By now, many parents have come to expect it, even if they are still a little hopeful. The vast majority of summer camping opportunities have decided that in-person camps are either too risky or subject to such stringent regulations that they feel they cannot operate their programs due to COVID-19. I hate that I am still having to deal with this. I don’t want to include that virus in my article. I don’t want it to be a part of our lives anymore. Unfortunately, what I think doesn’t count here.
With a that said, 4-H found a way to offer programs to teachers teaching from home, to parents looking for supplemental activities, and to grandparents keeping kids while schools were out. And we have found a way to offer something for summer too. This summer, Newberry, Saluda, Aiken and Edgefield Counties are partnering to offer virtual summer camps. First up, The Fair. During the week of June 8-12, registered youth (ages 5-19) will receive daily activities that bring to mind the sights, sounds, and smells of the fair. Activities will address the five program areas of 4-H (Animals and Agriculture, Natural Resources, Civic Engagement and Leadership, Healthy Lifestyles, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) using recipes, read-a-longs, virtual tours, experiments, service projects, and more that will be uploaded and accessed through Google Classroom. The goal is for youth to spend as little time as possible in front of a computer each day. Activities will be accessible throughout the summer and can be revisited if needed.
This first camp is a trial run for us. The virtual way of doing things isn’t what we do. 4-H prides our self on hands-on and face-to-face interactions to make the best better. But desperate times have called for a different way of doing things and we are all doing our best to adapt. We appreciate your patience as we move forward. After The Fair, Newberry, Saluda, Aiken and Edgefield also plan to offer Camp America June 22-26 and at least two other virtual camps during July. If you have kids that are not in these counties, other S.C. counties are also working to offer virtual or packet programs as well. Let me know if you would like to me connected to another S.C. county to see what they are working on.
Tickets for The Fair: A Virtual 4-H Summer Camp are only available online and can be found at thefairsummercamp.eventbrite.com. For more information on Newberry County 4-H contact agent Alana West at [email protected] or 803.768.8442.
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
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