercer County 4-H Youth Development is
now represented on the Seed Committee of the Trenton Department of
Recreation, Natural Resources, and Culture. Plans are currently being
made to offer the 12-week program to youth from three of Trenton's
other community centers during the 2004-2005 school year.
Program Staff
Chad Ripberger, County 4-H Agent
Valarie Benning, Program Assistant
Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES)br> Mercer County 4-H
Youth Development
930 Spruce Street
Trenton, NJ 08648
Phone: 609-989-6833
Fax: 609-396-9573
Email: ripberger@rce.rutgers.edu
