YA4-H! youth advocates for health: Impact of a 4-H teens-as- teachers program

Abstract

This article reports the results of an evaluation of the YA4-H! Youth Advocates for Health-Teens as Teachers program. Consistent with previous research on the impact of teen teaching, the teens participating in the program gained confidence and skill with regard to teaching younger youths. The program also affected the teens' understanding that they are role models for younger youths and their desire to be role models. Additionally, the teens learned the content they taught and adopted new healthful behaviors. These results are promising and add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that teens learn and adopt practices they teach to younger youths.