Final Report

This study aimed to measure the relationship between leadership skills, social support, capacity building, and engagement. It reflects input from 421 students enrolled in agricultural programs at Pennsylvanian high schools, who participated in the survey and nineteen teachers and students who took part in the interview. Interviews were designed to provide an overview of the school and community conditions, and to identify the opportunities, barriers, and motivators that influence youth leadership development and civic engagement. Moreover, it provided details about the perceived suggestions of teachers and students to enhance youth leadership development and civic engagement. The data helped to answer the research questions of the study, identify differences between community and magnet schools, provided the basis for policy development suggestions, and enabled suggestions for future research.