Semester

Summer

Date of Graduation

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

Department

Agricultural & Extension Education

Committee Chair

Deborah A. Boone.

Abstract

How youth spend their Out of School Time (OST) has a significant impact on their development. Youth get developmental assets from an integration of home, family, school, church, friends, neighbors, community, activities, and positive youth development programs -- there are numerous inputs outside of school. Knowing how they spend their Out of School Time will allow the discovery of ways to improve youth development. A case study of all fifth, seventh, and ninth graders in a small rural West Virginia county was conducted using a questionnaire to determine how they spent their Out of School Time. Youth were asked about time spent in Out of School Time activities, developmental assets, and demographic characteristics. The study found a majority of the respondents reported they spent time in arts and music, playing or assisting with sports, attending religious services, being physically active, and spending four to nine hours a week hanging out with friends, and watching one to six hours per week watching television. A majority of the respondents reported no community service hours in the past year. The majority of respondents reported they meet new people easily, were good at making friends, cared about other people's feelings, and felt sad when a friend was unhappy.

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