MSU Extension 4-H Healthy Youth

A $450,000 grant from National 4-H Council will allow Michigan State University Extension to bring substance use prevention education to Michigan youth through the 4-H Health Rocks! program.  The three-year grant will reach more than 15,000 youth ages 8-14 through a program that emphasizes life skill development and sound decision-making to combat substance use of various forms.

“The 4-H Health Rocks! program has been around for more than 20 years, so it is a proven program to support substance use prevention,” said Alyssa Picone, an MSU Extension 4-H healthy living educator based in Ingham County who will co-lead the program for Michigan 4-H. “It allows youth to learn about the impacts of substances like tobacco, alcohol and drugs in a safe and interactive way.”

The Health Rocks! program promotes lifelong healthy habits by empowering young participants with essential confidence and communication skills that are vital for making responsible decisions and building the resilience needed to resist risky behaviors. The program applies 4-H’s positive youth development model to the challenge of tobacco, alcohol, e-cigarette, vaping and drug use, fostering positive youth/adult partnerships and helping youth to develop critical life skills and thorough decision-making abilities. Health Rocks! also employs the fundamental 4-H “Teens as Teachers” model, cultivating important leadership skills in youth while harnessing their influence to empower peers and families.

“We’re excited to be bringing this valuable program to youth across Michigan through in-school programs, after-school activities, 4-H clubs and more,” said Kea Norrell-Aitch, an MSU Extension 4-H healthy living educator based in Macomb County who is the primary investigator on the grant and will co-lead the program with Picone in Michigan. “While it’s focused on substance use, the lessons in this program can be applied to a variety of scenarios and help our youth to develop healthy living skills for a lifetime.”

The interactive program includes lessons on understanding risk, how to say no, stress management, how to be a good friend and mentor, substance use and much more. A 2019-2020 program evaluation showed that after engaging in the Health Rocks! curricula, 95% of those surveyed intended to avoid underage tobacco use; 97% demonstrated high levels of social and emotional thriving; 92% expressed an intent to pursue healthy behaviors and avoid risky behaviors; and 83% disapproved of risky behaviors (e.g., alcohol and tobacco use).

“We’re grateful to the National 4-H Council for making this program available to us,” continued Picone. “Over the course of three years, we can make a big impact on a lot of young people. We encourage anyone who is interested in Health Rocks! to reach out to learn more about partnering with us.”

To contact someone about the Health Rocks! program, email piconeal@msu.edu. Connect with MSU Extension in your community by contacting your county MSU Extension office. Visit the 4-H Healthy Youth website to learn more about 4-H healthy living programs for youth.