Junior 4-H Camp

Junior 4-H Camp is our residential summer camp program available to youth ages 9-18. Sessions typically last for one week; however, this may vary depending on the specific group being served.

During the past 40 years more than 130,000 youth from central, western, and southwestern Virginia have been to 4-H Camp at the W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center! The Skelton 4-H Center provides a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for youth to interact with their peers as well as caring, attentive adults who will serve as role models for their week of camp.

Summer camp at the Skelton 4-H Center provides youth ages 9-18 years old countless opportunities for learning more about themselves, their peers, and the natural world around them. This learning takes place through a wide range of camp activities and programs, all of which are designed to allow youth to "learn by doing" through hands-on participation in these activities and programs. Days are filled with instructional-based camp classes, unstructured recreation and swim time, flag ceremonies, and evening programs to end each day.

One of the major benefits to 4-H Camp is that campers have such a wide range of camp classes to choose from. This is possible thanks to the partnership between the 4-H Center and your local 4-H Program. Campers have more than twenty (20) class options each week, sometimes as many as forty (40) classes to choose from! 4-H Center offered classes include Basic Horsemanship, Riflery, Swimming, Canoeing, Climbing Tower, Multimedia, LEGO Mindstorm Robotics, Kayaking, Outdoor Adventures, Performing Arts, Arts & Crafts, Ceramics, Computer Science, Low Ropes Course, Archery, and Small Animal Science...all taught by highly trained, professional camp staff. Local 4-H Programs supplement 4-H Center offered classes by offering a variety of classes ranging from martial arts to spa treatment and campfire cookery to boot-camp!

Teen Leaders, Adult Volunteers and 4-H Center Camp Staff all work together to supervise campers. Teen and adult volunteers are recruited, screened, and trained in their home counties with training support provided by the 4-H Center. 4-H Center Camp Staff participate in more than two (2) weeks of mandatory, intensive staff training prior to the start of camp. The 4-H Center's supervision policy includes a minimum of a 1:7 staff to camper supervision ratio.

For more information on becoming a Teen Leader (14-18 years of age) or an Adult Volunteer, please contact your local 4-H Agent OR the 4-H Center (skelton4Hcamp@vt.edu).

Each week of 4-H Camp features two (2) highly trained, experienced, and professional Camp Directors including your local 4-H Extension Agent (or trained designee) as well as the 4-H Center Program Director.

For more information about 4-H Camp please contact your local 4-H Agent OR contact the Skelton 4-H Center Program Director (skelton4Hcamp@vt.edu).

W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center | 540.721.2759 | Skelton4H@vt.edu