Statement findings from the 2011 PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in a Desirable Environment) campaign indicated that many students in Laurel County were unaware of the effects of pollution on the environment, environmental resources, and the stewardship of those resources. When surveyed, local teachers, school officials, the Laurel County 4-H council and the Laurel County Extension Council, also identified environmental education as a valuable "need" for local youth. As a result of this need assessment, the Laurel County 4-H agents, in collaboration with local schools and other environmental groups, presented a 4-day environmental education camp.

During the camp, students rotated among educational stations that focused on different environmental topics including Pollinators and honey making by Southeast KY Beekeepers Association, Kentucky fish and how pollution impacts them, presented by the Department of Fish and Wildlife), fur trade as an integral part of the settlement of America, presented by UK Cooperative Extension Ag Dept. (Bell County), Recycling Relay Race by South Laurel High School Environmental Science students, Tree I.D. by North Laurel High School FFA students, Water Quality by KY Division of Water, Bear Biology by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and U.S. Forestry Service, Fire Safety with U.S. Forestry Service, Recycling and Waste Management by Kentucky Division of Waste,  and Soil Conservation by Laurel County NRCS.

For the past nine years, the camp has been an environmental education tool that serves to increase student awareness about the environment and encourages long-term environmental stewardship among youth. This year, 615 students, grades 4-12, from 6 local schools attended the day camp at J.M. Feltner 4-H camp in London, KY. Over 50 volunteers were involved in the planning and implementation of the program throughout the 4-day event. Each day, students were given the opportunity to apply scientific processes and higher order thinking skills as they were exposed to different environmental topics. All the while, encouraging creativity, originality, and flexibility as they resolved environmental problems and issues. The objectives of the program is for participants to leave inspired and empowered to become responsible, productive, and participatory individuals pertaining to the environment.  The following are some quotes of participating students:

• I knew recycling was important but had no idea how much waste people produce each year.
• Learning in an outdoor classroom is a great way to help students that struggle, such as myself, with tests and textbooks.
• Bees are so important, and I had no idea! We would not be able to get food without them and the honey is pretty good too!
• Forestry creates a lot of jobs in this area!
• The less trash lying around the safer everyone’s drinking water will be.
• I was so excited to have the opportunity to have hands on learning about how to better protect our environment and to value what resources we have.
• I never realized that wildlife couldn’t be considered a natural resource.

We also had previous attendees at this camp that came back as volunteers to teach the younger students. They loved the opportunity to work with younger students and plan on doing it in the future and recruiting others to present as well.