Students from East End Intermediate School recently enjoyed an environmental day camp at the Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, thanks to a joint effort between the Bell County Cooperative Extension Service, the Kentucky Division of Forestry, and the park. Although the extension service has traditionally offered the camp at their London camp site, 4H coordinator Jason Brashear saw great potential in working with the national park.

“A lot of the kids have never been to the park and didn't realize what they have in their own backyard,” he commented.

The day camps are free and are available any time of the year, with the curriculum aimed at 4th and 5th grade classes. The activities include water watch, in which the students help to determine the quality of a body of water by looking at the organisms and microorganisms present. There is also a cooking class for students to learn about campfire safety, and a food pyramid trail mix workshop.

Brashear is also enthusiastic about the 4H camps being offered this summer. From June 10-13 there is an overnight camp at the J.M. Feltner Camp in London. The theme for this year is “Fun in the Sun,” and the camp will include all sorts of beach-related activities, according to Brashear. Also this summer is the 4H sewing camp, a two-day camp from June 29-30, and a cooking camp, from July 19-21. Projects from both camps will be eligible to enter in the County Fair to be held July 26. Contact the Bell County Cooperative Extension Service at (606) 337-2376 for more information or to register for any of the camps.

(Does your organization have a camp it is sponsoring this summer? Send your information to Martha Wiley at mwiley@middlesborodailynews.com for our upcoming article on summer camps in the area.)

Martha Wiley is a Correspondent for the Daily News. She can be reached via e-mail at mwiley@middlesborodailynews.com.