Frederick (Rick) Alleva

Presidential Award of Excellence, 2012

4-H Youth Development, Cooperative Extension

During the past six years, Rick Alleva has earned high praise for his creative and results-oriented service to youth and families in need around New Hampshire. Working at the cutting edge of youth development issues, he has boosted the spirit of enterprise both within UNH Cooperative Extension and between UNH and the communities it serves.

Noted for his grant writing abilities, Rick has worked with community members to bring more than $1.4 million in grant dollars to support vulnerable youth and underserved communities in Rockingham county.

By guiding the work of community coalitions Rick has initiated positive and lasting outcomes. Such outcomes include the creation of the powerful Raymond Coalition for Youth, formed in 2003 by Rick and Raymond citizens to identify the critical issues facing the New Hampshire town’s youth. It also includes a partnership between Cooperative Extension and Seacoast Youth Services to establish a center, build a program, and provide vital services.

Rick provided statewide leadership for 4-H Science Education and 4-H Afterschool Programming.   Rick will be the first to tell you that he is not a science educator, but he was able to see the critical need for improving scientific literacy and created “science nights” for youth and training for educators that have consistently been packed and over-enrolled.

Rick has been a positive agent of change within his organization. He has been successful in connecting UNH student interns from the Thompson School, and the departments of family studies, and social work with community agencies to help provide the real-world experience for students. He co-authored a successful $132,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to complete the youth curriculum “Courage to Care,” which addresses youth bullying.