Youth are our future. Young people are already active and involved members of our communities and society. CSREES youth development and educational programs build important skills and knowledge so that our youth can be competent, caring, contributing citizens now and as adults. These programs have been part of the extension mission since Cooperative Extension was established in 1914.

CSREES youth development programs take land-grant university knowledge and expertise to youth in rural, suburban, and urban communities. Youth are encouraged to participate in a variety of activities that emphasize the “learning by doing” experiential learning approach. Through these programs, youth gain knowledge in a variety of practical subject areas and develop important life skills.

CSREES provides educators with innovative ways to enhance educational programs in the classroom, after-school programs, child care programs, and communities. Students gain firsthand knowledge through experiential learning activities in areas such as healthy diet and weight, financial planning and management, the community, the environment, and safety.

Through these programs, youth gain knowledge and life skills required for working and living in our increasingly challenging global environment.

4-H is the world's largest, dynamic, informal educational program for young people and is based on democratic principles. Nearly 7 million youth, ages 5-19, participate in 4-H Youth Development experiences.

4-H Military Partnerships between the USDA and the Army and Air Force establish 4-H after-school clubs and programs on military installations worldwide and support families of National Guard, Reserves, and Accessions Command.

4-H Afterschool strives to increase the quality and quantity of after-school programs, while building a brand image for the Cooperative Extension System's contributions to the after-school field.

Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) supports community-based educational programs to assist limited-resource families and at-risk youth in developing knowledge/skills for academic and career success.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) assists limited-resource families and youth in acquiring the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and changed behaviors necessary for nutritionally sound diets.

Extension ‘CARES'…For America's Children and Youth (ECI) strives to create a nation in which all children and youth are in safe, healthy, caring, and enriching environments when away from their parents.

Youth technology programs improve knowledge and skills as teens learn and teach technology to other youth and adults.

Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) promotes agricultural literacy among the nation's students so they will become citizens who make wise decisions.

My Community, Our Earth (MyCOE) provides secondary school, college, and university students worldwide a new set of geographic tools to learn about current economic, social, and environmental challenges in their communities. It involves them in finding solutions within their neighborhoods, villages, cities, and countries.

National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) is a high school financial planning curriculum consisting of six units that provide 10 hours of classroom work on financial management and planning.