Teen Led Camping
Opportunities
State Camps
•
•
•
•
•
Junior Leadership Conference
Fashion Camp
Food and Fitness Camp
Citizenship Camp
LOST Camp (Louisiana Outdoor Skills and Technology)
Louisiana State Teen Boards
• Objectives
– Increase youth voice in state program
– Offer additional opportunity for youth and adult
partnerships
– Increase leadership skills among teens
– Increase engagement and retention of teens in
Louisiana 4-H
– expand technical, subject matter knowledge
relative to the respective board.
– Increase programming in parishes
Louisiana State Teen Boards
•
•
•
•
•
•
Executive Committee
Food and Fitness (Healthy Living)
SET
Citizenship
Fashion
Shooting Sports Ambassadors
Selection Process
• Executive Committee – elected by peers after
completing a written and phone interview
screening process
• All other Boards – selected by an interview
and application process
Selected during State event held in June
High Quality Teen Leadership
Programs: What the Research Says?
• Keep Programs Flexible (Astroth; and Wingerter, Kleon and
King)
• Empower and Provide Automony (Astroth; Morland;
and Huebner)
• Exercise Good Communication (Astroth; Morland; and
Wingerter, Kleon and King)
• Practice and Value Service (Astroth)
What the Research Says?
• Take Time for Training (Astroth)
• Equal Balance Between Fun and Work
(Astroth;
Wingerter, Kleon and King)
• Emphasize Experiences (Morland)
• Newcomers Mentored Helping to Understand
Culture and Opportunities (Astroth; Morland)
• Support and Affirm (Astroth)
Camp planning process
• 3-4 meetings – different locations
• Includes education, teambuilding, social time
and planning time
• Create teaching teams paired with adult to
develop youth/adult partnerships
Do’s for Working with 4-H Youth
• Involve them from the very beginning, before
it’s too late for them to be a part of a
meaningful change
• Give youth responsibility
• Take youth input seriously
Do’s for Working with 4-H Youth
• Act as a responsible role-model—youth will
respect what you teach them
• Include as many youth as possible
• Be honest and stick to promises
• Think of youth oriented problems (after
school activities, transportation)
Don’ts for Working with 4-H Youth
• Forget to show them the steps needed to do
the task
• Ask youth to attend meetings and not use
their ideas
• Invite the youth for image reasons
• Mislead youth into thinking you can do
something that you can’t
Don’ts for Working with 4-H Youth
• Forget youth ideas during implementation
• Set meetings at times youth can’t attend
• Involve youth so late in the process that all
the decisions are already made
• Use youth as a “stamp of approval”
Challenges… lessons learned
• Transportation – variety of adult sponsors in
different locations
• Communication – Facebook, text, email, call
• Adults providing too much input – training
• Teens need specific guidance on how to teach
others – experiential learning model, practice
“If it is about us…….
Don’t do it without us!”
Board the Bus!
Lets go Camping!
Fashion Board
•
•
•
•
Main Focus – Apparel and Textiles
30 teens – 6 adult faculty and volunteers
3 meetings plus Fashion Trip
Responsibilities:
– Fashion Camp
– Fashion Show at 4-H University
Fashion Camp
•
•
•
•
Target audience 5th – 8th graders
One night
Basic clothing construction
Fashion board members duties
– Plan camp
– Plan teaching activities
– One on one instruction with campers
– Work with adult volunteers in partnership to
execute every portion of the camp
Executive Committee
•
•
•
•
State officers and representatives
32 youth - 3 faculty, 3 volunteers
1 year term
Responsible for:
– Junior Leadership Conference (350 teens)
• ViVa La 4-H … Deal out the Leadership
– 4-H University program (speakers, decorations)
– Serving on State Committees with equal power (4-H
U, Foundation, Camp)
•
Executive Committee
• 4 planning meetings
– Summer- begin planning events and assign to
committees
– Fall- plan JLC and determine tracks to be taught
– Winter -finalize JLC plans and plan 4-H University
– Spring- finalize plans for 4-H University
• Communicate via Facebook, text, email
• Track reports due throughout the year
Citizenship Board
• Main Focus-Service Learning
• 25 teens – 5 adults
• Responsibilities:
– Implement State Service Learning Project Annually
– Citizenship Camp
• LA Connections - a road trip across Louisiana to
learn about our culture, government and
people
• 4-H Day at the Capital program
Food and Fitness Board
• Serve a one year term, may be reappointed
• 25 members -6 adult faculty and volunteer
sponsors
• Responsible for:
– Food and Fitness Camp –(Wild about
Food and Fitness)
• 100 4-H youth –( 4th -6th grade)
• Board designs and develops tracks
• Board members teach tracks
- Parish and regional food and fitness events
Food and Fitness Board
• Summer board meeting – elect officers and
begin yearly plan
• Winter board meeting – finalize plan for food
and fitness camp
• Food and fitness camp –spring of the year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsoTsLZf3rc
SET Board
• Main Focus: Science, Engineering and Technology
• Responsibilities:
– LOST Camp ( 250 7th -8th grade)
• Improve Science literacy and aptitude
• Raise awareness for careers within Science, Engineering and
Technology
• Develop camp opportunities for 7th and 8th graders
• Track areas: Kitchen Chemistry, Forensic Science, Robotics,
Wetlands, Energy, Rocketry, Outdoor Skills, Videography,
Recycling
– Organize SET activities on local level
Shooting Sports Ambassadors
•
•
•
•
Newest formed board
Main focus – Shooting Sports, Outdoor skills
15 youth – 2 adult faculty and volunteers
Responsibilities :
–
–
–
–
Regional and State Competition
Outdoor skills track at LOST Camp
Outdoor skills track at Summer Camp
Promote program at various community events
Recognition/Celebration
• LSU 4-H Tailgate & Game
• 4-H Night at Hornets
• Governor’s Mansion Dinner
• SRTLC
• 4-HUniversity
Evaluations
• 100% of participants were able to think
independently and have a positive feeling
about their future.
• 97% increased their subject matter knowledge
related to the Board they served on; mastered
leadership skills, and improved their ability to
communicate with others.
Teens said:
• “I met so many new people and I felt that my
voice and ideas were really heard. It was the
greatest leadership experience yet.”
• “The lessons I learned have helped me to lead
my club in a positive direction.”
“The more we increase the active participation
and partnership with young people, the better
we serve them. …
And the more comprehensively we work with
them as service partners, the more we increase
our public value to the entire community.” Carmen Martinez