IT’S TIME FOR 4-H SUMMER CAMP! Camping is one of the most valuable experiences a child can have. It’s a learning experience that helps boys and girls appreciate the outdoors, live together as a group, get along with others and appreciate people with different interests and background. Many 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boys and girls participate in 4-H Summer Camp. The camp is held at the LSU AgCenter’s Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center, an 90-acre campsite located near Pollock, LA, on Highway 8 about 15 miles northeast of Alexandria.

One of the important things children learn from camp is to be self-sufficient. That is, they learn they can survive for five whole days on their own. The camp week lasts four days, starting on Monday afternoon when the boys and girls arrive, and ending on Friday morning after breakfast. Three meals and snacks are served each day. Campers will be able to buy souvenirs and treats at the camp store. 4-H agents, volunteer leaders and teen counselors from each parish attend and stay in the cabins with the campers. Campers also will have recreational time to play kickball, volleyball, basketball, parachute games, swim, canoe and kayak and archery. Other choices include team-building activities, creating handcrafted items, visiting with friends, shopping for souvenirs in the camp store, camp carnival, and line dancing. Evening programs are fun and filled with skits, talent shows, vespers, dances, and special guests.

Campers will also participate in one of seven educational tracks while at camp. The tracks being offered this year that the campers can choose from are as follows:

Water Safety, That’s What’s SUP!

Beat the summer heat by learning the coolest new way of exploring Louisiana’s waterways—stand-up paddle boarding (SUP). This track will teach you how to stay safe in the water, while having fun on the water with a stand-up paddle board. If in the water is your favorite place to be, then grab a paddle and meet us at the pond!

Food & Fitness

I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts! Do you know what it takes to be as healthy as you can be? Through hands-on cooking activities, group fitness sessions, and team challenges, you to learn about eating healthy, getting up and moving, and setting healthy goals. Also, become familiar with the "ghosts" that haunt your health. When the track is over you’ll be singing, "I ain’t afraid of no ghosts!"

Get Ready, get SET - Science, Engineering & Technology

Get ready, get SET ... to have some fun with science, engineering and technology. The SET track will explore the exciting worlds of chemistry, computers, construction, digital photography, rockets and much more. Have fun concocting crazy chemistry experiments that go pop, fizz and maybe even boom. See who can make a rocket fly the highest or farthest. Can your tower hold up against the elements? Create a slide show of your camping experience. Get ready to get SET at 4-H Camp!

Outdoor Adventures

Get ready to explore the great outdoors in the Outdoor Adventures track this summer. Participate in a large variety of hands-on activities like learning the proper techniques to shoot a bow; how to navigate through our pond in a kayak and canoe; woodsmen skills; and tree/wildlife identification. So—if you are adventurous and like being in the outdoors, this track is for you!

Explore Louisiana: Wetlands, Wildlife, and YOU!

This summer, the wetlands track will consist of 3 days of getting down and dirty as we explore all things wetlands. We will introduce campers to what wetlands are, what they do, and why Louisiana needs them so badly. This track will be action-packed with loads of games and activities about wetlands and the plants and animals that live there; we can celebrate summer, but learn a thing or two while having fun!

The Artist Within

The arts are for anyone! No matter your grade or interest, there is something for you to try and learn in The Artist Within. Arts provide the creativity and outlet your soul needs to sing! Our fun hands-on activities encourage your artistic expression, creativity, and imagination to run wild. It’s amazing to see what you can do when you have the freedom to explore and to express yourself creatively. Imagination required!

Hunter’s Safety Certification

Participants who are at least 10 years of age and wish to become a certified hunter will have that opportunity in this track! Top shooters will have a chance to return to camp to test their skills against other top marksmen statewide in archery and rifle.