Kentucky's 4-H Youth Development has provided after- school programs for nearly 100 years. These programs have included projects, clubs, camping and community service.

We are expanding our after-school efforts by developing partnerships with other youth-service organizations including the 21st Century program sponsored by the Department of Education, local faith-based-sponsored programs and child- care programs.

The purpose of these programs is to ensure that children and youth are in a safe, healthy and enriching environment when away from their families. The 4-H Afterschool program (www4hafterschol.org) is being used throughout the United States and its territories.

Nationwide, more than 4.2 million students participate in 4-H Afterschool programs.

In its broadest sense, the goals of 4-H Afterschool are to put into practice innovative, "learn-by-doing " curricula, provide staff training and resource materials to other organizations doing after-school programming, establish 4-H clubs at after-school sites, and endorse the benefits of after- school programs.

Youth in an after-school programs benefit from our "learn- by-doing," "hands-on" learning approach. 4-H Afterschool gives students opportunities to learn and grow through innovative, educational and fun activities covering a broad spectrum of topics. These include citizenship and

civic education, communication and expressive arts, consumer and family sciences, environmental and earth sciences, healthy lifestyle education, personal development, leadership, plants and animals, and science and technology.

Parents with children in after-school programs observed many benefits including increased interest in school, heightened learning skills and more positive behaviors, according to a 2002 Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds study.

Since 4-H is a part of the Cooperative Extension System, this dynamic program utilizes the knowledge and resources of land-grant universities.

About 40 CES 4-H agents recently attended a training session, enabling them to better carry out 4-H Afterschool programs and train others in youth-servicing organizations to use this program.

Staff development and training are one of the CES strengths. 4-H professionals can offer assistance in a wide range of areas including youth development, life skills development, guidance, health, nutrition, "hands-on" learning techniques to use with youth, program management, and recruiting and training volunteers. By working with local 4-H professionals, after-school staff can develop high-quality programs geared to local needs and interests.

To help spearhead this program nationwide, 4-H Afterschool has released a comprehensive toolkit, "4-H Afterschool in a Box," containing instructional and promotional materials to help youth-servicing organizations improve existing programs or create new ones. The research-

based curricula were developed using expertise from land- grant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension System. The JC Penney Afterschool Fund donated resources for this innovative program, including the "4-H Afterschool in a Box."

For more information on establishing or working with 4-H Afterschool, contact the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service.