Valerie Mendez Stansly
Youth Development Agent
I am a youth development professional who designs research‑informed educational programs that foster positive youth development and prepare young people for future educational and workforce opportunities. My work emphasizes life skill acquisition, workforce readiness, and STEM literacy through experiential, youth‑centered learning that builds communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and a strong sense of belonging. In addition to youth programming, I focus on volunteer and K‑12 educator development and the design and management of organizational systems that promote safe, inclusive, and high‑quality learning environments across club, school, and community contexts.
Grounded in the land grant mission, my work brings together strong community partnerships and university collaboration, reflecting the belief that positive youth development is a shared responsibility among us all.
See my program areas below for more information.
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Youth Development
My youth development program centers on creating intentionally designed, research‑informed learning experiences that support young people’s growth, confidence, and readiness for future educational and workforce opportunities. Grounded in Positive Youth Development, our program emphasizes experiential learning that builds transferable skills, fosters identity and belonging, and promotes healthy behaviors. Youth participate through in-person and virtual clubs, camps, workshops, and school‑based programming in partnership with volunteers and K‑12 educators.
- Life Skill Acquisition and Workforce Development
Transferable life and workforce skills, including communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, are integrated into all 4-H programming. Youth engage in experiential learning activities such as public speaking, presentations, demonstrations, and leadership opportunities that build confidence and encourage active skill application. Emphasis is placed on both youth‑reported growth and demonstrated skills.
- STEM Literacy and Identity
Our program supports youth engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) by promoting both STEM literacy and a sense of belonging in STEM learning environments. Hands‑on, inquiry‑based learning experiences are designed to strengthen youth confidence, interest, and identity as capable STEM learners. Participation in advanced learning opportunities and competitions reflects growing persistence and exploration of STEM education and career pathways. - Healthy Living
We help build lifelong healthy behaviors by increasing youth knowledge, confidence, and participation related to nutrition, food safety, and physical activity. Reflection and experiential learning are intentionally incorporated to strengthen confidence and encourage continued engagement in healthy behaviors beyond the program setting.
- Life Skill Acquisition and Workforce Development
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Volunteer & K-12 Development and Organizational Systems
Our program focuses on building the infrastructure, capacity, and partnerships necessary to deliver safe and high‑quality youth programming. We emphasize volunteer and educator preparation, program quality assurance, and strategic organizational planning to ensure that youth development experiences are delivered consistently across club, school, and community settings. Through data‑informed decision‑making and intentional systems design, our program supports sustainable growth and broad access to 4‑H opportunities throughout Leon County.
- Risk Management and Safety
We ensure volunteers and educators are prepared to operate programs that meet UF/IFAS risk management and safety standards. Emphasis is placed on volunteer screening, safety training, and ongoing compliance practices that support safe learning environments while protecting youth, volunteers, and the organization. These efforts promote a culture of responsibility and trust across all program settings.
- Quality Positive Youth Development (PYD) Delivery
Our program focuses on strengthening the quality of program delivery by supporting volunteers and K‑12 educators in implementing Positive Youth Development best practices. Professional development emphasizes creating learning environments that foster belonging, youth voice, leadership, and strong youth–adult partnerships. Program quality is assessed through youth feedback, educator and volunteer reflection, and direct observation to ensure PYD principles are consistently applied and experienced by youth.
- Strategic Growth, Parity, and Access
We are continuously addressing organizational growth through an approach that prioritizes access, representation, and sustainability. County‑led outreach, school partnerships, and community engagement efforts are designed to expand awareness of 4‑H while working toward parity across geographic areas and populations. Enrollment trends and partnership development are used to guide intentional program expansion and long‑term capacity building.
- Risk Management and Safety
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