Highland/Bath 4-H Camp

Highland Mid Kid Radio Club member Abby Redd spoke with Kari Sponaugle Virginia Cooperative Extension 4-H agent for Bath and Highland County to find out more information about this year’s 4-H camp.

“Hi guys, its Abby Redd and today I’m going to be interviewing Ms. Kari Sponaugle about the 4-H camp. I have a few questions for her. Where is the 4-H camp?”

“Well hi Abby, thank you for having me. I would be glad to answer your questions about 4-H camp. For Highland and Bath county youth, the 4-H programs that I serve, 4-H camp is at the W. E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center in Wirtz, Virginia, just south of Roanoke. And that’s where we would take everybody to go to camp.”

“And when is 4-H camp?”

“Our 4-H camping week this summer is July 24th through July 28th. Every summer we pick a different week based on the rotation of clusters that go to this center, and this year we have the fourth full week of July.”

“Who all can participate?”

“4-H camp is open to youth who are age nine or turning nine as of September 30th of the current year, all the way up to age 13.  We start training our teen counselors that go with us to teach classes in the springtime around March of April.  So campers are 9-13, and teens are 14-18. We also have some adult volunteers who go with us too. We take all ages and all stages and we really enjoy camp.”

“What are some of the activities that everyone can participate in?”

“The 4-H center has several classes that they offer everyone which include High ropes and Low ropes, Riflery and Archery, Canoeing and Kayaking, as well as Robotics and Cooking classes. We also have some specialized classes you can take that come just with us for the week and are taught by our trained teens. These include Memories on Wood, Wilderness Survival, as well as Snack Attack. Snack Attack is a favorite class; we have four periods of Snack Attack typically everyday during class periods. So we have lots of cooking, lots of outdoors, lots of recreation as well as all of the sports. So if there’s something you like, we probably have a class for you at camp.”

“And can you tell me what the best part of 4-H camp is?”

“There are so many fun things about camp that there probably isn’t just one best part. But the best part that I would say is being able to spend a week with some really great kids, with some really great teen leaders, as well as some really great volunteers.  So spending the whole week with all these great people makes it a really great week, and it’s truly a fun experience for a lot of our youth that go. For more information about Highland or Bath County 4-H programs please give me a call at (540) 468-2225 or (540) 839-7261.”

Story By

Scott Smith

Scott Smith is the General Manager for Allegheny Mountain Radio and Station Coordinator and News Reporter for WVLS. Scott’s family has deep roots in Highland County. While he did not grow up here, he spent as much time as possible on the family farm, and eventually moved to Highland to continue the tradition, which he still pursues with his cousin. Unfortunately, farming doesn’t pay all the bills, so he has previously taken other jobs to support his farming hobby, including pressman/writer for The Recorder, and Ag Projects Coordinator for The Highland Center. He lives in Hightown with wife Michelle and son Ethan. In his spare time, he wishes he had more spare time, especially to ride his prized Harley-Davidson motorcycle. scott@amrmail.org

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