The 2023 Regional 4-H Camp was held at the University of Minnesota, Morris campus from June 20-22. Camp is an educational and recreational program open to grades 3-6 youth. There were 95 campers and 26 teenage counselors from 13 Minnesota counties who participated.
Minnesota 4-H conducts camps all year long at various locations. At camp, youth can work on projects they are already doing, or start new ones. 4-H campers have the same high-quality, hands-on learning experiences that they have in clubs, events, or fairs, but can spend more time on them. Activities are designed to develop greater awareness, understanding, and appreciation of nature and our relationship to it. Research shows that a well-planned youth camp improves self-esteem, environmental awareness, and peer relationships, and has other measurable positive outcomes.
Campers could select from five educational track choices led by 4-H Staff: Robotics, Performing Arts, Archery, Photography, and Outdoor Survivalists. Each track is designed to give campers a hands-on opportunity to explore various 4-H project areas. In addition to track time, campers also participated in large and small-group activities, recreational time at the RFC, flag-raising/lowering ceremonies, and evening programs/campfires.
Participants attending from Meeker County were:
• Addy Bauernschmitt, Valley Victors
• Lilly Henschke, Independent
• Hadley Huhn, Litchfield Satellites
• Logan Joyer, Forest City Livewires
• Avery Lougheed, Valley Victors
• Madeline Lougheed, Valley Victors
• Nora Magedanz, Valley Victors
• Jerome Nohner, independent
Hadley Huhn shared, “I liked the games we played, Bonkers and the water relay race. The end of the day campfires were fun. I did the photography track, and we did a scavenger hunt and made memory books.“
To learn more about 4-H in Meeker County, go to www.extension.umn.edu/meeker or call Cassidy Martin, 4-H Extension Educator at (320) 693-5275.
About Extension 4-H
4-H is a youth development program of the University of Minnesota Extension. Available for youth beginning in kindergarten, 4-H’ers participate in hands-on learning experiences in STEM, leadership & civic engagement, animal science, creative arts, and much more. Through 4-H’s learn-by-doing process, youth obtain essential life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, coping, and communicating that help them succeed in their school, college, community, and career. Research shows that youth who participate in 4-H have better grades and are more emotionally engaged with school, and are more than twice as likely to be civically active and contribute to their communities. Learn more at https://z.umn.edu/mn4h.