The Targeted Life Skills model (Hendricks, 1998) has been an important guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating 4-H youth development programs.  This model provides a holistic youth development approach, referred to by multiple researchers (Barkman & Machtmes, 2002; Garton, Miltenberger, & Pruett, 2007; Pittman & Yohalem, 2002; Scales, 1996; Wright & Bersamin, 2004.)  4-H based studies using Targeted Life Skills identified a positive relationship between participation in 4-H activities and life skill development in youth participants (Boleman, Cummings, & Briers, 2004; Ferrari, Hogue, & Scheer, 2004; Fox, Schroeder, & Lodl, 2003; Garton, Miltenberger, & Pruett, 2007; Smith, Genry, & Ketring, 2005; Ward, 1996).  In Kentucky, large numbers of commonwealth citizens participate in 4-H camp.  In 2018, 9,851 youth, 2,012 volunteers, and 245 extension employees participated in one of 35 sessions at one of four state-operated camping centers.  4-H camp is an integral delivery method of Kentucky 4-H youth development activities, with each of the commonwealth’s 120 counties participating.  Youth are eligible to attend residential summer camp as a participant for a span of 6 years, beginning at age 9, and aging out at 14. In 2018, the average age of the 9,851 youth participants was 10.3 years old, and ranged in tenure from camping for the first time to 8 years attendance (attended prior to the standard beginning age of 9).  Attending 4-H camp provides youth an opportunity to engage in activities in which they may otherwise not experience.  In a June 2018 Parent/Guardian post-camp evaluation, a parent writes:

4-H Camp was the best thing to ever happen to my son. He is 12 years old physically, but mentally he is only about 6 years old. This is the first time I have felt comfortable with my son being away from home without me. He is always getting in trouble at school and struggles to make friends. 4-H summer camp changed this for him. He had no behavior problems according to leaders and he learned to be independent and be around others without panic attacks. To you, this is just a paragraph on a survey, but to my family and my son, this is life-changing and will forever shape the future for my son. I cannot thank the staff of North Central 4-H Camp, our county agents, and his leaders for being the igniting spark he needed to know there is a safe place to be yourself, have fun, learn who you want to be, and to escape the stressful chaos of today’s world.  From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!  

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.