Characteristics of successful senior 4-H programs in five selected counties in Tennessee

The purpose of this study was to select and study one successful county Senior 4-H program (i.e., one having a l0 percent Senior enrollment or greater in l978) for each of the districts in Tennessee and to identify characteristics from these counties through information which was available for comparison and analysis. This study was confined to 4-H efforts and records regarding those in the l0th, llth and 12th grades in the five specific counties for the years 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974 and 1979. Counties with 10 percent Senior enrollment or greater included Crockett, Giles, Coffee, Macon and Blount. The study also was limited to information available at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The information gathered for the study was organized under nine major headings: 1) Participation, 2) Re-enrollment, 3 Organization, 4 Leadership, 5) Recognition, 6) Sponsorship, 7) Participation in projects and activities, 8) Extension staff time spent on Senior 4-H work and contacts, FY 1979, and 9) Other information.

Major findings of the study were:

1. The general trend for Senior 4-H enrollments and percents from 1959 to 1979 revealed declining enrollments and re-enrollments for the study counties.

2. The overall average for suggested enrollment goals in each of the five selected counties decreased slightly partly in keeping with a decrease in the actual enrollment attainments.

3. The suggested 1985 enrollment goals had already been met in three of the five counties by l979 and appeared to be attainable in the other two.

4. There were decreasing trends both in the average numbers of Senior 4-H Clubs and the average sizes of Senior Clubs from 1959 to 1979.

5. Adult leaders had the largest total number of participants when compared with other 4-H leader categories, followed by Teen and Junior leaders. Activity leaders were reported in the largest numbers in all years when compared with others (i.e., project and organizational).

6. All five counties were found to have had a county leaders' organization during one or more of the five years studied.

7. Consistently large numbers of All Star members and Honor Club members were found to have existed in the five study counties during each of the five years studied.

8. The 4-H Club Citizen's Committee, related in earlier studies to higher Senior 4-H enrollment, showed only a moderate amount of organization in study counties, 1959-1979.

9. The five most popular projects and activities for all 4-Hers from 1959 to 1979 in study counties were