Success StoryEnvironmental Education Camp



Environmental Education Camp

Author: Patrick Allen

Planning Unit: 4-H Central Operations

Major Program: Camping

Plan of Work: Environmental Education

Outcome: Initial Outcome

For eight years now I have worked to increase the Scott County public school's 4th grade attendance to Environmental Education Camp (EE camp). We went from having only three schools attending to having all nine participating in the program. These nine were divided between the Fall and Spring seasonal programs. The program was designed to help youth increase knowledge in several facets of the environment. These areas included; wildlife studies, Micro invertebrates, aquatic life, mammal studies, birds of pray, ecosystems, and soil studies. The over all goal for this program is to get youth interested in the environment/ outdoors so that maybe one day the will become advocates for natural areas and their environment. In 2020 we were forced to cancel all the overnight environmental camping groups in Scott county due to COVID-19. In 2021 the school systems were unsure of allowing overnights as well as field trips in general because of the continued risk COVID-10 presented. I was still abele to continue the program with one Homeschool Coop group (Classical Conversations) in Spring of 2021. I decided to be proactive and have continuous communication with the 4th grade teachers as well as develop an overnight option for the Spring of 2022. The schools approved the idea with their administration team and we were able to hold the program as a Day Camp version. The schools allowed the schedule to extend to after school hours so that the students could be at camp longer. This gave the students the opportunity to take four classes and have dinner at camp. We partnered with the Kentucky Reptile Zoo and had them give a one hour presentation for all the students on their specific day of camp. After completing all eight sessions of camp with the schools the teachers shared positive comments of the schedule and program as a whole. Teachers were happy that we were able to have the option of a day camp for their students as the students were excited to finally attend field trips again. After having such a positive outcome with the modified program, we will be offering this version of EE camp again in the future. Ultimately, there was a fear that schools would not have the continued interest in participating in the program after 2020 and 2021 cancellations but we are happy to say that with this modification we will continue to have all schools involved in 2023.             






Stories by Patrick Allen


Environmental Education Camp

about 2 years ago by Patrick Allen

For eight years now I have worked to increase the Scott County public schools 4th grade attendance t... Read More


Kentucky Volunteer Forum

about 2 years ago by Patrick Allen

Volunteers play integral roles in 4-H programs, performing a variety of duties, functions, and tasks... Read More


Stories by 4-H Central Operations


Kentucky 4-H Maple Syrup Project

Kentucky 4-H Maple Syrup Project

about 2 years ago by Ashley Osborne

The University of Kentucky Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Kentucky Cooperative Extens... Read More


4-H Summer Camp Feels like Family

about 2 years ago by Joseph Barnard

A typical 5-day 4-H Camp session offers upwards of 96 hours of direct, uninterrupted contact between... Read More


Stories by Camping


4-H Camp Post Covid

4-H Camp Post Covid

about 2 years ago by Rhonda Jewell

4-H Camp4-H Camp provides an opportunity for youth to develop essential life skills that help them b... Read More


Bringing Families Together over a Weekend at 4-H Cloverbud Camp

Bringing Families Together over a Weekend at 4-H Cloverbud Camp

about 2 years ago by Anna Meador

With the primary goal of the Kentucky 4-H Cloverbud program being to promote childrens healthy d... Read More