GREENSBORO, N.C. – Registration is now open for the 2019 North Carolina 4-H summer camp season. North Carolina 4-H has three Camping Centers that are owned and operated through NC State Extension in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at NC State University. Registration for 4-H camp is open to all youth and 4-H membership is not required to attend camp.
North Carolina 4-H offers two types of summer camps: Traditional 4-H Camps and Specialty Camps. Traditional 4-H Camps run Sunday through Friday and offer traditional camp activities including archery, arts and crafts, canoeing, fishing, hiking, low ropes team building course, nature study, and swimming. Specialty camps run Sunday through Friday and offer specialized activities. Specialty camps include: Boating Camp, Fur Fish N’ Game Rendezvous (hunting and wildlife), Horsemanship Camp, Marine Science and Sailing, and Cloverbud Camp for 5-8 year olds.
Guilford County 4-H will camp at Betsy Jeff Penn 4-H Center in Reidsville July 7-12. This camp week is open to youth 8-12 years old. Registration includes all activities, instruction, lodging in cabins, meals, and supervision by qualified and trained camp counselors. Not only do campers develop new friendships, try new activities, and learn life skills, but new research from the American Camp Association (ACA) demonstrates that summer camp provides positive impacts that last a lifetime. Each of the three North Carolina 4-H Camps are accredited nationally by the American Camp Association, which is a rigorous process to ensure national standards for operation and safety are being met. Only an estimated 25% of camps are accredited by the ACA nationwide.
Dave Herpy, director of North Carolina’s 4-H Camps & Conference Centers through NC State University, which facilitates 4-H programs along with NC A&T State University, added that summer camp is critical for today’s youth. “Camp is one of four main delivery modes for 4-H Youth Development, along with Clubs, School Enrichment, and Special Interest” said Herpy. “4-H Camp is essential for experiential learning and developing life skills, as well as fostering an appreciation for nature, which is critical in today’s society. Through just one week of camp, youth have the opportunity to try new activities, learn new skills, and make new friends. Quite simply, the value of camp is priceless.”
To register for the July 7-12 week at Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp, visit http://go.ncsu.edu/guilfordbjp
–Peggie Lewis Joyce, N.C. State Extension