URBANA, Ill. – Michelle Cox, 4-H youth development educator serving Lake and McHenry counties, was honored by University of Illinois Extension for her work in designing and implementing the Life Skills for Leadership program which addresses current issues and increases opportunity for youth in low socioeconomic status areas to engage in activities that build leadership capacity.

Using University of Missouri’s Tackling the Tough Skills curriculum as a foundation, Cox developed a 10-week program that actively engages youth in building leadership capacity. Cox piloted the program in two urban high schools. By incorporating attributes from the Tackling the Tough Skills curriculum while integrating sessions designed to build on leadership, Cox was able to help youth identify and understand who they are, where they want to go, and how to get there successfully.

ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.