FY2023 Military Teen Adventure Camps (2025 Kentucky)

a) Camp titles, projected dates, camp(s) description and number of slots available for campers: 1) Ocoee Whitewater Rafting and Outdoor Quest – Ocoee, TN; July 11-14, 2025. Camp for military parents and their teen children including whitewater rafting, ziplining, rock climbing, mud/water pit challenges and lakeside activities. Availability: 80 slots (40 parent/child teams). 2) ACE Whitewater Rafting, Climbing, Rappelling and Outdoor Adventure – Oakhill, WV; July 25-28, 2025. Camp for military parents and their teen children including, ziplining, high and low ropes challenge courses, leap of faith, paintball, canoeing and outdoor cooking. Availability: 54 slots (27 parent/child teams). b) Travel arrangements for youth to and from the camp: (see budget) Each camp will originate and end at the camp locations. Transportation allowances for participants for all camps will be provided through the grant and transportation to and from airports will be provided on an as-needed basis at no cost to participants through employees or volunteers. Reimbursement beyond the budgeted allowances for airfare or mileage to get to and from a camp also will be provided on an as-needed basis and all program costs for each camp are provided through the grant. There will be a $40 deposit per person to reserve camper slots that will, in turn, be used toward camp t-shirts and reusable water bottles since these are not allowable costs on the grant. When requested, this deposit per person will be waived if it will prevent a family from being able to attend and the shirt and water bottle costs will be absorbed by grant partner Expeditions Afield. The camps have been very successful and have filled to capacity in previous grants as they maximize appeal for participants from all branches, maximize ease of travel for dispersed families, and are offered in 3 different states for geographic diversity. c) Recruitment plans: In 2024, all 3 of our camp offerings were full with waitlists by 2 weeks after registration began! We anticipate a similar response with recruitment being very successful in 2025. Recruitment will be spearheaded by the grant directors and partners and will involve members of the core camp team, state military partners, Family Resource Centers, county Extension offices, Family Readiness Groups, School Liaison Officers, former MTAC participants and more in close communication with Purdue University. • Describe specific recruitment efforts that will: a) Recruit campers who have not experienced an MTAC previously - We will target new campers through dissemination of information to prior camp families to help us promote the camps to others and encourage registration. Two compilation videos containing footage from past Kentucky parent/teen camps will be shown at any events where military families will be attending to recruit new MTAC families. These links will be shared with Family Readiness Group events, reintegration programs, Extension military programs, garrison Boys and Girls Club or 4-H program, National Guard, Reserves and the KY Family Readiness Conference: - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKdlGYDJuX0&t=29s - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge-GuLSOIcg&feature=youtu.be) 1 b) In order to increase diversity of participants attending MTACs in 2025, we will offer a camp in WV in 2025 as a new location instead of repeating camps in the same locations that have been utilized in recent years. To increase participant diversity, registration for each camp will begin at least 2 months prior to the camp start date and will be open to Guard, Reserve, Active Duty, or Veteran parent/teen teams from any state and all service branches. First priority will go to those who have experienced at least one deployment, who are geographically dispersed, and who have not attended a prior camp. Everyone else is first waitlisted until we reach a certain deadline before each camp. • A local webpage already exists to advertise camps and register campers. Information about the camps will be posted on the existing Kentucky MTAC website (https://fcs- hes.ca.uky.edu/content/military-teen-adventure-camps) It contains contact information, camp details, and registration information. The webpage takes registrants to the online application process for the camps through “Regpack” to simplify registration for participants and streamline the registration process. Registrants are emailed an instructional packet containing all information needed to pack and prepare for the camps before each camp • A Facebook page already exists to advertise camps and register campers - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Military-Extension-Adventure- Camps/218917788128919. Flyers and targeted social media posts are used to advertise and reach the target audience for these camps and flyers are disseminated and posted on the UK FCS military webpage mentioned above, the UK 4-H Youth Development webpage and websites and social media of grant partners. • These camp opportunities will be distinguished from other ongoing military or 4-H Camp efforts funded by other sources on webpages; social media; and in marketing materials.