4-H emphasizes youth development is areas of healthy living, citizenship, STEM, agriculture and many others.  According to Mark Mains, Assistant Director of 4-H Youth Development, “For many youth in Kentucky, 4-H Camp is their first exposure to all that 4-H Youth Development can offer.”  Attending camp, for some youth, is their first-time away from home, and allows them to explore all the various facets of 4-H Youth Development.  Because we know that 4-H camp helps build citizenship skills, as well as, interest and skills in areas such as swimming, archery, arts, and the like, it is important to allow as many as possible youth to attend camp and have such exposure to 4-H programming.  

For the 2018 camping season Breathitt County FCS Extension Agent, Kayla Watts, in partnership with ANR Agent, Reed Graham, and 4-H Program Assistant, Jessica Gross, recruited, organized, and attended 4-H camp with 64 youth from Breathitt County.  Not only were there 64 youth present from Breathitt County, but the Agents and the 4-H Program Assistant were able to recruit 7 adult volunteers plus Extension Office Staff, to assist in this adventure.  Camp attendance numbers for Breathitt County increased almost 20%, as did adult/volunteer rate.

Some of the successes of 4-Hcamp could be recorded through student comments.  One student stated, “I’ve worked all week to climb the rock-wall and repel, and I finally did it!  I conquered my fears!”  Another student commented, “I really liked getting to do something fun with my classmates and meeting kids from other places.”  One of the best student statements was, “I have learned more about 4-H and cannot wait to come back next year.”

At the end of their stay students completed a camp evaluation.  Students indicated they liked camp and many of them indicated they would like to return next summer.  Too, students indicated to the Agents and Program Assistant that they would like to learn more and be more involved in 4-H.

4-H Youth Development offers programming and leadership development in several areas of interest.  Avenues of introduction to such programming, attending 4-H Camp, is important so that youth can learn more about the 4-H organization and grow to be more independent community citizens.  Exposure to positive influences and positive experiences is essential to shape positive youth.  This summer, Breathitt County youth had the experience of such exposure, which, in return, will last them a lifetime.