The 4-H Adirondack Guide program is a 4-H program that teaches kids about the outdoors, their environment, and the skills necessary to survive in the wilderness. It consists of kids ages 12-18 and has five different levels: pre-apprentice, apprentice, intermediate, advanced I, and advanced II. The first year a youth joins the guides, he/she is considered pre-apprentice. They then attend several educational camping trips throughout the year, including the summer Wilderness Exploration Trip and the October testing weekend. The camping trips are always a fun and sometimes surprising experience. From hard core capture the flag games to the infamous “human knot” the trips usually begin and are filled with interactive icebreakers and teambuilding activities. It’s a great way to get to know new people, and many of the guides become fast friends. It’s a very accepting group, and what has always struck me is how well we all get along despite our different personalities and backgrounds.
Along with the games the, guide trips have many educational activities. On our winter (yes, winter) camping trips they learn how to do a hypothermic wrap, and even carry the pretend victim (our chaperone) out of the woods on a makeshift stretcher. We also do tree identification walks, bird and fish identification, and review elements of the Leave No Trace philosophy. At the end of the day we each gather up fire starting materials, and start (or attempt to start) a one match fire that burns for at least two minutes. Kids learn about map and compass skills, as well as how to use a standard handheld GPS on our geocaching expeditions. Other outdoor skills include how to paddle a canoe, canoeing safety, how to hang a bear bag, knot tying, the ten essential items to bring into the woods, what to do in emergency wilderness situations, and much more.
As the guides advance through the levels the difficulty of the performance test increases, and more is expected of guides on the camping trips. They must begin teaching the younger guides, as well as going into more depth on the explanation of animal and bird species. This includes learning the scientific (or Latin) names of animals as well as seasons, habitats, and in the case of trees uses. The tests are performance based with some written and some experiential sections. They are given on our fall camping trip, where we review the material and test over a period of two days.
The guide program is a great way to get involved in the outdoors and meet new people. I have been involved with the program for five years, and there has never been a camping trip I haven’t enjoyed. We have all kinds of memorable guide stories (everything from rainbow suspenders to ultimate duct tape) and I’ve met some really great kids over the years. I will be applying to colleges this fall, and am planning to go into a field related to wildlife biology. The program has helped me immensely in leadership skills, public speaking and outdoor experience. It is definitely a great activity for a college resume. This year will be my last in the program, however I am planning on coming back to help out on summer trips as an assistant volunteer. Then when I turn 18, I will be eligible to be certified as an official Adirondack Guide for one of the Adirondack regions.
4-H at the NYS Fair 