Youth, family and club experiences and adult civic development

Purpose of the study was to ascertain the extent to which youthful participation in various types of organizations and activities are associated with adult involvement and leadership. Data for the analysis was obtained from a mail survey of 48 4-H alumni and 81 of their non-4-H peers matched on high school class, gender, level and type of extracurricular activity as documented in high school year books and who graduated between 1980 and 1985 from a high school in south-central PA. Religious participation and community service involvement were linked respectively with adult engagement in adult religious activity and various forms of adult community service, including social/service/ professional activities and participation in youth-centered activities and leadership roles. Youth involvement in sports and social cultural activities did not lead to adult participation in the variables studied. There was no evidence that 4-H membership was associated with later adult participation.