The Community Foundation provided Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County with a grant to host the 2025 Onondaga County Parks 4-H Summer Camp on environmental education for youth.
Written by: Scott Hudson, Youth & Family Development Team Leader, Cornell Cooperative Extension of onondaga county
“We were THRILLED with the program. She had a wonderful time and I appreciate the positive environment, care for each individual child, concerns about safety, and amazing education.”
Parents are often searching for safe, positive, and enriching summer experiences for their children. For many families in Onondaga County, summer camp isn’t an option – cost is a real barrier that keeps children from safe, positive, and enriching experiences when school is out.
Thanks to support from the Central New York Community Foundation, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County (CCE-Onondaga) doubled its 4-H summer camp program from three to six weeks – bringing more joy, exploration, and discovery to local youth! At 4-H camps in Onondaga County, youth feel a true sense of belonging by joining a community where trying new things and meeting new friends is part of the camp culture. Campers have the opportunity to develop new skills while participating in activities like archery, orienteering, and fishing. They also learn about trees, water ecology, insects, nutrition, and much more from other CCE-Onondaga staff. In addition, campers have time for socializing, physical activity, and self-expression through things like sports, games, arts and crafts, and journaling. 4-H camp staff prioritize connecting with campers in a meaningful way and serve as positive adult mentors as youth develop essential lifelong skills like resilience, persistence, communication, empathy, and teamwork.
By traveling across four Onondaga County Parks (Pratt’s Falls, Highland Forest, Oneida Shores, and Long Branch) and one Syracuse City Park (Upper Onondaga), 4-H made summer camp accessible to over 150 youth from diverse neighborhoods across Onondaga County. By bringing the camp program to parks across the county, and offering camp scholarships to as many families as possible, Onondaga 4-H aims to make camp accessible to all!
From archery to ecology, from friendship to resilience, every part of camp fostered joy, curiosity, and confidence building. Parents described the program as “the most organized and well communicated activity their child has participated in”. And the campers themselves? In the words of one camper, the verdict was simple: “This camp ROCKED!”
About Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County (CCE-Onondaga)
CCE-Onondaga has been a trusted pillar of education in Onondaga County for over 110 years. Part of the statewide Cornell Cooperative Extension system, it provides research-based programs and opportunities that help individuals, families, and communities thrive. From urban agriculture to positive youth development, nutrition education to environmental stewardship, CCE-Onondaga brings the latest knowledge of Cornell University and all nationwide land-grant Universities to local residents — making science practical and accessible for our evolving everyday lives. Our mission is to strengthen communities through innovative education, engagement, and hands-on learning — whether in the garden, the classroom, the kitchen, or the field.
About the 4-H Youth Development Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onondaga County
Rooted in research-backed curricula and part of the national 4-H network (the largest youth development organization in the U.S.), the 4-H program through CCE-Onondaga provides our young people with hands-on experiences that build life skills and a lifelong love of learning.
Learn more about CCE-Onondaga: www.cceonondaga.org
Learn more about 4-H in Onondaga: www.cceonondaga.org/4H
4H Summer Camp Slideshow by Central New York Community Foundation
