This issue brings together research examining how youth development programs and experiences support learning, leadership, social-emotional development, inclusion, and engagement across school, afterschool, camp, and community settings. Collectively, the articles highlight the importance of meaningful activities, supportive relationships, youth voice, and intentional program design in creating opportunities for young people to develop skills, navigate challenges, and experience success.
Articles in this issue address:
Girls’ Sports Participation and Development: This study examines the relationship between school sports participation and academic, attendance, and social-emotional outcomes in a large urban school district. Findings show particularly strong outcomes for female athletes while identifying the transition from eighth to ninth grade as a critical period for sustaining girls’ participation in sports.
Hip Hop, Food Systems, and Critical Consciousness: This qualitative study explores a hip-hop-based afterschool workshop designed to engage urban middle school youth in examining inequities within local food systems. Findings suggest that culturally relevant programming can help youth develop critical consciousness and interest in improving food access within their communities.
Youth Development Research-Practice Partnerships: This article describes a partnership between university researchers and an out-of-school time alliance designed to better understand and respond to youth and organizational needs. Early findings highlight the value of trust, shared decision-making, and reciprocal learning for strengthening research relevance, organizational capacity, and youth programming.
Youth Perspectives on COVID-19 and Learning: Using Youth Participatory Action Research, this study engaged high school students as researchers to examine young people’s experiences with school, family, relationships, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings illustrate both the challenges and opportunities youth experienced during remote learning and demonstrate the value of youth-led research for understanding issues that directly affect young people.
Developing 21st-Century Skills at Camp: This study explores how high-school-aged junior camp counselors develop 21st-century skills through their experiences at summer camp. Findings highlight imitation, trial and error, reflection, and opportunities to take on new responsibilities as important processes for skill development.
Long-Term Impact of Youth Leadership Experiences: This study examines how participation in an immersive high school leadership program shaped alumni’s leadership development into adulthood. Findings show that reflection, mentorship, psychological safety, and opportunities for safe failure contributed to lasting changes in leadership identity, confidence, and behavior.
4-H and Work Readiness: This study examines the role of 4-H programming in developing work-readiness skills among middle and high school youth participating in a statewide Know Your Government program. Findings support the value of 4-H experiences for building skills such as teamwork, leadership, critical thinking, work ethic, and communication.
Mountain Biking and Social-Emotional Learning: This mixed-methods study explores social-emotional learning within an afterschool mountain biking program using the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility model. Findings suggest that meaningful, activity-based programming can help adolescents develop, apply, and reflect on social-emotional skills with potential for transferring those skills beyond the program setting.
Including Youth With Disabilities in 4-H: This study examines Illinois 4-H staff perceptions of including youth with disabilities in programming. While staff generally held positive views about inclusion, findings identify a need for additional training and skill development to better support youth with disabilities.
A Billion People in the Shadows: This book review highlights a practical resource for improving understanding and support of people with disabilities in youth development and other settings. Drawing on lived experience, the book addresses misconceptions, language, accessibility, and support practices while offering strategies that promote dignity, independence, and belonging.
We are deeply grateful to the authors who selected JYD as the outlet for their scholarship and to our reviewers for their thoughtful contributions that strengthen the journal.
We also acknowledge the invaluable support of the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP) and the National Afterschool Association (NAA). Their continued sponsorship and leadership play a vital role in sustaining the journal.
Our gratitude goes as well to the broader JYD community—readers, contributors, and partners—whose engagement helps position the journal as a leading resource for advancing youth development research and practice.
You can explore all articles on our website and keep connected with JYD by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for updates and highlights.
Announcement Text
Good day JYD Readers,
The Journal of Youth Development (JYD) has published its latest issue (21.3) at https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/jyd.
This issue brings together research examining how youth development programs and experiences support learning, leadership, social-emotional development, inclusion, and engagement across school, afterschool, camp, and community settings. Collectively, the articles highlight the importance of meaningful activities, supportive relationships, youth voice, and intentional program design in creating opportunities for young people to develop skills, navigate challenges, and experience success.
Articles in this issue address:
We are deeply grateful to the authors who selected JYD as the outlet for their scholarship and to our reviewers for their thoughtful contributions that strengthen the journal.
We also acknowledge the invaluable support of the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP) and the National Afterschool Association (NAA). Their continued sponsorship and leadership play a vital role in sustaining the journal.
Our gratitude goes as well to the broader JYD community—readers, contributors, and partners—whose engagement helps position the journal as a leading resource for advancing youth development research and practice.
You can explore all articles on our website and keep connected with JYD by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram for updates and highlights.
Best,
Barry A. Garst
Editor-in-Chief
Journal of Youth Development