(Watertown, NY – Aug. 2013) Military youth from across New York are invited to get away for a week of day camp and enjoy day camping with other military children, bonding over the same deployment issues while learning in a fun outdoor environment.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County has received new funding from a partnership with the 4-H Air Force Military, a collaboration of U.S. Air Force Child and Youth Programs and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through Kansas State University, which will allow for 60 children, ages 8 – 12, to attend Operation Military Children’s Spy Camp, ‘Operation: Catch Me if You Can.’
OMK Spy Camp will be held in Niagara Falls at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS). This first ever camp, will allow for any military youth to enjoy a week of day camps where they will enjoy a fun and camping experience in close proximity to ANG units with the purpose of helping geographically dispersed kids get away from the routines of everyday life.
“The Operation: Catch Me if you Can day camp will address communication, self-efficacy, competence, relationship and resilience skills in military youth, ages 8-12. We will accomplish building these skills through hands on, experiential learning activities – breaking codes, secret messages, observation skills, hidden information, use of chemistry to identify substances and modes of communication. Culminating with a mystery that needs to be solved,” said Stephanie Graf, New York State 4-H Military Liaison.
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County has partnered with Nigel Gannon, Ph.D. Healthy Living Specialist Cornell University; Colleen Casey, Lead Child and Youth Program Coordinator New York National Guard; Erin Regan, Niagara County Extension Day Camp Director; and Jeanne Goetz, 107th AW Airmen and Family Readiness Program Manager in an effort to bring in all resources to make the Operation: Catch Me if You Can a success.
There is a $25 registration fee associated with the camp that will include lunch and other spy camp materials. For more information, or to register for the event contact Megan Miller by calling 315-788-8450.
The 4-H Air Force Military Partnership is a collaboration of U.S. Air Force Child and Youth Programs and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture through Kansas State University’s special project number 2010-48696-21892.