Youth Development Insight

By Anja Johnson Despite the increasing awareness regarding sustainability and agriculture, there is still a significant amount of work to be done. Since 2020, we have witnessed a surge in sustainable agriculture practices. According to the 2025 Minnesota AFNR blueprint review , agriculture education continues to grow in both urban and rural communities. The once prevalent rural community agriculture is now being interwoven into urban areas across Minnesota. Recognizing the trend towards sustainable agriculture, Minnesota 4-H created a curriculum to educate both youth and adults across Minnesota and beyond. Fields, Food, and You: Cultivating Global Agriculture Awareness was designed to be adaptable for various audiences and environments, ensuring a broad reach and impact. A curriculum for both urban and rural youth in grades 3-8 The "Fields, Food, and You" curriculum comprises 10 lessons focused on agronomy. Each lesson includes modifications to help facilitators adapt the c

By Darcy Cole In America, young adults owe over $1 trillion in debt (the top two debt sources being mortgages and student loans ), with nearly 70% of millennials living paycheck to paycheck. These statistics demonstrate a systemic issue and the need for increased financial literacy education for all young people to both prevent and manage debt. Many schools (and for that fact, families) do not place enough emphasis on teaching financial literacy skills to youth. This gap is an opportunity for youth development organizations to step in to fill a crucial need. Our programs can serve as a safe environment for youth to learn essential financial literacy life skills.  Ramsey Education's Financial Literacy Crisis in America: 2023 Report further demonstrates the need for increased attention to financial literacy for U.S. adults. Findings include that: 88% of adults said that high school did not leave them "fully-prepared" to handle money. 74% of adults said they would have ma

By Sarah Devine My love of astronomy started before I can remember. I was always the kid who was going to be an astronaut. As I grew up and went through school, that passion ebbed and flowed, music came in for many years as my primary activity, but science was always right there behind it. I remember my parents suggesting I should only take one science class at a time during high school so that I could keep balance in my life. While I never thought I’d be an educator, I followed new opportunities as they arose and found my way to teaching. Through teaching science and sharing my passion for astronomy, I do get to be an astronaut and explorer, at least virtually in the planetarium and when using telescopes.  So why do I share this story with you? Youth development is about helping youth find their sparks and passions. It's about helping them grow the skills needed in our modern, culturally connected world. I’ve seen how a passionate mentor or educator can open new ideas for youth,

By Savannah Aanerud What makes a leader a great one? My colleague Anna Rose and I recently had the privilege of leading 34 youth and 4 chaperones on the trip of a lifetime to Washington D.C. for the National 4-H Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) Conference . CWF’s mission is that, "Youth will learn about leadership through the lens of American Democracy." We toured Smithsonian museums, national monuments, and Arlington Cemetery to explore what it means to be an agent of change. While touring the National Portrait Gallery , we explored democracy through the people who have helped shape our country, from poets to presidents and from activists to visionaries. What is a portrait?  One of my favorite definitions comes from the National Gallery of Ireland : "A portrait is an artwork that tells a person’s story. The artwork can be made of any material, from painting on canvas to a piece of performance art!" We saw portraits of impactful individuals such as Benjamin Frankl

By Kate Walker I wrote a post on youth development lessons from the hit TV series Ted Lasso . That inspired me to find similar lessons in my new favorite show, The Bear , which is about a renowned chef who returns to his hometown of Chicago to run his late brother’s struggling Italian beef sandwich shop. Chef Carmy dreams of transforming the restaurant into a world-class restaurant, but is constantly battling personal struggles, crushing debt, a rundown kitchen and unruly staff. Through it all, I draw important lessons in teamwork, leadership, personal growth and purpose. Teamwork and leadership The show demonstrates the value of diversity in a team, where different personalities come together to solve problems and overcome setbacks, from failed inspections to exploding toilets. As chef de cuisine, Carmy listens to the kitchen staff, seeking their expertise and advice before determining the path forward. Determined sous-chef Sydney studies and applies leadership lessons from Duke Unive

By Sarah Odendahl I sometimes find myself talking with other parents about the desire to help our children thrive as they grow - but what does thriving really mean? How do we define it? The  4-H Thriving Model describes youth thriving as "social, emotional, and cognitive learning." It also describes seven indicators of thriving, including "hopeful purpose." The model describes a hopeful purpose this way: "Thriving youth have a sense of hope and purpose, and see themselves on the way to a happy and successful future." How common is it for young people to feel this way?  We know that the  American Academy of Pediatrics declared a youth mental health crisis in 2021 , and that Gen Z experiences higher rates of anxiety about extreme weather and climate change and  perceive more dangers in life than previous generations . Two surveys from the end of 2023 asked youth about hope and purpose more directly. Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation report only 64-6