Youths in Cabell County will soon benefit from educational guidance and mentoring with the help of West Virginia University Extension Service’s 4-H mentoring program and a $128,000 grant from the National 4-H Council and the United States Department of Justice.

“We have been identified as leaders in this national 4-H program, and the funding will help to further our land-grant mission to connect with and improve the lives of West Virginians in as many ways as possible,” explained Nila Cobb, WVU Extension Service Cabell County 4-H Youth Development agent and principle investigator for the grant.

This is the fifth time WVU Extension’s 4-H Mentoring program has been awarded the grant, and Cobb explains that Extension’s program often sets the standard for other states’ programs across the country.

Target areas of the 4-H Mentoring program focus on youth safety, juvenile delinquency prevention, decreasing school dropout rate, and reducing youth unemployment by engaging young people in 4-H programming and community service activities to develop important life and leadership skills.

“The program is designed to empower youths with guidance from mentors and a variety of hands-on activities to help them make the right decision, the easy decision,” added Cobb.

The 4-H Mentoring program initiative, fueled by the grant, will use trusted University research to implement a curriculum developed by WVU faculty to create and ensure successful outcomes for the youths and families involved.

The program uses three components, including one-to-one mentoring, 4-H club activities that provide leadership opportunities, community service focused causes, and group projects. The third component involves family night out events that allow for the development and reinforcement of family bonds.

“There’s no better way to make a positive impact in the lives of West Virginia youths than through WVU Extension Service’s 4-H program,” remarked Cobb. “Our goal is not only to encourage smart decision-making in youths, but to open up opportunity.”

This year, WVU Extension Service celebrates a century of service to West Virginians. As the primary outreach division of the University, Extension connects with more than 80,000 youths across the state through 4-H, educating 1 out of every 4 young people to help them learn valuable life and leadership skills each year through various programs, camps, and other structured, educational, and skill-building activities and curriculums.

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bdg/11/20/14

Cassie Thomas, WVU Extension Service
304.293.8735 or email Cassie.Thomas@mail.wvu.edu

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