4-H Day Camps: Following the Map to Success! Kasey L. Bozeman Liberty County 4-H Agent

Background Spring 2012 Increase 4-H visibility in community Increase 4-H participation Generate revenue Spring Break ?

Initial Ideas During school holidays Compete with child care No “extra” hours for 4-H staff Could generate extra funds Fun activities that we don’t get the chance to teach

4-H Essential Elements Mastery: – Educational – Engaging Belonging: – Increase 4-H visibility & participation Independence: – Self-determination Generosity: – Service project?

Spring Break Day Camp 3 days: Monday – Wednesday 8:00AM – 5:00PM Cloverleaf Age: 4 th -6 th Grade $25 fee: activities, 2 snacks/day, lunch, 1 trip 20 participants max Education: Health Rocks! & STEM Recreation: games, arts & crafts, etc. Field Trip: hydroponics farm

Lessons Learned Offer more trips Find more partners Recruit more volunteers Purposeful planning Evaluation Don’t serve lunch Could charge more

2013 Day Camp 5 days: Monday – Friday Same times and age groups $55 fee: activities, 2 snacks/day, and 3 field trips No lunch provided 30 participants max Education: Health Rocks! & STEM Recreation: games, arts & crafts, etc. Field Trips: Flatland Farms, EE at Burton 4-H Center, Fort Morris/Cay Creek Wetlands

2013 Improvements Length to 5 days More volunteers/teen leaders Didn’t serve lunch Purposeful in plans Stuck with things that worked: – Health Rocks! – STEM programming Improved evaluation

2013 Evaluation Results Statement Mean Score Standard Deviation I know how to live a healthy lifestyle – free from alcohol, drug, and tobacco use I understand the importance of our natural resources (water, air, etc.) and habitats (marsh, beach, wetlands, etc.) I have learned more about agriculture through the “seed to supper” field trip I know about the history of Liberty County/Sunbury by visiting Fort Morris I have learned why it is important to be an active citizen and complete community service projects I am more confident in my ability to be a leader I have made friends with other 4-H’ers from Liberty County I plan to stay involved in the 4-H program Likert-scale: 1 – strongly disagree, 2 – disagree, 3 – agree, and 4 – strongly agree

2014 Day Camp Same days, times, and age groups $55 fee: activities, 2 snacks/day, and 2 field trips (no lunch) 30 participants Many of the same activities at 2013 Added in “Government Day” for April’s County Government Month – Toured Police Station & Justice Center Eliminated trip to Fort Morris and Cay Creek Wetlands

2014 Evaluation Results Post-then-Pre Evaluation Likert-scale: 1 – strongly disagree, 2 – disagree, 3 – agree, and 4 – strongly agree

2014 Evaluation Results Participants were asked to rank their confidence in the completing the following tasks after attending Spring Break Day Camp … 1Identifying the health issues with using tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. 2Explaining the importance of water quality issues as it relates to human usage. 3Sharing about different entities of local government. 4Naming the different things animals need in order to survive. 5Identifying agricultural operations and sources of food. 6Understanding the importance of marsh and beach environments. 7Explaining why insects are important in ecosystems. 8Sharing ways to resist peer pressure it relates to using drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

2015 Day Camp Plans 5 days: Monday - Friday $60 fee: activities, 2 snacks/day, and 2 field trips (no lunch) $10 optional T-Shirt 30 participants Community partnerships – City Hall – Local Businesses – IPA Telephone Museum

Planning Thoughts Location: Extension Office, park, recreation department Advertising: in-school programming, e- newsletters & social media, flyers, community groups, etc. Schedule: wide range of activities, active, indoors, arts, sciences, healthy living, grant programs, etc. Have rainy day plans! Budgets: inexpensive activities to balance trips Recruiting Teen and Adult Volunteers

Discussion & Questions Kasey L. Bozeman Liberty County 4-H Agent