The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and experiences of youth and adults engaged in youth-adult relationships involved in the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Youth Board. The objectives of the study were to: (1) examine youth perceptions of their involvement on the Youth Board; (2) examine adult perceptions of their involvement on the Youth Board; and (3) evaluate youth-adult interaction on the Youth Board. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and analyses of variance (ANOVA). Involvement and Interaction Rating Scales were completed by 127 participants (75 youth and 52 adults) serving on the Youth Boards in Texas. The rating scale measured three constructs: youth involvement, adult involvement, and youth-adult interaction. T-tests were used to analyze differences between youth and adult participants. Gender differences were also analyzed. The test indicated no significant difference between youth and adult participants, but youth were more positive on the youth involvement, adult involvement, and youth-adult interaction constructs. Females were more positive on all three constructs event thought there was also no significant difference in perceptions. An independent samples t-test was computed to determine if there were significant differences between Anglo and non-Anglo participants' perceptions of youth involvement, adult involvement, and youth-adult interaction. Most participants were Anglo; however, non-Anglo ethic groups including Asian, Black, Hispanic and Native American were also represented. Tests show all participants had positive perceptions toward youth involvement, adult involvement, and youth-adult interaction. Non-Anglo participants had a positive perception of youth involvement, but Anglo participants had a higher mean score on adult involvement and youth-adult interaction. An independent sample t-test was used to determine significant differences based on residence in perceptions of the three constructs between participants. Population less than 10,000 was defined as a town fewer than 10,000 populations and farm. Population greater than 10,000 is defined as town/city of 10,000-50,000 population and its suburbs, suburb of city more than 50,000 populations, or central city more than 50,000 population. No significant differences were found between population less than 10,000 and population greater than 10,000 participants but population less than 10,000 participants had a higher perception of youth involvement, adult involvement and youth-adult interaction than population greater than 10,000 participants.

Master of Science / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Karen S. Myers-Bowman / The current study focuses on qualitative data collected from youth and adults in two rural Kansas communities. The focal point of analysis was youth and adults' answers to questions about their experiences working with one another within community-based programs, specifically questions regarding youth's feeling of empowerment within the context of the program. Lerner's theory of developmental contextualism provided a framework for understanding how youth-adult relationships contribute to the development of youth empowerment. Youth voice, a construct related to the youth empowerment literature, appeared in the participants' responses across program sites. Common themes across settings were that teens who had been involved in the program the longest felt especially empowered, that youth became more responsible as a result of participating in the program, and that adults in both program sites fulfilled the six adult roles for youth empowerment that have been established in the research literature. Finally, three constructs significant in the youth development literature (confidence, connection and compassion) emerged as themes in relation to the experiences of the young people in the program. Implications of this study include exploring the impact youth-adult relationships have on adults and investigating how teens as role models or mentors for "littles" impact their feeling of empowerment. Suggestions for replication of this study are also given.

Using a qualitative case study approach, a study looking at what student co-researchers value while they are part of a research team was conducted. The three questions guiding this study included: What personal changes did student co-researchers experience? How does a Co-operative Inquiry approach contribute to youth engagement and positive youth development? And, What adult skills are evident in building a strong youth led research project? Data was collected from a Co-operative Inquiry research project entitled 62 Ways to Change the World. The multiple sources of data included: key informative interviews and a focus group with student co-researchers from 62 Ways to Change the World and all documents pertaining to the research project. By understanding what young people value while they are on a project team strategies that contribute to sustainable student-led research can be developed and shared with organizations, educational institutions and governments that are currently or are interested in conducting research with young students.

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