I became interested in non-formal youth work after teaching at a private college prep school for four years and working in out-of-school programs. Positive youth development does not happen by chance, but is the result of intentional efforts to provide the supports, opportunities and relationships to help young people move successfully from adolescence to adulthood.
My research and creative work has been focused on effective non-formal youth groups, specifically looking at leadership styles and applying family research theory to 4-H clubs and groups. I am most proud of my work around the eleven essential elements of vibrant youth groups. This research has been applied by several states in their 4-H club work—most recently in Iowa, which has used my research as a basis for a new statewide initiative for strengthening 4-H clubs.
I believe in the power of youth to make change and take on meaningful roles—now and in the future. For many youth, 4-H serves as their “first class" from The University of Arizona as the institution’s largest youth outreach program. There are amazing youth involved in the Arizona 4-H program, and they continue to demonstrate that 4-H is more than you ever imagined. 4-H helps youth become college-prepared and career-ready. A key effort to assist with expanding 4-H in the state is our new VISTA project which co-locates VISTA volunteers with county Extension agents to start 4-H clubs, after-school groups and summer programs. Currently, we have 11 VISTA volunteers working across the state, and they have brought an energy and focus to our work that is inspiring.
I have been fortunate to have the opportunities I have enjoyed in my lifetime. I have a passion for global connections, perhaps because I spent my junior year in college at the University of Copenhagen. In 1994 and 1995, I had the opportunity to engage in technical assistance work in Latvia and Lithuania to help re-establish 4-H programs in those countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union. I currently serve as the incoming chair of the States’ 4-H International Exchange Program, which involves about 1,000 youth each summer in cultural exchange trips to 5 countries.
My wife and I are parents to an adopted girl from China. She is now 13 years old, and this past summer we took her on a heritage trip back to China to visit the orphanage where we adopted her 11 years ago and to learn about her home country. We also got to visit Japan where Calli was able to stay with the family of a Japanese girl who we hosted three years ago in our home. Our daughter brings joy to our lives everyday and proves daily that youth are both the present and the future of our world.
- Positive youth development
- Leadership in non-formal youth groups
- Youth/adult partnerships
- Professional development for youth workers
- Connecting youth with nature
My major research focus is on elements of effective youth groups and strengthening adult leadership styles to help improve youth outcomes in non-formal groups. As the director of the Arizona 4-H youth development program, I am constantly seeking ways to improve the program for today’s young people in order to keep it relevant and interesting to them. One example of this is TerraPod, an innovative program teaching science and film-making to young people. The program taps into youth’s desire to “broadcast themselves” but teaches strong science content along with the skills of film-making. The program has been recognized as one of USDA’s “Programs of Distinction” and is being used in a number of states. For more information, visit www.terrapodcast.com.
Recently, I have also become focused also on re-connecting youth to the outdoors. After reading Richard Louv’s book, Last Child in the Woods, I became passionate about ensuring that 4-H creates some new initiatives to re-connect youth and their families with nature. A planning grant last year enabled us to convene a national group of experts at a retreat at Biosphere 2, and since then we have received more funds to hire a program coordinator to bring some of these ideas to life. This work will ultimately help this generation and future generations maintain a necessary and beneficial connection with nature and will foster an appreciation for natural areas and open spaces.
- Principal Investigator, No Child Left Inside. Funding: $43,000, USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
- Principal Investigator, 4-H Military Clubs. Funding: $42,500. USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Collaborators: Bryan Chadd (Maricopa County), Curt Peters (Pima County), Darcy Tessman (Cochise County) and Amy Parrott (Yuma County).
- Principal Investigator, Operation Military Kids (OMK). Funding: $100,000, USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
- Principal Investigator, TerraPod. Funding: $20,000. Stanley Leeds Foundation.
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Collaborator, Stealth Health. Funding: $1,450,000, USDA National Research Initiative. Scott Going, Principal Investigator. Collaborators: Barron Orr, Kay Hongu, Lynne Borden.
- Principal Investigator, No Child Left Inside. Funding: $43,000, USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
- Principal Investigator, 4-H Military Clubs. Funding: $42,500. USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Collaborators: Bryan Chadd (Maricopa County), Curt Peters (Pima County), Darcy Tessman (Cochise County) and Amy Parrott (Yuma County).
- Principal Investigator, Operation Military Kids (OMK). Funding: $100,000, USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture.
- Principal Investigator, TerraPod. Funding: $20,000. Stanley Leeds Foundation.
