Local Iowa State Extension Offices prepare to-go kits for students

Iowa State Extension Offices are hoping to continue offering summer activities and programs to local children through to-go kits.

Within the Tri-County area, all offices have decided to cancel in-person summer camps for the time being.

Erin Heaton, the 4-H County Youth Coordinator in Henry County, said their offices' summer programs usually reach about 250 to 300 students in a year for camps organized by a summer program coordinator.

'There are too many obstacles with meeting face-to-face. We wouldn't be able to share supplies and it's hard to wear masks as a child. We're unable to do that safely with the number of kids we want to serve and we don't want to limit the amount of kids we serve,” Heaton said of their decision to cancel camps this year.

Usually summer programming starts at the beginning of June but with the unexpected cancellations, Heaton is working to begin distributing activity kits, which the Henry County Extension Office is calling Clover Crates, on June 18.

Heaton said the office is partnering up with the Fellowship Cup's summer feeding program to distribute the boxes. When students pick up lunches from various locations across the county from the nonprofit, they also will be able to pick up an activity crate.

Some topics the weekly crates will cover include gardening, local food and STEM activities.

'Most of the activities we are doing can be expanded for any age group, but most focus on elementary school age,” Heaton said.

The kits will include several hands-on activities, some virtual engagement and a reflection sheet that can be turned in each week for an entry for a prize.

Amy Green, the youth coordinator for Washington County's Extension Office said her office also will be compiling activity bags that will be distributed with summer lunch programs in the area.

Like Henry County, Green's office is forgoing face-to-face camps, which have lead to the cancellation of several summer favorites including a babysitting basics class and a three day robotics camp. In addition, the office usually teams up with other county offices for a three-day overnight camp at Cricket Creek.

'It was kind of a hit for us. Usually it's a great memory keepsake for our 4-H-ers,” she said.

But Green and her office are still hoping to compile activities that will keep students entertained through the summer. To help with the new programming, the office applied for and received a grant through the Brinton Trust to create the new summer programming which will include two to three activities with no technology required and will need, at most, limited parental supervision. Currently, the office is planning to deliver about 100 bags per week.

The first week, which kicked off on Monday, was focused around a 'Blast off into Summer” theme where students were challenged to make straw and balloon rockets and paper airplanes.

'I would encourage people and any groups working with kids to reach out to us. We'd be happy to share these bags,” she said.

Hallie Sandeen, the summer program assistant for Jefferson County Extension Office said the usual camps the office offers are 'hard to package” in kits and have had to go with different lessons.

The office plans to provide eight weeks of kits that will go through the end of July. The first kit will be available starting next week and will be distributed at four different locations: Lincoln Elementary School, Fairfield Public Library, Packwood Grove Savings Bank and the Extension Office.

'The first week will be a pet treat challenge. They'll be getting applesauce and oatmeal in the kit. All they'll need is an egg. They can make dog treats, which they can donate to a local shelter,” Sandeen explained.

The Jefferson County Office is encouraging students to register for the kit ahead of time on their website or social media pages.

Though there are no solid plans as of yet, the office is hoping to set up one face-to-face day camp at the end of July if public health measures allow. The office originally had 20 camps organized for this summer.

'We want to continue those long-term face-to-face engagements with youth,” Rachel Fishel, 4-H Youth Program Specialist added.

'With the kits, we also want to continue to provide high quality educational opportunities that are flexible for families to use,” she added.