Our Impact

Making A Difference in Our County

Paulding County Extension serves a growing rural-urban interface with impactful, needs-based programming for every generation. 

Youth Financial Literacy

To help youth prepare for the future, Paulding County 4-H designed and implemented a Junior 4-H financial literacy program for 110 students in sixth through eighth grades. According to data released from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, young Americans (18- 29 year olds) owed over $90.9 billion in credit card debt in 2024. Paulding County 4-H’ers participated in lessons that focused on defining currency, understanding where money comes from and how we use it, types of expenses and budgeting. Following their experience, over 90% of 4-H’er respondents could correctly identify and define types of money usage and different types of expenses.

Master Naturalists Support Natural Resources Education

The Paulding County Agriculture and Natural Resources program used the Master Naturalist curriculum to train residents to advocate for soil and water conservation in Paulding County through volunteerism. Population forecasts project that Paulding County will grow to 267,000 people by 2050, making it the third fastest-growing county in Georgia. This growth puts pressure on natural resources and local infrastructure, necessitating conservation education. After training, 18% of Master Naturalists report using it professionally, and 59% report using it for volunteerism. This includes teaching youth and adults through 4-H, scouts, schools, local partnerships, and participating in citizen science projects, including Rivers Alive, Georgia Green Landscape Stewards, and the Great Southeast Pollinator Census.