4-H Summer Camps
4-H summer camps provide outdoor environmental education and positive youth development in a residential summer camp.
Mission and Objectives
4-H summer camp enriches the lives of youth in a residential camp setting that focuses on social, physical, and emotional well-being. Camp provides youth development opportunities through experiential learning in an environment where youth feel healthy and safe so they can acquire new skills and abilities and develop the confidence they need to positively contribute to their communities.
Camp Objectives
- To provide a healthy and safe camp environment where youth can thrive both physically and emotionally.
- To provide intentional, experiential youth development programming.
- To teach youth about civic engagement, the importance of being a responsible community member, and to provide opportunities to practice community involvement and contribution.
- To provide learning and growth opportunities where youth are able to (1) socially interact, learn to get along with others, and build meaningful relationships; (2) engage in nature on their own and through intentional programming; (3) try new things and explore new interests; (4) develop leadership skills and be of service to others; (5) develop independence, problem-solving, and self-reliance skills; and (6) learn to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions and to meet individual and group responsibilities.
Camp Participants
4-H Camp involves three types of program participants:
- Campers: young people enrolled as 4-H members that are 9 to 14 years old who attend camp.
- Staff: young people enrolled as 4-H members that are 14 to 18 years old who plan and attend camp.
- Adults: appointed as 4-H volunteers who plan and/or attend camp