Substance abuse, depression, unsafe sex and delinquency are not specifically addressed by youth programs like 4-H, but according to a recent study, the program — and many other similar youth programs — has in fact been successful in stemming problems such as these.
The study finds that 4-H, which includes after-school dance, sports, wellness and literacy programs, has fostered positive development in a subject pool of 6,000 fourth graders in elementary schools throughout the country.
"It's a very broad system for kids aged eight to 18 with a host of programs for various formats — through clubs, after-school programs, classical agriculture, all the way to public speaking [and] urban gardening," Richard Lerner, the director of the study, said. Lerner is also the Bergstrom Chair and director of the Institute for Applied Research in Youth Development, which is linked to the Department of Child Development at Tufts.
The study's results indicate that sixth graders involved in 4-H programs earn better grades, are more engaged in school, demonstrate better behavior in school and are more likely to go to college than children enrolled in other programs. The 4-H program is also associated with improving family interactions through family dinners and acceptance of adult mentors.
4-H offers its programs at 106 land-grant universities and colleges. According to the 4-H Web site, approximately 6 million youths have participated and the organization intends to enroll 1 million more by 2013.
The 4-H Study of Positive Youth Development started in 2002 after Lerner received funding for his research project. Since then, he has gathered data from kids and teenagers who have participated in the 4-H program in each of the 48 participating states. His research has been compiled from five consecutive years of study.
"Basically, we look at strengths of young people and what we can do as families, after-school programs, teachers, policy makers, businesses to foster these strengths and promote the good things in people," Lerner said. "The programs use a set of strategies to promote development: positive, sustained life-skill building abilities in the context of mentoring."
Lerner said that positive youth development is attributed to the five C's taught through 4-H: competence, confidence, connection, caring and compassion
Because of 4-H's high emphasis on values, Lerner believes that it is more advantageous than other youth programs like the Boys Club and YMCA.
"4-H is more likely than other youth development programs to produce a young person who contributes to the community," he said. "It is also linking up with higher stem skills [such as the] sciences, technology, and math."
Although the majority of youth in the United States are not affiliated with 4-H, Learner found that 88 percent of them take part in some form of an after-school activity.
"The average kid is doing more than three programs each year, with sports being the most dominant," he said.
Many students at Tufts participated in after-school programs growing up. Freshman Laurie Merker, who participated in the swimming program of the Boys and Girls Club when she was in elementary school, did not think she considerably benefited from the program, but she is certain that most others should have.
"I think it can be very helpful for people who don't have strong support systems in their homes," Merker said.
Freshman Derek Moody has heard of 4-H, and during his youth expressed some interest in joining its environmental program.
Moody believes that the positive developmental effects of the programs are likely not felt by the participants themselves in a radical way, but he does not doubt the research that has proven the benefits.
"I think it's a small part of the bigger picture," Moody said, referring to how these small programs could synergistically bring about some form of a positive development.
One drawback to joining the 4-H program is the cost, which is said to be between $100 and $500 for a basic annual membership. The costs vary from state to state and depend on the program.
However, based on past statistics, Lerner points out that more kids are participating in such youth programs, whether or not they are 4-H programs. His next step is to analyze the data in 12th grades to better understand the gap between middle and high school.
The 4-H program in the state of Massachusetts is offered through the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Currently, it offers courses in Animal Science, Communications, Community, Science and Leadership.
