Matti, a Boyd County 4-H member turned 9 years old May 10, 2014 and then left for 4-H Camp 21 days later.   After that first camp week, she said that one day she would be on 4-H Camp Staff.  Fast forward, to May 2023, Matti was hired as 4-H Camp Staff with the University of Kentucky camping staff.

The vision of Kentucky 4-H Camping is to serve the citizens of Kentucky and beyond by providing a safe environment for experiential learning opportunities. The mission of Kentucky 4-H Camping is to improve people through intentional life skill development. This will happen through • collaboration with local, state, and national partners, • research-based methods and programming, • service-oriented practices, • long-term strategic planning, • and play.

Camp is at the heart of many states' 4-H programs. 4-H experiential learning activities at camp positively affect campers' life skills and leadership skills.  Former 4-H'ers hold dear for a lifetime their wonderful summer camp experiences.  Many resources have been invested, including hours of volunteer time, to create this positive experiential learning environment in county or multi-county 4-H camps.

According to the Journal of Extension article, research shows, from a youth and parent perspective, that camp provides positive impacts for youth. Youth attending 4-H camp indicated their participation helped them acquire life skills and helped them most in making new friends, developing new skills, and becoming more independent and able to take care of themselves (Garst & Bruce, 2003). Furthermore, parents/guardians identified significant gains in their children in the areas of responsibility for actions, work responsibility, and increasing initiative as a self-starter (Garst & Bruce, 2003).

Boyd County 4-H member became a perfect example of the influence of 4-H. Matti began volunteering to help with her club meetings, became an officer, camp counselor in training, junior camp counselor, state 4-H demonstration champion, adult camp counselor and then her ultimate goal of University of Kentucky 4-H Camp Staff.

Not only did Matti achieve her goal of 4-H Camp Staff, her mother expressed that her job as camp staff has improved her money, time, and personal management skills tremendously.   The Boyd County 4-H Youth Development Agent has enjoyed watching Matti blossom into the hard working, responsible adult that she is today.  The thank you note that Matti made her 4-H Youth Development Agent ten years ago still hangs on her office bulletin board.