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Collaborator, Stealth Health. Funding: $1,450,000, USDA National Research Initiative. Scott Going, Principal Investigator. Collaborators: Barron Orr, Kay Hongu, Lynne Borden.
Please contact Kirk A. Astroth if you are unable to locate one of the publications listed below.
Astroth, Kirk A. I'm Okay, You're At Risk: Beyond Ephebiphobia and Toward Research. New Designs for Youth Development. (Spring 1993). Vol 10: 15-18.
Astroth, Kirk A. Are Youth at Risk? Re-evaluating the Deficit Model of Youth Development. Journal of Extension. (Fall 1993). Vol. 31: 22-25.
Astroth, Kirk A. Beyond Ephebiphobia: Problem Adults or Problem Youths? Phi Delta Kappan. (January 1994). Vol. 75(5): 411-413.
Astroth, K.A. (1994). "Beyond Ephebiphobia: Problem Adults or Problem Youth." In Developing Public Library Resources for Young Adults. Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services.
Astroth, K.A. (1995). "I'm Okay, You're at Risk: Beyond Ephebiphobia and Toward Research." In Monograph on Youth in the 1990's: Alternatives to Incarceration--Prevention and Treatment, Issue #4. Halifax, Nova Scotia: Dalhousie University, Youth Research Unit, 1995. pp. 29-38.
Astroth, Kirk A. "Rediscovering Today's Youth." (1996). New Designs for Youth Development, 12: 12-16.
Astroth, Kirk A. “The Vibrant Youth Group: Changing the Focus from Youth “at Risk” to Youth “at Their Best.” (1997). Resiliency in Action, 2; 13-17.
Astroth, Kirk A. “Eleven Essential Elements of Vibrant Youth Groups.” (1996). American Humanics, 6: 8-10.
Astroth, Kirk A. 4-H After-School: Education and Learning Where the Bell Never Rings. Classroom Leadership, 4(7):p. 4-5. (April 2001).
Astroth, K.A. (1999). “Teens Are Not at Risk.” In Teens at Risk: Opposing Viewpoints. eds. Laura K. Egendorf and Jennifer A. Hurley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, Inc. pp. 24-28.
Astroth, Kirk A., Timm, Dick, and Poore, John. (2002). Avenues to adulthood or avenues to civic anemia? Community Youth Development Anthology.
Astroth, Kirk A. & Haynes, George W. (2002). More than Cows & Cooking: Newest Research Shows the Impact of 4-H. Journal of Extension, 40 (4). Online journal at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2002august/a6.shtml
Astroth, K.A. and Linkenbach, J.W. (2004). Risky Business: A Research Review of Risk-Inherent Recreational Activities, Potential Prevention Strategies, and Possible Applications to Reducing ATV Injuries and Fatalities. Chevy Chase, MD: National 4-H Council.
Astroth, K.A. (2004). 4-H Youth Development, Scholarship, and Land Grant Universities. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement Volume 9, Number 1: pp.87-102.
Garza, P., Borden, L.. M., and Astroth, K. A. (eds.) (2004). Professional Development for Youth Workers. New Directions for Youth Development. Winter. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Vogel, Mike P. and Astroth, Kirk A. (2005). Meth in Montana: The Extension partnership response. Montana Policy Review (Spring). Available on-line at: http://www.montana.edu/wwwlgc/MPR%20files/MPR05/MPRs05.html
Astroth, K.A. (2007). Understanding the 4-H Workforce: Staffing, Structures and Salaries. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University, 4-H Center for Youth Development.
Astroth, K.A. (2007). Making the best better: 4-H staffing structures and trends. Journal of Youth Development, 2: 2.
Arnold, M., Astroth, K.A., Bourdeau, V., Garza, P., Horton, B., and Rennekamp, R. (2008). Ready…SET…Go!—Merging Afterschool and Science, Engineering and Technology. The Afterschool Review, 2 (Spring). pp. 18-20.
Astroth, K.A. and Vogel, M. (2008). Methamphetamine prevention education: An Extension response. Journal of Extension, 46 (5) October. Online at: http://www.joe.org/joe/2008october/a6.php
Astroth, K.A. and Lindstrom, J.L. (2008). Investing in professional development: Building and sustaining a viable 4-H youth development workforce for the future. Journal of Youth Development. 3 (2)-Fall. Online at: http://www.nae4ha.org/directory/jyd/jyd_article.aspx?id=00a24ace-dd89-40c3-912c-24f72637ba93