Turn off the iPad and get outside! The National 4-H Council and the Disney Conservation Fund have teamed up once again to bring 10,000 urban youth into nature through programming that introduces them to local eco-systems and hands-on experiences through their 4-H Connecting Youth to Nature (4-H CYN) program.
From growing butterflies to testing water quality, the 4‑H CYN program will engage youth in urban communities across eight states where they will learn fun ways to protect and preserve the planet. Participating youth in California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas will engage in hands-on experiences through 4‑H after-school clubs and summer camps.
Last year, the 4‑H CYN program exceeded its goals by exposing more than 13,000 youth, families and volunteers to the joys of nature and the outdoors. Through camps, field trips, after school programs, in-school projects, and teen-led enrichment programs, urban youth spent more than 100,000 hours in nature over the course of 10 months. As a result of the program, 90 percent of participating youth said they felt good when they are outdoors, 88 percent said they care more about the environment, and 78 percent said they feel it’s their responsibility to protect nature.
