Hancock County 4-H Camp celebrates a week of learning, leadership and adventure
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NEW CUMBERLAND - Hancock County 4-H Camp 2026 was a week filled with learning, adventure, friendship and opportunities for young people to discover new interests and challenge themselves.
This year's camp brought together 61 campers, including 25 Cloverbud campers, along with 23 adult staff members who helped make the week possible. Throughout the week, campers participated in a wide variety of classes and activities designed to encourage creativity, confidence, teamwork and hands-on learning.
Campers could choose from classes including Hiking, Dungeons & Dragons, Archery, Drama, Nature Notebook, 4-H 101, STEM, Sport-A-Day, Save the Bananas, Craft-A-Day, eSports, Fishing and Folk Dancing. Each class gave campers an opportunity to explore something new while developing skills they can carry beyond the camp setting.
"Camp is one of my favorite times of the year because you get to see young people step outside of their comfort zones, try something they have never done before and discover that they are capable of so much more than they thought," said Hancock County WVU Extension 4-H Agent Zachary White. "Watching campers learn through hands-on, experiential learning is what makes 4-H camp so special."
The week also included special camp-wide activities, including a Color Run, which brought campers together for an energetic afternoon of fun and teamwork.
Health and wellness were also a major focus of the 2026 camp through the Campers on the Move initiative. As part of the program, campers and staff worked together to increase physical activity and hydration throughout the week. Each of the five camp tribes was challenged to reach 1 million steps. By the end of camp, the tribes collectively recorded an impressive 5,734,629 steps. Big Foot led the challenge with 1,654,893 steps, followed by Delaware with 1,018,367; Mingo with 1,020,642; Cherokee with 1,017,812; and Seneca with 1,022,915 steps.
Campers also participated in a hydration challenge with a goal of drinking 40,000 ounces of water during the week. Campers consumed 24,400 ounces, while staff contributed another 14,400 ounces, for a combined total of 38,800 ounces--97% of the camp-wide goal. The initiative reinforced the importance of physical activity, hydration and healthy habits in a fun, team-oriented environment.
The week concluded with the recognition of campers who demonstrated outstanding leadership, character, teamwork and camp spirit.
The 2026 Camp Award winners were:
¯ Head Award: Zoiee Decker
¯ Heart Award: Faith Barton
¯ Hands Award: Makenzie Gibson
¯ Health Award: Ethan Yoklic
¯ Spirit of Camp Award: Warren Crago
¯ Green & White Awards: Makenzie Gibson, Charlene Hurst and Brie Crummitt
¯ Blue & Gold Awards: Kairi Thornburg, Ella Barton and Sophie Taylor
¯ First-Year Camper Award: Colden Perry
Camp also recognized its 2026 Tribal Leaders, who provided leadership and encouragement to their fellow campers throughout the week.
The tribal leadership teams were:
¯ Delaware: Chief Zoiee Decker and Sag Alexa Tomsic
¯ Mingo: Chief Ella Barton and Sag Warren Crago
¯ Cherokee: Chief Jayden Gardner and Sag Brie Crummitt
¯ Seneca: Chief Sophie Taylor and Sag Creed Taylor
¯ Big Foot: Chief Chris Gibson and Sag Angel Hayes
"Camp would not be possible without the dedication of our campers, counselors, volunteers and staff," White said. "Every person who contributed to camp played an important role in creating an environment where young people could learn, lead, have fun and make memories together."
From exploring the outdoors and developing new skills to working as a team and making new friends, Hancock County 4-H Camp 2026 gave campers a week full of opportunities to learn and grow.
Hancock County WVU Extension congratulates all of the 2026 campers and award recipients and extends a special thank-you to the counselors, volunteers and staff who helped make this year's camp a memorable experience.
For youth and families interested in getting involved with Hancock County 4-H, there are many opportunities throughout the year to learn, lead and make a difference in the community. To learn more about Hancock County 4-H or how to get involved, contact Hancock County WVU Extension 4-H Agent Zach White at zlwhite@mail.wvu.edu.