Summer break is a time many students look forward to. It can be a welcome change in routine, a chance to relax, have fun, or spend time with friends and family, developing hobbies and interests. It is important for youth to have a chance to have fun, have new experiences, and to relax, otherwise they may become burnt out and frustrated with school. While summer vacation has the potential for many great opportunities, multiple studies have shown that the long break from school during the summer can cause significant loss of knowledge gained during the school year. This loss of knowledge is often referred to as “Summer Learning Loss”. The amount of learning loss varies depending on a number of factors, but regardless of setting, most students exhibit some form of learning loss when they return to school after the summer. There are methods for reducing learning loss, one of which is for youth to participate in educational summer programming. This doesn’t have to mean sitting inside, working on a computer. Ideally, educational summer opportunities can be fun, active, and educational!

Richmond County 4-H provides a variety of summer programming, which we collectively call “Summer Fun.” Each of the activities are geared towards having a fun and educational experience. Several of the activities teach concrete skills that can reduce summer learning loss, and all of the activities instill soft skills youth can use now and throughout their lives. On Friday, June 21, the official “first day of summer”, Richmond County 4-H kicks things off with the Haw River Canoe Day. With a professional river guide, we will be taking a canoe and kayak tour along the Haw River, focusing on local plants and animals along the waterway. While learning about the stream ecosystem and gaining paddling skills, participants will also develop an appreciation for nature and the world around them. Youth will have the opportunity to observe wildlife in their natural habitat and ask questions as we paddle down the river. In addition to the professional guide, we’ll have several 4-H adult volunteers with paddling expertise to ensure safety for all participants.

Following our canoe day, Richmond County 4-H is hosting a week-long sewing class called Sew Much Fun from June 8 – 12. Throughout the week, youth will design and create a their own unique, quilted wall hanging. Participants will plan their design as well as implement several math techniques to make sure their cuts and seams are done correctly to achieve their desired outcome. Gaining sewing skills is a life-long advantage for both girls and boys, enabling them to make basic clothing repairs and providing the potential to develop sewing as a creative outlet.

July 15 is the NC Dairy Tour! We will travel to Raleigh to visit the N.C. State University Dairy. We’ll enjoy a guided tour of the facility , learning how milk makes its way from the cows into the dairy products we see in the grocery store. This helps students understand the process of how every day food products are created from what is grown and raised on the farm. It can spark an interest in, and an appreciation of,  agriculture.

August 6  is the Farm to Table Cooking camp. We’ll head to the Berry Patch in Ellerbe to learn more about where our food comes from. Farmer Lee Berry will provide a behind-the-scenes tour of the farm where he grows the fruits and vegetables sold at his stand. Youth will have the chance to learn about all the hard work that goes into growing produce and feeding our community. From the production field we’ll go to the Berry Patch stand, purchase produce, and return to the 4-H kitchen to use the veggies to cook lunch. Students will learn how to follow a budget and make decisions while buying ingredients. In the kitchen, they will learn cooking skills as well as teamwork.

All of Richmond County 4-H’s Summer Fun opportunities help youth reduce the learning loss that happens throughout the summer through intentional, fun, and educational activities. In addition to all the Summer Fun activities Richmond County 4-H is providing, Millstone 4-H Camp is holding several camps throughout the summer, where youth can build relationships, have fun, and learn new skills each day. For more information on summer opportunities, including camps at Millstone, please contact Erin Barnes, 4-H agent, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Richmond County Center, at erin_barnes@ncsu.edu or call 910-206-9542. Visit our website at Richmond.ces.ncsu.edu and follow us on Facebook, North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Richmond County Center.