From start to finish, this year’s 4-H Mentoring Weekend was another huge success, as evidenced by the following statement from one youth peer mentor: “Thank you for making this camping trip one of the most fun I’ve had! I look forward to coming again next year and enjoying every moment again. The activities were always entertaining (especially game night)! The night hike was exciting and thrilling at the same time!”

The fun started right off on Friday evening, July 19, when 70 participants (youth, their mentors and mentoring staff from around the state) invadedKettunen Center to “Create Their Own Adventure.” It all began with a mentor-mentee scavenger hunt to orient them to the grounds. This was no typical scavenger hunt, however! At each stop, matches had to complete a fitness- or healthy eating-related activity. Everyone finished the activity at the water’s edge with a bonfire and time on the lake. 

Saturday began with the healthy-lifestyles focus again when all the mentees competed in a smoothie-off contest. Working in teams of 4, mentees created a delicious, healthy smoothie. When the mentors arrived for the taste test, they found it hard to believe the smoothies included spinach, kale or carrots. After the contest, matches had a jam-packed day of learning new skills and building stronger relationships through a variety of workshops that included archery, boot camp, Jell-O^® wars, scrapbooking and soccer. The evening started with a game arena that included board games, karaoke and a variety of “Minute to Win It” games. Saturday wrapped up with 38 participants going on a night hike through the woods, no flashlights allowed! One of the highlights from the walk was seeing a porcupine up close. The night hike was a first for many and allowed everyone to take in nature from a different perspective. 

Sunday started with a bang as the mentees spent time experimenting with the world of science, while mentors had a training session to brush up on skills to assist them in being successful mentors. Before the closing session, matches had one final opportunity for a workshop session where they could learn new skills that included making duct-tape flip-flops or creating their own salsa. The closing session featured videos and pictures taken and edited throughout the weekend by the new 4-H Mentoring Weekend Press Corps - a group of matches primarily from the 4-H Tech Wizards program - who learned about recording an event. The videos can be seen on the Michigan 4-H Youth Mentoring Facebook page.

To learn more about Michigan 4-H Youth Mentoring, check us out on Facebook or contact Lisa Bottomley.