Youth Building Programs

Puppetry, ecology, camping and meeting state legislators were the vehicles used to get youth involved in their communities and to prepare them for futures in community leadership.

Introducing young students to environmental and transportation planning, land use issues and local government infrastructure is the project goal of Planning Curriculum for Elementary School Children. The Central Savannah River Area Regional Development Center integrated project topics into the school curriculum of 80 third graders. The children followed a lesson guide and were then given materials to build a model city as a group. Following construction the children discussed strategic items, such as building placement and what could be changed to fit more people in the city. Map reading and development were central to project lessons.

Green River Children's Camp

Constructed on the shores of Kentucky’s Green River Reservoir, the Green River Children’s Camp project was established with funding from the Canadian-based Tim Horton Foundation and in cooperation with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District and local and state partners. The project goal is to increase self-esteem among underprivileged children by providing a summer camping experience and international travel. Approximately 400 underprivileged children will travel monthly from Canada to the summer camp and from the camp to a foundation-owned camp in Canada. The exchange is also seen as an opportunity to foster international goodwill. The camp is the foundation’s seventh summer camp and the first outside of Canada.

Created two years ago by the Gateway Area Development District and partners, the Montgomery County Teen Leadership program in Kentucky is being replicated by neighboring communities. Local leaders recognized the need to prepare youth for future roles as community leaders and formed a teen leadership advisory board. The board developed a plan to annually select 20 students from grades 8-12. Monthly classroom sessions and site visits, such as a meeting at the state capitol with the governor and state legislators, give youth help in understanding how state law is made while watching government in action.

The Building Youth Resiliency Through Puppetry program is a creative approach to science-based behavioral health education for primary school children. Developed by the Region Nine Development Commission Prevention and Healthy Communities Network, the program’s 34 puppet scripts teach children about the effects of drugs, tobacco and alcohol and promote self-esteem and social skills building. The puppet shows use the same consistent story line, altering content and script length to meet the developmental stages among the child audience. The puppet performers also get children actively involved in the production.

Award Winners Planning Curriculum for Elementary School Children, Central Savannah River Area RDC. Contact: Lori Sand, 3023 Riverwatch Parkway, Suite A, Augusta, GA 30907-2016; (706) 210-2000; fax (706) 210-2006; email lsand@csrardc.org; web www.csradc.org Green River Children’s Camp, Lake Cumberland ADD. Contact: Donna Diaz, PO Box 1570, Russell Springs, KY 42642; (270) 866-4200; fax (270) 866-2044; email donna.diaz@mail.state.ky.us; web www.lcadd.org

Montgomery County Teen Leadership, Gateway ADD. Contact: Pamela Farmer, PO Box 1070, Owingsville, KY 40360; (606) 674-6355; fax (606) 674-6658; email pamelas.farmer@mail.state.ky.us Building Youth Resiliency Through Puppetry, Region Nine Development Commission Prevention and Healthy Communities Network. Contact: Barb Lamson, PO Box 3367, Mankato, MN 56002-3367; (507) 389-8877; fax (507) 387-7105; email barb@rndc.mankato.mn.us; web www.rndc.mankato.mn.us

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