In the fall of 2016, the Fleming County 4-H program was approached by the fifth grade teacher team from Flemingsburg Elementary School about what it would take to offer the overnight Colonial Camp experience to their youth.   They wanted an opportunity to provide a supplemental educational experience actively utilizing and highlighting classroom curriculum to encourage information retention prior to their end of the year testing window.   

Coordinating with the teaching team and local volunteers, fifth grade students had the opportunity to canoe, shoot archery, learn about economics in colonial times, make tin can lanterns and learn how to survive in the wilderness.  As a result, of the programming, youth had the opportunity to share many new experiences with their classmates.  For many students, it was their first time shooting archery or canoeing.  Students expressed they learned about supply and demand through the economics lesson, and what to do if they ever get lost in the woods.  The program as a whole was extremely well rounded covering many aspects of colonial life.

Teacher’s reviewed this program as “4-H Colonial Camp created an environmental that enabled students to try things that would have never been possible in the traditional classroom.  It also gave them a sense of responsibility and created memories that will last a lifetime” and “Colonial Camp provided our students with incredible experiences that aligned directly to the social studies curriculum.  Teacher/ Student relationships were strengthened and all students experienced something new where they were able to feel a sense of pride in themselves!”

While at Colonial Camp, students had the opportunity to experience independence on a new level. Some had never been away from home before or been responsible for their own belongings.  Students reported in a post test that 81% attending felt responsible for their own things, 30% made a new friend, 57% exercised their manners, 61% thought they were polite, 63% worked on being on time and 93% of the youth attending stated they tried something new for the very first time.