Twenty students from Demopolis in third through fifth grades enjoyed an environmental education camp at the Alabama 4-H Center June 10-12.

The students participated in wall climbing, canoeing, put-put golf; attended wildlife learning classes and outdoor education classes. The students learned about animal habits and environments such as that of snakes. The students also learned how to take water samples and test the samples. Water sampling was one perfect activity for the group since each day of the camp saw persistent rain showers. Even with the rain, the students and the several adults attending donned ponchos and continued their fun activities.

The students also visited the Pioneer Village at the Alabama 4-H Center. The village replicates an early 18th century village in Alabama with grinding of corn into corn meal and a water wheel that serves multiple uses in an old village setting.

In the three-day camp, the students enjoyed many fun and educational activities.

The Alabama 4-H Center is located in Columbiana and has visits from over 3,000 children each year to the environmental educational part of the center. The center is considered as an outdoor classroom. While the 4-H leaders at the center planned the activities at the camp, Carolyn Moore and Yancena Perry of The Demopolis School System led the group with help from other adults and several junior leaders from a program in the Demopolis School System.

The funds to pay for the camp were gained through part of the Demopolis School’s 21st Century grant program.

The 21st CCLC Program is a key component of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act. It is an opportunity for students and their families to continue to learn new skills and discover new abilities after the school day has ended. Congress has appropriated $991.07 million for afterschool programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 across the country.

To learn more about the Alabama 4-H Center call us at (205) 669-4241 or visit www.alabama4hcenter.org.