4-H is wrapping up the school year and gearing up for summer camp! The Wakulla 4-H program runs on the August to May school calendar year. In May, 4-H will celebrate youth and volunteer accomplishments on May 20 at 2 pm with an awards event at the Wakulla Extension office. To participate, please reach out to 4-H agent Rachel Pienta at r.pienta@ufl.edu or 850-926-3931.
For many families, planning summer activities is a process that begins months before the school doors close for the summer. Camps can play an important role in youth development and provide enriching experiences during the summer months, providing a valuable learning opportunity to expand youth life skills in ways that may not happen during the school year. The American Camp Association recommends including your child in making decisions about which weeks of camp to attend.
Summer Options for Rising First Through Twelfth Graders
Wakulla 4-H has a variety of camp options available this summer. Our camps offer hands-on, educational learning experiences. 4-H emphasizes life-skills and leadership development. Our popular Monday through Thursday day camp is back with six weeks of our most popular activity themes for ages 5 to 13. Youth must have completed kindergarten to enroll. From crafts or animal science to cooking or archery, there is a camp week for your child’s interest! For questions about how to enroll, reach out to Christy Pearson at 850-901-7092.
Trained staff are assigned to work with youth on a ratio of one adult to ten youth. Guest instructors that include University of Florida faculty provide hands-on learning experiences throughout the summer.
Teens who are rising ninth through twelfth graders can apply to be summer volunteers. Volunteering with 4-H is a great way to earn Bright Futures service hours and to gain valuable leadership experience.
We also have limited enrollment Specialty Camp weeks that include an advanced cooking option and a sewing week. These weeks are only open to specified ages, please see our camp guidelines on the Wakulla Extension website (https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/wakulla/4-h-youth-development/ for additional information about eligibility.
The popular Teen Leadership CERT camp is back! Youth ages 12 to 18 can apply for this weeklong camp. Participants learn about emergency response, first aid, fire suppression, search and rescue, outdoor cooking, and more during this hands-on, action-packed week.
You Can Help Support Summer Camp for Local Youth
Each year, through generous community donations, Wakulla 4-H is able to offer some scholarship support to local families to help defray the cost of camp. The need for assistance for families who would like to send their child to the Monday through Thursday camp is high this year. Community donations can help make it possible for a local child to have a high quality 4-H summer experience.
Wakulla 4-H can accept community donations via checks in the mail or in person at 84 Cedar Avenue, Crawfordville, FL 32327. Our team can also accept credit card donations onsite at the office. Checks should be made payable to “Wakulla County” with 4-H summer camp in the memo line. A $150 donation will provide a week of camp for one child this summer. For more information, contact Dr. Rachel Pienta at 850-926-3931 or r.pienta@ufl.edu.
4-H Camp Success Stories
Learn about how attending 4-H camp helped one youth develop leadership skills: https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/4hn/2020/05/29/camp-helped-wakulla-4-h-graduating-senior-become-a-leader/
Read about how one youth who attended 4-H camp developed new interests: https://nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/4hn/2019/07/19/happiness-in-a-hammock-at-camp/
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