Success StoryEnvironmental Education Overnight Camp



Environmental Education Overnight Camp

Author: Kimberly Lane

Planning Unit: Morgan County CES

Major Program: Natural Resources 4-H Core Curriculum

Plan of Work: Unrelated to a specified County Plan of Work

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Morgan County 4-H Council has partnered with the Family Resource Center Directors, and four Elementary school staff for the past nine years to provide an educational environmental overnight camping program for all 4th graders in Morgan County. This partnership was developed to provide hands on applicable learning experiences for all 4th graders. This has been done by providing an overnight experience at a local youth camping facility. The overnight event in September was for all the 4th graders. It has been based on environmental science and natural resources. 4-H Teen Club members provide group activities and either instruct a class or offer assistance to an instructor. When this program began, it was solely a 4-H Program and now it has become a school program with 4-H providing assistance. This past year we conducted two overnight camps just so we could have enough space for all the youth. The first one was 65 youth, 14 adults/teachers, and 10 teens. The second one was 46 youth, 9 adults/teachers, and 11 teens. From personal interviews: 1. Teachers cited improved identification of plant, culture and health. 2. Teens gained public speaking skills, self-esteem, greater respect for the work of teachers, and apply leadership skills 3. 95% of the 4th and 5th grades cited learning ways that science applies to their surroundings and reasons for studying the environment 4. Teachers also stated that the unity of their class was so strong after attending the event. They were more team oriented than before.  5. 55% of the students this was their first time being away from home. 6. 70% of the students experienced a first time while on the overnight, whether it be archery, canoeing, collecting a water sample, hiking in the forest or cooking.






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