Living the dream at 4-H Summer Camp

On June 24, St. Mary Parish fourth through sixth grade 4-H members boarded school buses enroute “To Live Their Dream” at 4-H Summer Camp. The campers were chaperoned by 13 camp counselors, four adult 4-H volunteers and the two St. Mary Parish 4-H agents.
The camp is held at LSU AgCenter’s Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center, an 80-acre campsite located near Pollock. Camping helped youth experience the outdoors, live together as a group, gain independence, get along with others, and appreciate people with different interests and backgrounds.
Campers participated every morning in one of seven tracks: Food and Fitness; Get Ready, Get SET! — Science, Engin-eering and Technology; Hunter Safety Certification; Explore Louisiana: Wetlands, Wildlife and YOU; The Artist Within; Renewable Energy and Outdoor Adventures. In the afternoon campers had recreational time to play various sports, archery, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, stand up paddleboarding and line dancing.
Also on the agenda were team-building activities and performing arts. Evening programs consisted of skits, talent show, Vespers and special guest speakers.
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.
St. Mary Parish 4-H expressed thanks to the St. Mary Parish School Board transportation department for providing buses, St. Mary Parish Government for continuous support, Clatter Polidore for organizing transportation and Raymond Price for providing a trailer for luggage.
Camp participants were:
Bayou Vista Elementary School — Aubreigh Blanchard, Bella Breaux, Thomas Drawbaugh, Alyse Harrison, Marlee LaCoste, Addisen Lipari, MaKayla Miller, Sophia Rowell, Emma Theriot and Essence Watts; Berwick Elementary School — Chloe Lemelle, Aerian Louviere, Madeleine Price, Dylan Roy and Elijah Vinning; Berwick Jr. High School — Bradon Eues, Mallory Macaluso, Gavin Pham, Summerlyn Schwartz and Bailey Womack; Centerville High School — Brennen Blanchard, Brody Clements, Graham Naquin and Quentin Schrock; Chitimacha Tribal School — Ava Burgess, Ben Darden and Brittyn Martin; Foster Elementary School — Darius Colar and Lucah LaFont; Glencoe Charter School — Kaylyn Clark, AnnaLisse Derbigney, Evan Dupre, McCarley Fisher, Ava Ibert, Aubrey Lawrence, Andie Louviere, Allison Pontiff, Olivia Sword, Nya Timoteo and Allie Tyler; and Hanson Memorial High School — Trey Frost, Tal Kellebrew and Alyssa Lanclos.
Also participating were Hattie Watts Elementary School — Charlie Brown, MaKenzie Gaudet and Ashley Houghton; J. B. Maitland Elementary School — Paetyn Price and Gavyn Gorsha; J.S. Aucoin Elementary School — Kaleb Boudreaux, Collin Nguyen, Yolanda Ortega, Sara Rodriguez and Juan Villegas; Member At Large — Grace Hidalgo; M.E. Norman Elementary School – Rebecca Cronier and Olivia Gilmore; Morgan City Junior High School — Shayne LaCoste, Gavyn Smart, Jaydon Ward and Luke Williams; Patterson Junior High School — Layne Battaglio and Bradley Vinning; Raintree Elementary School — Marianna Griffin; St. John Elementary School — Brynne Colley, Onnie Doucet, Emily Faucheux, Isabelle Freeman, Laila Hidalgo, Mattie Judice and Sophie Morris; and Wyandotte Elementary School — Karina Bibian, Jewel Blanco, Milee Breaux, Gabriella Grogan, Ashleigh Guagliardo, Caroline Izaguirre, Alayr Knope, Sophia Lovell, Zoe Makepeace and Juliana Prestenbach.
Adult Volunteers were Scott Battaglio, Stephanie Battaglio, Donna Rogers and Gordon Vinning.
Camp counselors were Bryce Miguez, Centerville High; Madelyn Compton, Shaelyn Compton, Alexa Picard and Emma Picard, Glencoe; Rosemarie Colley, Emily Junca, Chloe Morris, Jacob Rogers and Olivia Williams, Hanson; Gage Battaglio, Patterson High School; and Morgan Pontiff and Shelby Thibodeaux, West St. Mary High School.