Summer Camps…
Woodbury, Plymouth, and Monona Counties have been keeping me busy! I have been doing a lot of traveling over the last two weeks from county to county. I was finally able to assist Lujean Faber, who is Woodbury Counties Lead 4-H Staff Member/Enhanced Youth Development Educator. I have had the pleasure of knowing Lujean for a long time. I’m not sure when I met her, but it was sometime before I started 4-H when I was a 4th grader. The camp that we worked on together was the Colors in the Garden Camp. This camp took place on June 18th and was offered to 1st – 3rd graders. Our camp was small, but mighty as we had 7 kiddos participate in the camp. Throughout the morning the kids learned all about seeds and plants. We had several seeds from different trees that grow in Iowa for them to identify.
All of the kids were very excited to make whirlybirds, as this was a craft to represent seeds from a Maple tree and how they fall to the ground after falling off of the tree. They were also very excited to get a tour of the Marilyn Engle Teaching Garden here at the Woodbury County Office. After the tour, we made greenhouses out of recycled plastic water bottles and the kids got to choose from a selection of vegetable seeds as to what they wanted to plant in their greenhouse. Lujean led a lesson on transplanting plants and the kids even got the opportunity to transplant different flowers into the teaching garden. Before the kiddos left for the day they got to make parachutes and they really enjoyed getting to throw them up in the air. The Colors in the Garden Camp was so much fun and I enjoyed getting to watch the kids learn throughout the day!
- Top right photo: camper looking at a Maple seed
- Bottom left photo: kiddos getting to add soil to their greenhouse
- Right-hand side photo: youth looking at the herbs in the Marilyn Engle Teaching Garden
I spent my day at the Plymouth County Office in Lemars on Tuesday, June 22nd of this week. Kristen Heimgartner, who is Plymouth County’s intern this summer, and I got to lead the Mad Science Camp. The YMCA is right next door to the office in Plymouth County, so 23 summer camp kiddos were able to walk right over for our camp. Kristen and I decided to teach them something simple about science because they ranged in age from TK – 5th grade. The take home experiment that the kids got to make and take home was a lava lamp. Kristen and I also decided to give them goggles to wear because kids love to look like a scientist!
They each got their own see-through bottle which was filled ¾ of the way full with vegetable oil prior to them taking it due to the messiness of oil. We supplied them each with water and they were given directions to fill the rest of their bottle with water, but not to fill it to full because it would overflow. Kristen and I then walked around with different colors of food coloring and asked what color they would like their lava lamp to be. The most popular color of the camp was red, GO CYCLONES!! Once all the camp kiddos had the food coloring in, it was time for them to add a small piece of the Alka Seltzer tablet into their bottle. The kids’ faces were amazed at the reaction that was happening. Kristen, the YMCA staff, and I each went around and tied a list of ingredients to make the lava lamp and a baggie of extra tablets for them to try again at home. I enjoyed my time at the Mad Science Camp and we will be doing it again on July 19th with a new group of YMCA kiddos!
- 1st Photo: Camper watching the magic happen!
- 2nd Photo: Me talking to the campers about what color of food coloring they wanted
- 3rd Photo: Camper adding water to create her lava lamp
Looking Ahead..
I also had a meeting with the Monona County Staff earlier this week to discuss their county fair, which is July 13 – 17. It is looking like it will be a very busy week spent at the Monona County Fair. I am very excited to get to help with their static exhibit judging day and with all of their livestock shows! I met with the Plymouth County staff as well this week to discuss ways that I will be able to help at the Plymouth County Fair, which is July 28 – August 1. I will also be assisting with all of the livestock shows at their fair! I am also really excited to be getting to help at their Bucket Calf Show on Wednesday evening. If you read my previous post, I made several friends at the Clover Kids Camp earlier this month and I made a promise to my new friends that I would be there to watch them show their bucket calves.
Woodbury County staff and I have yet to discuss what I will be doing at the Woodbury County Fair, which is August 4 – 8. The Woodbury County Fair is my home away from home, as this is where I grew up and showed cattle ever since I can remember. I will be seeing the fair from a different point of view this year, as I will no longer be in the showring showing, but I will be helping wherever I am needed! You may be noticing a trend that I will be helping with livestock shows at each county fair and this is because I have a lot of experience with livestock. I give my credit to the Woodbury County Fair, as this is where I fell in love with the livestock industry and why I decided to become a veterinarian! I also have a few summer camps left on my schedule this summer and PoP Club! I will be running the PoP Club in both Moville, which is in Woodbury County, and Arkon, which is in Plymouth County. I have several dates set in July that I will be at and I am very excited to get to teach all of the kiddos new and exciting things!
Stay tuned for more exciting things happening this summer in Region 6!
Autumn Weaver, Region 6 Rising Star Intern