In March 2001, the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Curriculum Component Subcommittee conducted a 4-H staff development event that emphasized basic outdoor adventure concepts and skills. A total of nineteen (19) 4-H volunteers participated in the event, which was conducted at the Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center.
The training lasted for three days. On the first night, four skill-building sessions were offered, including outdoor clothing, map and compass, wildlife, preparing outdoor food, and knot tying. On the second and third days of the 4-H Outdoor Adventure Leader Training, participants received instruction in several areas of adventure education, including: group facilitation/processing, wilderness first aid, environmental education, risk management, packing a backpack, applying what you learned, and evaluating outdoor programs. All participants completed an overnight camping experience on the second night. During the overnight camping experience, the group was broken down into smaller teams (3-5 people per team) which were tasked with teaching topics to the rest of the group (campfire building, weather, constellations, environmental ethics, and basic first aid).
The leadership team of seven (7) instructors was comprised of two (2) Extension Agents, two (2) Extension Specialists, one (1) 4-H volunteer leader, one (1) 4-H Center Program Director, and one (1) manager of an outdoor clothing/equipment company.
Additional 4-H Outdoor Adventure Leader Training events will be conducted in the future. For more information about 4-H Outdoor Adventure programs, contact Marilyn Jarvis, 4-H Extension Agent- Loudoun County, at (703) 777-0373 or majarvis@vt.edu.
Click here to view the evaluation results from participants in the 2001 4-H Outdoor Adventure Leader Training.
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