This two-year adventure-based program is designed to provide youth in grades 6-11 with intensive hands-on exploration in an area of interest associated with the outdoors.
What you'll do
Deepen your knowledge about the outdoors.
Explore career opportunities in the outdoor industry.
Learn outdoor leadership and wilderness skills.
Be able to plan and lead conservation efforts at a local level.
In the first year, you will meet through webinars, retreats and a 4-day summer trip to learn about your chosen field of interest and other outdoor adventures. In the second year, you will take the skills learned and implement a service-learning conservation project in your local area. You will have the option to showcase your project at the Minnesota 4-H Shooting Sports and Wildlife Invitational.
For participants
The deadline to apply is Dec. 18, 2022. Registration is in 4-H Online.
For assistance with registration, please refer to the event registration guide. If you are new to 4-H, please select the "In Person Camp/Event" club for your county. If you have any questions regarding registration, please contact your local 4-H Extension educator.
Cost for the two-year program is $250, which include two retreats and a canoe trip.
You must be able to commit to these 2023-2024 scheduled events to maximize your experience in the program:
- Jan. 19: Webinar
- Feb. 11-12: Retreat at Koinonia Retreat Center, Paynesville
- March 16: Webinar
- April 29-30: Retreat at Long Lake Conservation Center, Palisade
- May 18: Webinar
- June 17-20: Summer BWCA canoe trip
- Fall 2023-2024: Service-learning conservation project
2023 4-H OWLS offerings
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Night OWLS - Grab your flashlights! Experience what it's like to be nocturnal through night hikes, astronomy, learning about animal adaptations and more. Experience nature in a whole new way.
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Nature connection through art – By using all your senses, we will explore and deepen our connection to nature through a variety of artistic methods. Learn how to tell your story of nature with others in an artful project.
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Project pollination – Learn about Minnesota’s native prairies while taking a close look at the plants, pollinators and other creatures of the prairie. Find out what you can do to help protect these vital spaces and creatures of our natural world.
For questions, contact Nicole Pokorney at 507-259-4648 or pokorney@umn.edu.