Author: Patrick Allen
Planning Unit: 4-H Central Operations
Major Program: 4-H Agriculture Core Curriculum AND Natural Resources
Plan of Work: Environmental Education
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
Scott County 4-H continues to provide a number of environmental education opportunities for the youth in Scott County. The biggest program Scott County 4-H conduct in the fall and the spring is environmental education overnight camp. This camping experience is offered to all 4th grade students in Scott County. We have participation from all public schools in Scott County, equating to approximately 800 students attending this overnight experience. Youth attend a variety of classes geared towards the environment, as well as bonding as a class. Scott County 4-H also offers a 4-H adventure after-school program that exposes youth to nature and our environment. These youth have visited Natural Bridge, Carter Caves, Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Zoo, and Land Between the Lakes for an eagle watch. Scott County 4-H also had the opportunity to send 6 youth to Jekyll Island for their 4-H environmental education camping program. The youth spent 3 days exploring wildlife that live near the ocean, as well as exploring the variety of plants living in the forests on the island. These experiences give youth the opportunity to surround themselves in nature and an environment they do not often see, with the hope they want to preserve it for future generations. Youth attendance in the after-school 4-H adventure program continues to increase. The only way we hope to preserve our natural resources is to show youth how important and more importantly FUN it can be. Youth are more likely to defend something that they can make a direct connection too, something they can recall and share a story about to their friends. This is why it is most important to take these youth to these places and given them the opportunity to create a bond with what we hope will be around for many more generations. Our hope is that we can recruit youth to participate in other 4-H programs like the 4-H Adventure Program and increase the opportunities for youth to travel out of the county and learn about other environments.
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