St. Mary 4-Hers attend summer camp

On June 1, more than 80 St. Mary Parish 4-H members (fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders) from clubs throughout the parish got on the buses and left for an adventure at 4-H summer camp. Ten camp counselors and two adult volunteers joined the team and helped the St. Mary Parish 4-H Agents in that week’s adventure.
Camping is one of the most valuable experiences a child can have. It’s a learning experience that helps boys and girls appreciate the outdoors, live together as a group, get along with others and appreciate people with different interests and backgrounds.
The camp is held at the LSU AgCenter’s Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center, an 80-acre campsite located near Pollock. Campers participate every morning in one of six tracks: Science, Engineering and Technology; Outdoors Adventures; Hunters Safety; Louisiana Wetlands; Stand-Up Paddle Board; and Outdoors Adventures II (Wilderness Survival). In the afternoon campers enjoy recreational time and rotate through a variety of activities like sports, archery, swimming, tubing, line dancing and indoor games.
The main mission of 4-H camp is to help build Louisiana’s youth citizenship, leadership and life skills. This camp is administered by the LSU AgCenter 4-H Youth Development Program.
A big ‘thank you” to the St. Mary Parish School Board Transportation Department for providing the buses and the St. Mary Parish Government for its continuous support and for allowing us to have the best drivers we could ask for.
Camp participants included adult volunteers Tim LeBlanc and Jody Pillaro, and camp counselors Jhalon Thomas, Brawley Andrews, Taylor Stirling, Chris Ibert, Kane Boudreux, Kaeley Hill, Ashton Landry, McKaila Darden, Kennedi Williams, Madeline Williams and Rhea Patureau.
St. Mary Parish 4-H Agents Jenni Ducote and Adriana Drusini were on hand.
Campers were: Mia Crook, Galileo Magana and Huy Tran (Aucoin Elementary); Luke Bailey, Zander Blanchard, Alexis Couvillion, Gracey Ganaway, Autumn Hicks, Brianna LeBlanc, Carson LeBlanc, Magdalene Lemoine, Coy Leonard, Winnie Mabile, Layla Nelson and Dawson Richard ( Bayou Vista Elementary); Miriam Hebert, Morgan Pontiff and Alexis Romero (B.E. Boudreaux Middle School); Ashlyn Babin, Breauna Carello, Kennedi Hill, Jayde Lasseigne, David McDill and Cade Toups (Berwick Elementary); and MaKaylin Carver, Jordan Gallegos and Randi Joubert (Berwick Jr. High).
Other campers were: Chloe Lanclos, Chloe Martin and Bryce Miguez (Centerville High School); Cameryn Burgess, Koryn Hebert and Mya Magee (Chitimacha Tribal School); Madison Blanchard, Kennedi Chauvin, Landen Chauvin, Lauren Chauvin, LeDaisha Coates, Taylor Day, Chloe Dupre and Kristen Pellerin (Glencoe Charter School); Brenna Blankenship and Zachary Dinger (Hattie Watts); Ebanie Landry, Jaymin LeBlanc, Chloe Morris, Briana Segura and Yasmine Washington (Hanson Memorial); Marina Duval, Jonathan Gilmore, Madison Landry, Princess Verdin and Emily Wise (Holy Cross); and Abbegale Harvey and Shila Hebert (Lagrange Elementary).
The remaining campers were: Karmen LaPoint (Patterson Jr. High); Landon Darden, Kamryn Lovell, Gage Naquin, Gavin Naquin, Courtney Trosclair and Isabella Verret (Raintree Elementary); Gage Battaglio, Brasen lantier and Nehemiah Yoder (St. Mary Community Club); Tallulah Grivet (Stephensville Elementary); Mason Bourque, Maddix Landry, Addie Lovell, Reid Lovell, Landon Meyerholtz, Hillary Pillaro, Isabella Polito, Nicholas Polito, Olivia Williams and Darrell Washington (St. John Elementary); and Bryson Dupuy (Wyandotte Elementary).
--By ADRIANA DRUSINI
Associate Extension Agent
4-H Youth Development St. Mary Parish