Storying Outdoor Youth Education: A Historical Narrative of the Louisiana 4-H Camping Movement

Autor/inn/en	O'Malley, Adam M.; Roberts, Richie
Titel	Storying Outdoor Youth Education: A Historical Narrative of the Louisiana 4-H Camping Movement
Quelle	In: Journal of Agricultural Education, 63 (2022) 4, S.91-104 (14 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1042-0541
Schlagwörter	Outdoor Education; Recreational Activities; Youth Programs; Camps; Educational History; Louisiana + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Freiluftunterricht; Freizeitgestaltung; Jugendsofortprogramm; History of education; Bildungsgeschichte
Abstract	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. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	American Association for Agricultural Education. P.O. Box 7607, Department of Agricultural and Extension Education, Raleigh, NC 27695. Web site: https://jae-online.org/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01