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 yearhttp://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