As part of the university’s successful Carnegie Community Engagement Classification application process, the Office of Research and Engagement has compiled a list of fifty of UT’s best community-campus partnerships. The university will be celebrating its status as an engaged institution throughout the year by featuring these individual examples in articles that highlight their unique contribution to the community.
Tennessee 4-H Health Rocks!
The CDC reports that tobacco abuse rates for Tennessee high school students are significantly above the national average. Substance abuse among adolescents is linked to depression, unintentional injuries, suicide, and homicide. 4-H Health Rocks! is a UT Extension partnership with local Boards of Education, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the YMCA that has reached over 100,000 young people in Tennessee. Multi-year evaluation demonstrates that the partnership has had a positive impact.
Related story: Q & A with Justin Crowe, 4-H Youth Development