Both new camp directors and veteran camp counselors will find skill-building sessions tailored to their respective needs among the 37 workshops presented at the Mountaineer Camping Institute (MCI) Feb. 3-5 at WVU Jackson’s Mill State 4-H Camp and Lifelong Learning Center, near Weston.
Camping is fun for children and teens. But it’s fraught with new challenges and worry for thousands of teachers, parents and volunteers who plan church, band, sports, recreational and other community youth camps each year.
Drawing upon 80 years of practical experience and research, MCI organizers promise to de-mystify the practices that create safe, healthful, educational and fun youth camps. MCI is organized by West Virginia University Extension Service in cooperation with the American Camp Association (ACA).
For some camp planners, the learning can begin early.
On Wednesday, Feb. 2, and Thursday, Feb. 3, the ACA will lead two pre-conference options that are rare opportunities for those who organize community camps.
The first session-ACA New Directors’Orientation-runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday. During the second session-running from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday-ACA representatives will explain ACA standards and their latest updates.
Thursday afternoon, under the theme of”Solving the Mystery,”the Mountaineer Camping Institute formally opens with the keynote presentation of Dr. Pat McNally of Kansas State University. Leader of the Kansas 4-H Program and former co-chair of the National 4-H Camping Institute, Dr. McNally will explain”The Enigma of the Camp Experience.”
The institute’s workshops include sessions that help camp staff and volunteers: train their camp counselors; build budgets that work; survey the procedures for organizing a first camp (from risk management to T-shirts); understand campers’problem behaviors and the intervention strategies that help children; discover shooting sports and sports fishing curriculum models from Florida’s sports camps; recruit, train, evaluate and reward volunteers; create a safe emotional climate; build teams via a variety of experiential activities; make exercise (dancing games) and nutrition (campfire cooking) fun; prevent fires; apply youth development research to camp activities; and much more.
Workshop presenters include university faculty, public school educators, social workers, researchers, and camp specialists from West Virginia, Florida, Ohio and Kansas.
The West Virginia 4-H Program, which is sponsored by the WVU Extension Service in each of the state’s 55 counties, is recognized as a national leader in residential and day camping programs. Through MCI , WVU Extension is opening its camping expertise to all those interested in camping. The institute is not limited to 4-H educators and volunteers.
Other highlights of the institute will be a mystery dinner theater, an idea share fair, WVU Jackson’s Mill campus tour; The Historic Area (19 th century) heritage tour; and Lambert’s Winery tour.
Participants also will receive a resource manual listing vendors who have provided camp-related services to veteran camp planners in West Virginia.
Registration fees begin at $90 for commuters. Other registration packages include fees for on-site lodging at WVU Jackson’s Mill and pre-conference workshops.
The registration deadline is Jan. 21. Registrations postmarked after Jan. 21 will be assessed a $25 late fee.
Full workshop descriptions and registration package details are available on the Web ( /www.ext.wvu.edu/mountaineer_camping/ ).
Participants may register on line, or download, complete and mail their forms and fee payments to WVU .
For registration information, contact the conference office ( SUGribble@mail.wvu.edu ; 403-293-2694 ext. 3442).
For more information about the institute, contact the Mountaineer Camping Institute information office ( Randell.Schoonover@mail.wvu.edu ; 304-291-7201).