By Silas Whitley
My name is Silas Whitley, and I am 11 years old. This year I got to go to 4-H Electric Camp.
4-H Electric Camp is a fun-filled, rewarding adventure in electricity. At these regional camps, you learn what electricity is and how it works. You work with electrical specialists from across the state in learning centers.
Each learning center consists of hands-on activities so that you learn by doing. You also have the chance to meet other 4-H-ers from across Tennessee and explore careers in energy, electricity, and basic sciences.
When I arrived at camp, we were separated into different color groups. I was red. My group and I went into drone class. There, we learned to fly and code drones. I learned that flying drones is a lot harder than I thought.
After drone class we learned about electric motors and how they work. I got to build my own electric motor and learn how it worked. Before lunch we listened to a speech about electricity safety.
When lunch was over, we learned how to code robots. The robots were made of Legos. I made my robot do a victory dance to celebrate when my friend got his robot through the maze. Then we did a virtual reality contest where we had to defuse a bomb. I am so excited about electricity now. I cannot wait to go to camp next year.
4-H offers many camps and educational opportunities for you in grades 4 through12 that will build skills and memories that last a lifetime. Union County has a very active program and welcomes individuals to call the office at 865-99-8038 to get up to date on clubs, camps, and contests and get those youths involved.