The Clark County, Nevada 4-H overnight camp program consists of five specialized camps, each designed to serve specific age groups and interests while maintaining consistent quality standards and developmental objectives:
- 4-H Shooting Sports Camp: The main activity was archery and air pistol. Youth learned and practiced the art of shooting sports while enjoying the great outdoors with exciting activities. For youth ages 12-16. Developmental emphasis includes precision, focus, safety awareness, and outdoor recreation skills. 24 attendees.
- 4-H Teen Summer Camp: Activities include STEM, nature exploration, expressive arts, survival skills, and more. For youth in grades 9-12. Developmental emphasis includes leadership, critical thinking, creativity, and preparation for adult responsibilities. 34 attendees.
- 4-H Pre-Teen Summer Camp: Activities include STEM, nature exploration, expressive arts, survival skills, and more. For youth in grades 6-8. Developmental emphasis includes curiosity, skill exploration, peer relationships, and building confidence. 40 attendees.
- Arts & Leadership 4-H Summer Camp: Activities included proper painting practices, creative writing, and poetry performance. For youth ages 14-18. Developmental emphasis includes creative expression, artistic skill development, self-confidence, and communication abilities. 20 attendees.
Arts and Leadership 4-H Summer Camp
Executive Summary
This report presents the analysis of 116 surveys collected across four 4-H overnight camps conducted by Clark County Nevada 4-H professionals. The report combines quantitative survey data with qualitative feedback to assess program effectiveness in four key
developmental areas: relationships, engagement, belonging, and spark development.
Key Findings
The camps achieved exceptional performance with 95%+ satisfaction across most categories. Counselor relationships (99.1% positive), basic needs fulfillment (99.1% positive), and future engagement intent (97.4% want to return) represent the program's greatest strengths. Some areas that scored well but still might be improved in future camps included cultural inclusion (78.9% positive) and personal development (67.2% positive for "learned about self"), which both scored the lowest, indicating improvement opportunities. Qualitative analysis revealed 53.1% positive sentiment with participants particularly praising activities, counselor support, and food quality. The program effectively serves a diverse population (31% White, 24% Hispanic/Latinx, 20% Asian/Asian American) with 60% first-time campers, demonstrating strong recruitment and inclusion capabilities.
The Nevada 4-H overnight camp program operates at exceptional levels with clear pathways identified for enhancing an already highly successful youth development initiative that effectively serves diverse participants while maintaining consistently high quality across all
operational areas.
Recommendations
- Document and systematize current successful practices, particularly counselor training methods.
- Review nighttime activity safety protocols following participant concern.
- Implement a formal staff recognition program highlighting exceptional performance.
- Maintain current food service excellent standards.
- Create a peer mentorship program pairing returning campers with first-time participants.
- Implement mixed team formation strategies based on participant feedback.
- Build sustainable evaluation systems with mid-camp feedback collection.
- Develop research partnerships to document long-term participant impact.
The Nevada 4-H overnight camp program operates at exceptional levels with clear pathways identified for enhancing an already highly successful youth development initiative that effectively serves diverse participants while maintaining consistently high quality across all operational areas.
The full report can be accessed through the link below.
Elgeberi, N.
2025,
Clark County, Nevada 4-H Youth Development Evaluation of 4-H Overnight Summer Camps 2025,
Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Report
