4-H Youth Development

Oklahoma high school students are getting help navigating the road post-high school thanks to a program offered through Oklahoma State University Extension.

 

The Brighter Future program is a college and career readiness program that connects freshmen through senior high school students with the tools they’ll need to navigate the path toward college enrollment or other post-high school career opportunities.

 

Numerous schools across Oklahoma opened their doors three years ago to 4-H Youth Development educators and certified volunteers to come into the classroom to teach the program, said Mindy Aragon, OSU Extension Brighter Future state specialist.

 

“The inaugural class will be starting their senior year of high school in the fall,” Aragon said. “Our 4-H educators and certified volunteers have been in the classroom providing educational opportunities and guidance for students regarding their next step after high school graduation.”

 

A big part of Brighter Future is career exploration through college or trade school, joining the workforce right out of high school or for those considering a military career. Students who complete the program have pre-admittance to OSU.

 

Each year of the program has a different focus on the skills youth need to succeed, including public speaking, time management, preparing a resume, filling out a job application, reading and note-taking, as well as learning more about the college application process, scholarships, financial aid and money management.

 

For three years, Brighter Future was available only in the classroom, but starting in the fall, interested high school students will have the option to participate online. A training session for OSU Extension educators who are interested in implementing the Brighter Future program is slated for Aug. 12. More information will soon be available regarding the training.

 

“Our goal is to have Brighter Future available in every county in the state,” Aragon said.

 

Savanna 4-H Club member Natalie Hollingshead said creating a timeline and schedule for college as part of Brighter Future helped her understand what she needed to do to prepare.

 

“It really opened my eyes to how different college would be compared to high school,” she said. “It made everything feel more real and showed me how to plan ahead so I can succeed.”

 

Hollingshead, who plans to become a neurosurgeon, said she’s always had a clear idea of where she wanted her future to go, but Brighter Future gave her a better understanding of the path she needed to take to achieve her goals.

 

“The program helped me figure out what type of schooling and learning environment works best for me, which is just as important as knowing what I want to do. I feel more confident and prepared to pursue my goals in a way that fits my strengths,” she said.

 

Greg Owen, Pittsburg County OSU Extension educator, has been a part of Brighter Future since its inception and has enjoyed implementing the program in the Crowder and Savanna school systems.

 

“The feedback I get is the material is very beneficial to answering a great deal of the questions students have for their post-high school plans,” Owen said. “I have seen with each year that we progress with the program, the questions increase from the students. I believe the closer graduation is to a reality for the students, the more questions they know to ask, and the curriculum provides me guidance to help answer those questions for the students.”

 

He is looking forward to another year of the program when he’ll wrap up the fourth year with his inaugural students.

 

“It’s my goal that when we’re done, they feel as prepared as possible for their lives after high school,” Owen said.

 

The 4-H Youth Development program has a new national campaign called Beyond Ready, which fits hand-in-hand with Brighter Future.

 

“4-H has a great focus on the development of life skills in youth, and this structured curriculum is a great way to deliver that information,” Aragon said. “It helps students take what they’re learning in their core subjects and enables them to focus on career development for the future.”

 

For more information about Brighter Future, contact Aragon at (405) 744-7690 or mindy.aragon@okstate.edu.