Research

Alumni Research Report

Key Findings

• 83% of teens acknowledge systemic racism is an issue in the U.S., causing them to feel angry, overwhelmed and stressed.
• Black and Hispanic teens are much more likely to have experienced mistreatment because of their race, with Blacks being especially likely to fear for their safety.
• Teens are rallying around the issue, with 86% saying they are “proud that people are taking a stand protecting against racism” and two-thirds saying they “need people to hear their voice about racism.” This is particularly true for Black (82%) and Hispanic (76%) teens who are looking to be heard.
• 3 in 4 teens have taken action against racism, either via conversation or demonstration.
• Teens are calling for racism education in school and government reform to create more equal access as avenues for long-term change.
• 82% of teens acknowledge “there is still so much work to be done in the fight against racism, this is just the start.”
• 70% of teens (81% Black) feel encouraged that the current movement and protests will lead to less racism in the U.S.

4‑H Youth Mental Health Survey

National 4‑H Council commissioned a survey to explore teens’ perceptions and experiences around mental health. The survey, which polled over 1,500 diverse youth ages 13-19 nationwide, explored the role of resilience in mental health along with gathering youth perspectives on the state of mental health issues in their community and the nation.

Key findings include:

• 81% of teens say mental health is a significant issue for young people in the U.S., and 64% of teens believe that the experience of COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on their generation’s mental health.
• In this stressful climate, 7 in 10 teens have experienced struggles with mental health.
• 55% of teens say they’ve experienced anxiety, 45% excessive stress, and 43% depression.

Download the full research findings below.

4‑H STEM Infographics

National 4‑H Science Initiative

YEAK Study

Implementation Study

Enrollment Report

Tier 2 Study: Priming the Pipeline

National 4‑H Science Initiative

4‑H Science Initiative from Inception to Impact

4‑H Science Initiative from Inception to Impact, a comprehensive new report which reviews the multi-year impact of the 4‑H efforts, lessons learned and ideas for developing more promising programs in the future. The initiative has been a truly collaborative effort, led by 4‑H National Headquarters, land-grant faculty from the Cooperative Extension System and National 4‑H Council.

4‑H Healthy Habits White Paper: Walmart Foundation

Walmart’s investment of over $13 million across the last decade has provided more than 1 million youth and families with important nutrition education. The investment has also built the capacity of 4‑H educators, providing them with tools and training to help them reach underserved audiences in African, Latino and Native American communities with culturally relevant programming.

Teens Take on Health Resources

Additional Healthy Living Research

Digital Impact Survey 2021

2019 4‑H & Microsoft Digital Impact Survey

National 4‑H Council and Microsoft teamed up to explore digital access among teens through a national survey. The survey, which polled over 1,500 youth between the ages of 13-19 nationwide, investigated how lack of broadband internet access affects their social mobility and economic opportunities.

Key findings include:

- 1 in 4 American teens have Broadband connections that are unreliable
- Nearly half of teens report struggling to complete homework due to slow internet connections.
- 79% of teens with broadband access expect to have a higher income than their parents, while only 66% of teens without broadband access felt this way.