(This success story took place while employed as the Franklin County 4-H Agent)

4-H Summer Camp

Each summer, the youth in Franklin County get excited about heading to 4-H Summer Camp! This year was different as our community, state, and country continue to live through a pandemic and summer camp was cancelled the year before.   Teachers in the county have shared with the Franklin County 4-H program the excitement and benefits they notice with the youth who attend 4-H Camp when they return to school in August.  The 4-H Summer Camp encourages youth to learn new skills, experience new activities, and develop social skills.  

The Kentucky 4-H Camp objectives for 4-H campers are to learn practical skills, develop effective interpersonal relationships with adults and other youth, and develop socially acceptable behavior, personal standards, and values for living. The Franklin County 4-H program fulfilled these objectives in 2021 when campers traveled to the Feltner 4-H Camp for five days in July.  Adult Counselors, who volunteered their time, were an integral part of the camping week by demonstrating responsibility and leadership as part of the camp team.  Counselors went through hours of training, both through modules and face-to-face. Classes such as canoeing, low ropes challenge course, nature, archery, crafts, recreation, rifle, and high ropes were offered.  

As a result of camp, more than 90% of the campers made new friends and tried something new while at camp and 97% of campers were excited to return to 4-H Camp after the previous year was cancelled.  The big change for 2021 was only being able to fill camp at 50% capacity and making changes to follow the mitigation and operations plan due to COVID; however, the camp magic was in full swing during the week and campers loved being there!   Verbal comments from 4-H Camp participants included, “I have missed 4-H Camp so much!”  “This has been the best week ever!”  and “I would not have tried this if it wasn’t for attending 4-H Camp.”