Coffee County 4-H had another busy summer full of activities. It all started at the end of May with a reward trip for students who participated in the District Project Achievement (DPA) public speaking contest. Sixteen Coffee County 4-H’ers grades 5-12 had the opportunity to spend the day tubing through Ichetucknee Springs in Florida.
June was all about camp! Thirty-five 5th and 6th graders from Coffee County, along with the County Extension staff, spent the week attending Cloverleaf Camp at Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton. These students spent the week participating in recreational and educational activities such as archery, canoeing, herpetology, lake ecology, and more, alongside 600 4-H’ers from across the state. On June 13, in partnership with General Coffee State Park, Coffee County 4-H held the first ever Camp Coffee. This one day/one-night camp held at General Coffee State Park gave Coffee County students the chance to get a taste of summer camp in an affordable option here in the county. Eleven students attended the inaugural event and participated in birding, hiking, holding snakes, feeding farm animals, cooking over a campfire, painting tree cookies, playing outdoor games, and more. Special thanks to the State Park staff and volunteers who helped us with this event.
Three Coffee County 4-H’ers also spent a week at Junior Camp (7th-8th grade) at Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island. Coffee County ended their camp season with Senior Camp (9th– 12th grade) during the first week of July. Two Coffee 4-H’ers spent the week in the mountains at Wahsega 4-H Center in Dahlonega, Georgia.
Coffee County 4-H’er, and recent Coffee High graduate Nathan Cooper spent his summer at camp as well. He had the honor of serving as a 4-H camp counselor on Jekyll Island. Nathan shared that his experience was transformative. Over the summer, he gained an appreciation for working with youth, experienced working in a great team dynamic, and made lifelong friends. He hopes to return as a counselor to Camp Jekyll next summer. The Coffee 4-H staff is extremely proud of Nathan for his willingness to try something new, working hard, and representing Coffee County well in his endeavors this summer.
Another summer event included Cloverbuds Agventures took place over four days. This event was hosted in partnership with Coffee County Farm Bureau and gives children ages 5-9 the opportunity to learn about agriculture through fun and engaging educational activities. This summer’s program topics included apples, water, horses, and farm Olympics. Monthly Cloverbud activities will resume in September. Contact the Coffee County Extension office for more information.
Throughout the summer, Coffee County 4-H competed in multiple state and national competitions. At the beginning of June, twelve Coffee County students competed in the GA 4-H State Horse Show. Collectively, they earned 29 top 10 placings, 11 top 5, and 4 1st place ribbons in their respective classes and events. Four of these competitors – Andi Unger, Madeleine Tuten, Natalie Tuten, and Madge McCranie – advanced to represent Team Georgia at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in August. Later in June, the Coffee 4-H BB team traveled to Rogers, Arkansas, to compete at the Daisy Nationals BB Gun Championship Match. Team members include Lee Andrews, Cali Griffis, Madison Gurley, Mason Gurley, and Levi Sanders. Our two wonderful volunteer coaches are W.B. Merritt and Don Stokes. Coffee BB compete year-round across the state of Georgia to qualify for this opportunity.
To wrap up our summer, each July Georgia 4-H’s best and brightest gather in Atlanta at 4-H State Congress to compete for Master status in their respective projects. After placing first at District Project Achievement in February, Coffee 4-H’er Jake Grantham competed at State Congress for the second year in a row. This year he was victorious! Jake earned Master status in the outdoor recreation project area where he presented about his favorite sport – bass fishing. Being a Master 4-H’er is the highest honor awarded to students by Georgia 4-H. Also in attendance and earning master status were the members of the state winning 4-H Horse Judging team – Madeleine Tuten, J.T. Vaughn, and Stan Carelock. They will be representing Coffee County at the national competition held in Denver in January. Coffee 4-H is extremely proud and thankful of each 4-H’er who participated throughout the summer. For more information about Coffee 4-H activities, please contact the office at (912) 384-1402 or uge4069@uga.edu.