This article builds on Part 1 of this study, a state-of-the-art review that synthesizes 45 years of scholarship (1980-2025) on 4-H's efforts to equitably serve a demographically representative youth population (see Elliott-Engel & Howard, 2026). This article examines the findings that draw from the previously discussed 99 articles and provides the next directions for achieving a demographically representative 4-H program by synthesizing crosscutting themes from 45 years of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging scholarship. Despite meaningful progress, persistent gaps remain in participation, professional readiness, and systemlevel integration. Our review highlights the need for culturally responsive recruitment, familycentered engagement, and program adaptations that move beyond the traditional club model while retaining high-quality positive youth development principles. Structural barriers-including political resistance, resource inequities, and inconsistent implementation-continue to limit progress. This article outlines implications for practice, organizational change, and leadership, emphasizing that sustained, systemic transformation is essential for 4-H to truly serve all youth.
Rural youth in the United States have long demonstrated a consistent pattern of outmigration from their rural communities, often driven by aspirations for higher education and specialized careers available elsewhere. This qualitative study explores the positive youth development (PYD) experiences of youth in rural New Hampshire, focusing on how schools, community engagement, work, and experiences in nature shape their development and future orientation. Eighteen youth ages 14-19 participated in online interviews. Data were analyzed using both inductive and deductive strategies, including the application of the Developmental Systems Model of PYD. Four key themes emerged: (a) rural schools are a central hub for PYD; (b) youth recognize school-based structural and resource issues; (c) rural community and work experiences offer undervalued yet impactful PYD opportunities; and (d) there is a need for exposure to diverse postsecondary pathways. Findings suggest that expanding rural youth engagement beyond school contexts may foster broader aspirations, stronger community ties, and enhanced life skills, ultimately helping address rural youth outmigration and postsecondary planning.
Youth organizing is a practice that enables young people and adults to work together towards individual thriving and community change. In youth organizing, young people identify and address social issues that affect their lives and lead change related to those issues. The objective of this case study is to illustrate one successful model for youth organizing grounded in positive youth development theory and youth-adult partnership, developed through the organization BRIDGES USA in Memphis, Tennessee. We discuss youth-adult partnerships and elaborate components and strengths of youth organizing. We then describe the history and context of BRIDGES, the cycle of work in an academic year, and the practices that bring guiding principles into action. Finally, we call for additional exemplars to sustain and grow youth organizing as a movement toward justice and liberation.
This study explored how a multicomponent health promotion program for pre-adolescent girls could be adapted to support positive youth development across diverse cultural and community contexts. In summer 2022, trained research staff conducted six focus groups with 27 girls from urban and rural communities in the Midwestern United States. Participants reviewed the original program curriculum and provided feedback on program activities, structure, relationships, and implementation strategies. Sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically using qualitative software and manual review. Girls provided feedback on multiple program components, resulting in 12 themes aligned with eight established features of positive developmental settings. A novel conceptual model was developed to organize these themes into multi-level adaptation strategies that stakeholders can use to make community-informed modifications to youth development programs. Participants identified support needs across environmental, interpersonal, and individual levels, including physical and emotional safety, supportive relationships, and opportunities for skill building. Findings suggest that strengthening supports across developmental setting features and incorporating youth perspectives into program planning may reduce participation barriers and improve engagement among girls from diverse backgrounds. These findings offer practical guidance for adapting and implementing youth programs in community settings.
This study explores adolescents' attitudes and perceptions toward individuals with disabilities in out-of-school time (OST) settings. Gaining insight into these attitudes can help inform future initiatives and interventions to develop programs that foster inclusion and greater participation of people with disabilities in OST programs. This study employed quantitative methods using the Brief Questionnaire for Adolescents on Attitudes Toward Persons with a Disability (CBAD-12A), developed by & Aacute;lvarez-Delgado et al. (2020), to survey adolescents about their attitudes and perceptions toward individuals with disabilities. The results of the study revealed no statistically significant differences in attitudes toward individuals with disabilities based on whether adolescents reported knowing someone with a disability, their gender, or their age. Yet some findings were promising, such as the high proportion of adolescents who were familiar with someone who has a disability and how adolescents who knew someone with a disability expressed more positive attitudes toward acceptance of disability. The results of this study can provide best practices for supporting inclusive OST programs.
