4-H teen teachers have positive impact

Teen Teachers Kenzie Bialis, Whitley Freeman-Russell, Lindsey Rissman, and Faith Williams spend most of their after-school time volunteering to teach younger kids lessons on character education.

They are Illinois 4-H teen teachers trained in the program Good Character Grows Here. Through literature-based lessons and hands-on activities, they were able to teach 50, second and third graders about the importance of character traits like: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, kindness, citizenship, and cooperation.

“One of the attributes of a successful individual is good character, and building good character is one of the key components of all our 4-H Youth Development Programs,” Extension Educator Lisa Hepker said.

The 4-H Teen Teachers were trained by Hepker on ages and stages of development, positive youth development, experiential learning, behavior management, presentation skills, and read aloud teaching strategies.

In December, the teen teachers were recognized for their efforts. A trip to Chicago was made possible through a grant Hepker received from the Illinois 4-H Foundation.

“It was a joy to see their faces light up as we came into the city,” Hepker said. “Some had never been to Chicago or on a train, so it was a wonderful experience from start to finish.”

If you are interested in learning more about University of Illinois Extension Character Education or Teen Teacher program, contact Lisa Hepker at [email protected] or the Boone County Extension office at (815) 544-3710.