2012 4-H Summer Camp

What is 4-H?

4-H is a non-formal educational program and an organization for youth, ages 5-19.  It is open to everyone regardless of race, religion, color, gender, national origin, handicap, or place of residence.

4-H is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and by local government.  The 4-H youth program was created to bring the latest research knowledge generated at the land grant universities (Virginia Tech and Virginia State) to local communities.  Our goal is to help young people grow into capable, responsible, confident members of their communities by providing information, opportunities, activities, and events that are educational, developmental, and fun.

The 4-H motto is: “TO MAKE THE BEST BETTER.  The 4-H colors are green and white.  A green four-leaf clover with a white “H” on each cloverleaf is the 4-H emblem.  The official emblem is copyrighted and may be used only as approved by 4-H.  The 4-H slogan is “Learn by Doing.”

Spotsylvania County 4-H Clubs

A 4-H Club is an organized group of youngsters (ages 9-19) with elected officers and a planned program that is conducted throughout the year or the majority of the year. Clubs are lead by volunteer leaders and may focus on one or more project areas. Club officers conduct monthly organizational meetings. Members also participate in a variety of learning experiences in their organizational meeting as well as within their project meetings. Project meetings may be held as often as deemed necessary, but at least once a month.

4-H clubs may meet as neighborhood clubs, as after school clubs, or as within school clubs. The "key" is that all clubs should have officers, be managed by volunteers, meet over a sustained period of time, and are focused on positive youth development.

2009-2010 4-H Clubs

Meaningful Day at Oakley Farms

Each year, Spotsylvania County 4-H hosts a Virginia natural resources field day for every 4th grader in the county.  During this all day event, each student travels to four different outdoor classroom sessions where they learn about all aspects of Virginia natural resources.  They learn about Virginia agricultural and forest products, Virginia watersheds, Virginia native wildlife, and Virginia forest health and fire prevention.  During the 2008-2009 school year, a total of 2009 people attended Meaningful Day.  This number includes students, teachers, and parents.  

In order to put this event on, the cooperation and extremely kind support from numerous organizations is needed.  A heartfelt thank you goes out to the following organizations for their help:

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/  

Tri-County/City Soil & Water Conservation District

http://www.tccswcd.vaswcd.org/

Virginia Department of Forestry

http://www.dof.virginia.gov/index.shtml

Leave No Trace: Practicing Environmental Education in the Great Outdoors

Leave No Trace is an national and international program designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts with their decisions about how to reduce their impacts when they hike, camp, picnic, snowshoe, run, bike, hunt, paddle, ride horses, fish, ski, climb or do anything outdoors.  In Spotsylvania County, outdoor adventure is growing at an enormous rate.  During a normal weekend, you can see hundreds of visitors in our county parks and along the Rappahannock River.  The number of youth experiencing what nature has to offer is also growing.  It is extremely important that, when visiting natural areas and taking advantage of the great times they give us, we keep these areas clean and undisturbed.  The ideas behind the Leave No Trace program are encompassed in 7 principles.  These principles are:

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate to Other Visitors

Spotsylvania County 4-H will be conducting a Leave No Trace Workshop series starting in Fall 2009.  These workshops will introduce youth to the 7 principles of LNT while learning how to camp and backpack.  The culminating event for this workshop series will be a two day-two night camping trip planned by the participants.  More information on this will be provided in the near future.