4-H participant from Meeker County designs buzz-worthy solution for pollinators within OWLS program
Unleash Your Wild Side: Join the 4-H Outdoor Wilderness Leadership & Service (OWLS) Adventure!
Got a wild spirit and a love for Mother Nature? The 4-H Outdoor Wilderness Leadership & Service (OWLS) program might just be the perfect fit for you! Tailored for youth in grades 6 and up, this one-year program aims to empower you with wilderness skills and beef up your leadership prowess. With a mix of online Zoom meetings, in-person weekend retreats, and even an exhilarating Boundary Waters canoe trip, OWLS is a wilderness odyssey that awaits the bold and the brave!
Over the course of the year, you'll acquire essential wilderness know-how, delve into career opportunities, hone your leadership and public speaking skills, and bond with fellow nature enthusiasts. You're also encouraged to undertake a conservation project beneficial to your community, focusing on a topic of your choice related to nature.
Meet Maisy G., a Meeker County 4-H'er who recently wrapped up her OWLS journey. For her conservation project, Maisy organized and led a 4-H day camp, teaching kids about local pollinators and their vital role in our environment. The 2024 Butterflies & Blossoms camp was jam-packed with engaging activities such as making seed bombs, flower crowns, a flower scavenger hunt, and interactive group games. The participants even got to take home their own mini flower baskets filled with plants beneficial to pollinators in the area.
Apart from the camp, Maisy also hosted activities and crafts at the 2024 Meeker County Fair, reaching out to more community members. "I'm determined to continue spreading awareness and expanding my project," Maisy said. After completing the OWLS program, Maisy is now proud to be a member of the OWLS Flock, a group of former OWLS participants who come back as youth leaders. Keep a close eye on Maisy as she helps steer the program throughout 2025!
Want to get on board the OWLS adventure? Reach out to your local 4-H office or pay a visit to the University of Minnesota's official website for more information!
Article by Frances G., Meeker County 4-H Federation Youth Reporter
(Note: The University of Minnesota’s 4-H Outdoor Wilderness Leadership & Service (OWLS) program is not extensively detailed within current public sources. However, the University’s 4-H programs are renowned for fostering youth leadership, outdoor education, and community stewardship. OWLS aims to develop outdoor skills, provide leadership training, engage youth in conservation projects, and promote community involvement. Also, the program may collaborate with organizations such as the Raptor Center for wildlife education and conservation, enabling participants to partake in activities like wildlife presentations and hands-on environmental projects.)
- Delve deeper into environmental science and climate-change topics by enrolling in the renowned 4-H Outdoor Wilderness Leadership & Service (OWLS) program.
- OWLS offers an excellent opportunity for personal-growth and education by imparting vital leadership skills, and encouraging participants to take on conservation projects beneficial to the environment and communities.
- Acquire practical wilderness skills not just for your self-development but also to instigate educational and conservation projects, as demonstrated by Maisy G., an alumnus of the OWLS program, who organized a local pollinator-focused day camp and fair activities.
