Every summer, youth from Grant County attend summer camp at North Central 4-H Camp. Our numbers continue to grow as more and more families realize the magic of    4-H Summer Camp. If your child has never been to camp, you may be wondering how to take advantage of this social phenomenon.

Why is camp so important?  When talking with campers, parents, and camp staff, there are common themes that continually come up when talking about the benefits of summer camp.  Summer camp is a special type of community where kids come together to have fun.  Within the camp setting, children develop a sense of independence as they try new adventures away from home.  Summer camps are known for providing a safe environment where children gain self-confidence as they learn new skills.  Camp is also a place where children develop a variety of social skills (e.g., communication, conflict resolution ability).  

We have one young lady who started going to camp with us nine years ago, at the age of seven.  This year is her first as a Junior Counselor.  Here are her thoughts on what 4-H Summer Camp means to her:  "This will be my 9th year coming up on June 10th, I’ll be a JC (junior counselor) and I’m from Grant County. Every year I cry on the last night and day (I say that because last year all the counselors noticed me bawling my eyes out completely and one that I didn’t even get to meet gave me his melting candle, which I thought was just the most simple yet nicest favor). I always look forward to camp. If I was asked my favorite thing about 4-H camp I honestly couldn’t decide because I’ve done just about everything and all of it is my favorite. So to put it simply, camp is probably my most favorite thing about camp. 

“The environment and judgement free atmosphere makes me feel unstoppable and determined. It’s the one week during the year I can drop all my chores at home, and go have fun. I don’t have to worry about JROTC or what time soccer practice is. I can go and feel like a new kid. The camp counselors make the experience twice as fun and all of them have such a great personalities and character traits that make me have faith in people. I know this all sounds cheesy but I really consider camp to be basically a second home; I know it like the back of my hand. It is my desire to leave a mark and be a beam of happiest to my campers, JC/AC, and hopefully even the camp counselors because I always want there to be a piece of myself there so I can have great memories and others can remember them too. 

“This year is going to be a blast especially with a SAFARI THEME! I can’t wait!!! But enough with me fan-girling over the camp theme. My goal is to one day be a camp counselor and impact the lives of kids, just like the counselors now have impacted me. Last but not least (because this is long) my two older brothers Samson (23) and James (26) first introduced me to camp and I loved it, especially with them. Eventually James stopped going because he had to start adulting and soon after James went so did Samson. The camp experiences I had with my brothers are some of my very favorite with them. I’m seven and ten years younger so I’m still the little sister in high school and don’t get to see them as much since they are all so grown up. Samson has a job in Yellowstone while James is married and is creating a family of his very own with a great woman. But, my brothers always still say camp was part of the best memories of their childhood. Again, it’s a home to me. If you want to go here, do it. Keep being a light. And never say you’re too old because North Central 4-H Camp can never be out grown. Love, Cc Reed??”