Impact of Texas 4-H shooting sports on youth and the state

This project is designed to determine the impact that Texas 4-H shooting sports has on its youth and the State of Texas using research from a study done 1991 and another study done in 2002. The purpose of these two studies was to analyze the amount of life skills gained by youth through their involvement in the Texas 4-H shooting sports program, to see how much parents are willing to spend to have their children participate in this program, and also to evaluate if the state of Texas incurs some economic gain due to the amount of money spent by parents.
This study uses existing data from two surveys that were completed in 1991 and 2002 at Texas 4-H shooting sports state competition(s). The target population for both of the surveys consisted of youth participants and parents. These two surveys are the same in their attitudinal structure, but are different because the 2002 survey also includes cost analyses.

The major findings were as follows: 1.)Involvement in the Texas 4-H shooting sports program does have a positive impact on the life skills gained by youth. 2.)Money being spent on youth by their parents to be a part of the Texas 4-H shooting program helps the state of Texas incur some economic gain due to travel and shooting expenses being made in the state 3.)Youth representing Texas shooting sports are also having a national impact due to the amount of money they are spending traveling and shooting in other cities. 4.)Youth representing Texas shooting sports are having a competitive shooting impact not only in Texas, but on the nation as well. 5.)Youth involved in the 4-H shooting program are spending more quality time with family members and practicing more with supervised instruction. 6.)The state of Texas is spending close to $55,000 per year to keep one juvenile delinquent housed in a correctional facility when it cost $4,000 a year to participate in 4-H shooting sports.