During the pandemic I have had the opportunity to reflect on and create an outline for an Natural Recourses program that will bring youth closer to the outdoors. The overall goals of this program are as follows; 

1. Increase the number of hours per week that youth spend outside
2. Teach youth some basic survival skills (fire building, shelter building, cooking) 
3. Increase environmental awareness - to help protect the environment
4. Visit a State or National Park and allow youth the opportunity to travel to new places
5. Increase basic leadership skills - teamwork, confidence, and independence

The Program Outline: 

Monthly meetings that will incorporate the skills described in the goals. Youth will earn a patch that indicates that the have successfully demonstrated each skill. They club will incorporate other components from the seven core content areas such as; 

• Family Consumer Science / Nutrition - Outdoor cooking, sewing, health and safety
• Communications - Youth will have to complete a demonstration on one of the skills they have been show in the club
• Civic Engagement - We will be volunteering to help clean or maintain a trail or park area
• Science Engineering and Technology - using GPS and other computer software for hiking 
• Volunteerism - we partner with outside groups to demonstrate different career fields, and will utilize adult volunteers for the various outings we take

This will have the potential to be a multi county and multi area program. Especially for the trips to National Parks. 

I am viewing this as a success because of the initial interest it has received from a resent poll. The poll was given verbally to a group of parents already active in the 4-H program. They responded positively when asked if their 4-H'er would be interested in this type of program. Based on that response I have worked to increase my knowledge through a series of adult classes through the Nature Reliance School, and completing the Master Naturalist course through UK. I am continuing to increase my knowledge and looking to take more classes on outdoor survival, nature, and safety. This program will highlight the Middle School age group, an age group that has to often been neglected with programs. This age group is statistically found o be more indoors and showing more hesitation with social interaction. I have selected this group because I feel they need it the most and will also be old enough to successfully and safely complete the skills for the club. I am looking for this program to begin at the start of the new program year.