Camping is kids learning about leadership, caring, and community through activities like swimming, boating, creative arts, horsemanship, backpacking, fishing, and archery.  Although the activities change from camp to camp, the results are the same- learning by doing, and having non-stop FUN!

Research from the Search Institute shows that “…camps help young people discover and explore their talents, interests, and values. Kids who have had these kinds of camp experiences end up being healthier and have fewer problems”. A 2003 Camp Outcomes Study found that “4-H Camp helps youth become more responsible for themselves, more independent and better able to take care of their personal belongings”.

 4-H STEM

Kids who participate in science activities outside of the classroom are more likely to be comfortable with science. 4-H aims to grow the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs and problem-solvers by giving youth plenty of opportunities to try their hands at real world science. 4-H Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) projects give families science enrichment opportunities and connects kids to Cornell’s science outreach programs.

4-H Civic Engagement

Civic engagement is the broadest mission mandate; it incorporates youth voice, leadership, respect, history, community youth development, SET, and Healthy Lifestyles. According to National 4-H, 4-H Citizenship is the knowledge, skills, attitudes and motivation that give youth the capacity to move beyond one’s individual self-interest and to be committed to the well-being of some larger group. 4-H Citizenship incorporates civic engagement, civic education, service, and personal development.

4-H Healthy Living

National Mission: engages youth and families through access and opportunities to achieve optimal physical, social, emotional well-being. There are six different areas of health: physical activity, nutrition, social-emotional well-being, unintentional accidents, safety and alcohol/tobacco/drugs.

Choose Health is an initiative of the Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program intended to help all of us confront and take action to change the statistics of childhood obesity and help youth and families learn about healthy living.  Families today are busier than ever, with more work, school and afterschool activities and scheduling issues. Couple these things with more sedentary lifestyles and more access to quick, sometimes less healthy meal choices and you can easily see the reasons for today’s childhood obesity statistics.

4-H Choose Health builds on numerous tested research-based curricular and other resources at county, state and federal levels to promote healthy eating and active living among children, youth, families, and communities, and thereby change the statistics of childhood obesity.