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ERIC Number: EJ1366929
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1042-0541
EISSN: EISSN-2162-5212
Available Date: N/A
Storying Outdoor Youth Education: A Historical Narrative of the Louisiana 4-H Camping Movement
Adam M. O'Malley; Richie Roberts
Journal of Agricultural Education, v63 n4 p91-104 2022
Perhaps one of the most formalized ways that 4-H has fostered agricultural innovation and practical education has been through their outdoor youth education program, more commonly known as 4-H Camp. Although 4-H Camps were first created for local clubs, camping events soon expanded to the state and national levels. In fact, three years after establishing the first 4-H Camp, more than 1,700 had emerged across the U.S., with attendance surpassing 100,000 youth. Because of its positive outcomes, the 4-H Camping movement has become celebrated as a novel technique to motivate youth to engage in agrarian concepts. Despite this, little work has been done to document the historical origins and evolution of the camping movement. Therefore, a need emerged to describe the actors, forces, and events that led to the prevalence of 4-H Camping in Louisiana. Through our analysis of the data, four themes emerged: (1) early foundations; (2) facility infrastructure development; (3) impact and organizational changes; and (4) the evolution of programmatic delivery. When considered together, the themes knit together the story of the Louisiana 4-H Camp. A key implication from this investigation was the need for greater advocacy efforts among 4-H leaders and agents. For example, the Louisiana 4-H Camp had to navigate multiple barriers throughout history, such as a lack of funding and staff. However, through individual and collective advocacy efforts, the 4-H camp secured vital resources to support 4-H members' needs. Going forward, researchers should explore how fundraising and donors for 4-H camps could be better leveraged and sustained over time. This should include exploring strategies to inform legislators, policymakers, and citizens about the impacts that 4-H camps can have on youth and the state of Louisiana.
American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: https://jae-online.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Louisiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A