Extension Highlights September/October 2015 | Page 6

Barking Valley 4-H Youth Camp

Hidden Valley 4-H Camp

Jennifer Sweet, Camp Director, [email protected]

I recently attended a presentation by Professor Joe Martin entitled “Stop Parenting, Start Coaching”. The presentation aimed to give parents the opportunity to learn how to take a more active role in their child’s life and education.

Professor Joe Martin is founder and president of the RealWorld University. He is a nationally known, award winning speaker, a university professor, published author and educational consultant. He was raised in one of the toughest inner city ghettos in Miami, Florida; in spite of this circumstance he started his own business at 22, and became the youngest tenured faculty member ever hired at a Florida State University.

Professor Martin began his presentation with “how to connect to children”; which was broken into 4 strategies. The first strategy presented, “prevention not intervention”. Prevention is achieved, according to Martin, by engaging and communicating. Professor Martin shared the G.L.A.D. technique of communicating with children, that he personally uses to engage and communicate each day after school with his children.

The Hidden Valley 4-H Camp is excited to announce its first Dog Camp Weekend for youth and their trusted canine friends. We are opening our doors to youth, ages 8-17 and their 4-legged canine friends for the weekend of October 9-11, 2015. Our approach to this weekend is to offer a balance of fun and education through our 4-H mission of Positive Youth Development.

Our annual Fall Camp Weekend Retreat is always fun. However, add our 4-legged friends to the mix and watch the fun double. Youth and their dogs will participate in exciting activities such as “barks and crafts,” nature hikes, photography and so much more. Campers and their dogs will also make new friends with other youth with similar interests outside of their own immediate community. Another exciting aspect of the weekend will be sleeping in our rustic “Creekside” cabins. We can make them toasty warm with our woodstoves!

A goal for Dog Camp Weekend is to engage our youth campers in our 4-H mission of Positive Youth Development.

The New York State 4-H mission is to

connect youth with hands on learning opportunities that help them grow into competent, caring, contributing members of society. Animal science programs, which includes dogs, offer projects to youth that enhance knowledge and skills in biology and production systems, as well as encourage personal development.

We will accomplish this goal by offering activities such as Agility, Rally Obedience and Grooming. These activities, offered by skilled adult 4-H volunteers, will either enhance the knowledge and skills of what current campers enrolled in 4-H Dog Clubs receive or introduce youth to a positive learning experience that will encourage them to continue to develop skills in dog handling and showmanship in their 4-H communities.

We welcome all youth, 4-H members, non 4-H members and veteran Hidden Valley 4-H campers to our Barking Valley 4-H Camp! Come, have fun with your dog and learn new skills and meet

other youth who love their canine

companions, also. Hope to see you in Ocotber!