A group of 41 members, counselors and adults from St. Charles Parish recently attended 4-H Summer Camp. The camp, the 4-H Grant Walker Educational Center, is located in Grant Parish about 25 miles north of Alexandria in Pollock. Other parishes attending with St. Charles were: St. John, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemine, East Baton Rouge and St. Landry. This was one of the largest summer camp groups for these parishes due to the addition of St. Landry. Administrators were fearful that the Metro area parishes would not bring as many kids due to the destruction of the area by Hurricane Katrina but the Metro Parishes each brought nearly their regular numbers!At the camp, members had the opportunity to select educational tracks in which they received nine hours of instruction; three hours in the morning each day on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The educational tracks included: dramatic arts in which members could learn how to put on a play and practice their acting talents, outdoor adventures in which they could shoot bows and rifles: wet and wild nature adventures in which they could explore how the outdoor environment and plants and animals interact, tech world where they could learn to use GPS’s to build Amusement Parks and other structures and food and nutrition where they could learn how health and nutrition benefit each other.
After a morning of learning, members got the opportunity to have more fun in the evenings by participating in recreational games like volleyball, softball, washers, parachute games and archery. With a free hour or recreational time before dinner, members could also swim, play softball, basketball or even attend the arts and crafts room.
The night activities at camp are reserved for some of the most exciting times for the campers. Each night, during the evening assembly which is held after dinner, the camp puts on some type of educational program. The highlight of this years evening assemblies were the performances conducted by the Jr. Leader Counselors. The counselors consist of high school 4-H members from each Parish. Their version of the American Idol “4-H Counselor’s Got Talent?” left the campers in an uproar! Agents thought that this year’s group of counselors may have been the best ever! Then, after the evening assembly, the campers could select the recreational activities of their choice. Some members ran directly to the pool, others went directly to the dance, some went to the arts and crafts room and a few even headed to the movie.
This year’s 4-H Summer Camp, due to Hurricane Katrina, turned out to be one of the best ever for the kids. Members were able to renew old friendships as well as talk about the adventures they had encountered with Hurricane Katrina. According to David Pichon, 4-H Agent, “attending camp was a big stress relief for many of the kids”. The 4-H Club program follows a non-discriminatory policy in regards to all of its activities and programs. For more information on the 4-H program you may contact David Pichon at 985-785-4473 or by e-mail at: dpichon@agctr.lsu.edu.
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