Fall 2007

Landscape Adds New Color Fall is approaching at Rock Eagle. Another successful summer camping season is over and the Fall Environmental Education season is just beginning. Now is the time to take the opportunity to look around and truly appreciate the Center. Rock Eagle is always a very peaceful, beautiful location but this year every time you turn around you notice lots of new color! The new landscape work is being directed by Rob Paltz who joined the Rock Eagle 4-H Center staff in January of this year. Rob and his wife Suzanne are natives of New Jersey and recently moved to Oconee County,

where they live with their two children Robbie and Julie. Rob and his wife both are graduates of Rutgers University and Rob has been in the landscape business for 16 years. Plans are to add other large mass color areas to the 4-H Center throughout next year, in addition to the enhancement of landscape at the Georgia EMC Building and Senior Pavilion. On your future visits to Rock Eagle you can certainly see a very positive impact that Rob and his staff have had in improving the 4-H Center’s grounds this year.

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Georgia 4-H Centers and Environmental Education Locations Rock Eagle 4-H Center 350 Rock Eagle Road Eatonton GA 31024 706-484-2800 [email protected] Fortson 4-H Center 999 Fortson Road Hampton GA 30228 770-946-3276 [email protected]

The Rock Eagle 4-H Center is pleased to announce the Sutton Dining Hall will be open for Sunday Lunch September : 23rd, 30th October 14th and November 11th 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Adults: $10.00 Children: (4-10) $4.00 Children 3 and under free with an adult Also this fall, uncover one of Rock Eagle’s hidden gems. Visit the 4-H Natural History Museum from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. free of charge on September 23rd, October 14th and November 11th

Jekyll Island 4-H Center 201 S. Beachview Drive Jekyll Island GA 31527 912-635-4117 [email protected]

Join Rock Eagle’s Adult Learning experience! Adult Oriented and Educational, Get R.E.A.L. sessions are only $10 and usually include a light snack and museum tour

Tidelands Nature Center 100 S. Riverview Drive Jekyll Island GA 31527 912-635-5032 [email protected]

Saturday, Oct 27 - Snakes, Lizards, Alligators, Oh My! Visit with some of Rock Eagle’s resident reptiles and put to rest some of the myths! Begins at 10:00 am Saturday, Dec 1—Night Life Have you ever taken the time to explore the woods at night? Well, here’s your chance! Join us for a night hike along Rock Eagle’s trails. Hunt for lichens and call for owls! you never know what you might find! Begins at 7:30 pm

Burton 4-H Center 9 Lewis Avenue Tybee Island GA 31328 912-786-5534 [email protected] Wahsega 4-H Center 77 Cloverleaf Trail Dahlonega GA 30533 706-864-2050 [email protected]

Join us for Family Adventure! Fun for the whole family and educational too! Only $5.00 per adult, $3.00 for children 5-12 years old and free for anyone 4 and younger Saturday, Oct 20 - Picnic at the Effigy! Is it an eagle, a vulture or a ... penguin? Learn about Rock Eagle’s namesake and the different theories behind its construction. Bring your lunch to enjoy the view after the session! Begins at 9:30 am Saturday Nov 17 - Family Adventure -Night Life ... It’s Not So Scary!!! Join Rock Eagle staff for a night hike through our woods and discover the various night life! Afterwards, enjoy a campfire with hot chocolate, songs and story time! Begins at 7:00 pm Call Kelly Scott at 706-484-2834 for more details and to register!

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Environmental Education at Rock Eagle It’s a Natural Fit! Creating environmentally literate citizens through fact-based inquiry is the goal of environmental education. Add this to the Georgia 4-H Mission statement “To assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive and contributing citizens” and you have the recipe for one terrific program. This is what is served up at Rock Eagle’s Environmental Education Program. Created in 1979, Rock Eagle environmental education has grown from a staff of one serving just over 2,000 students to a staff of twenty that reach over 12,000. The program has grown, but it has not forgotten its roots. Diane Davies was the staff of one who worked with visiting teachers to instruct the children in the early days. The mantra was and is that we teach kids how to think not what to think. The program must meet the needs of the schools and we have kept our programs aligned with current state standards. The children are not absent from school at Rock Eagle, they have just entered a classroom without walls.

lifetime. Our highly trained instructors teach things that are difficult if not impossible to teach in a traditional classroom. Learning about succession in the forest or working with a 2 man cross-cut saw involves all the senses. The environmental education program reaches all types of learners. The programs can last a day or a week. The classes revolve around ecology, team building, outdoor skills, and living history. You can touch a gopher tortoise in the morning, wade in the lake after lunch and finish the challenge course before dinner. Is the program right for your students? We offer programming for pre-k through high school and even adults. Public schools, private schools, home schools, scout troops, church groups, civic groups, cheerleaders, 4-H clubs, youth at risk, all of these and more can find programming options at Rock Eagle.

The needs have not changed for the students that come to Rock Eagle, but they have become more pronounced. Many children have very little experience with nature, they stay inside with their video games, lost in a virtual world. Here at Rock Eagle the students explore the lake with nets, turn over logs, learn team skills, sing around a campfire, make that vital connection with the real world of nature that may help them become an environmentally literate citizen.

Please visit our website at www.rockeagle4h.org and click on environmental education to see all of our p r o g r a m m i n g information. You may contact Donna Stewart or Kelly Scott at (706) 484-2834 for questions regarding programming. Please contact Terri Camp at (706) 484-2868 for scheduling a group. Come join us outside and see how Rock Eagle can serve your group!

Rock Eagle’s goal is to provide a positive, fun experience that will last a

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Jekyll Island 4-H Center Celebrates Silver Anniversary As the Jekyll 4-H Center celebrates its silver anniversary in 2007, we also celebrate the incredible history of the property. Originally built in the late 1950's as an African American hotel, the Dolphin Club and Motor Hotel operated from 1959 until 1966. The Dolphin Club Lounge and Restaurant, located across from the hotel, was an entertainment Mecca bringing in such popular artists as B.B. King, Clarence Carter, Tyrone Davis, and Percy Sledge. The auditorium, located near the hotel, was originally built to maintain "separate but equal" facilities and was used for dances and reunions; it even housed an Otis Redding concert. The Beach House was

built as a pavilion for beachgoers even before the hotel was built. All of these facilities would later become the Jekyll Island 4-H Center. The Georgia 4-H Program first leased the property in June 1982 and held its first Summer Camping program in 1983. The lease for the Jekyll Island 4-H Center was arranged when then Director, Tal Duvall, and State 4-H Leader, Dr. Tommy Rogers, worked with then House Speaker, Thomas Murphy, and then Lieutenant Governor, Zell Miller, to acquire the lease on the property. Ted Jenkins, Extension Specialist in charge of the Summer Camping program, was responsible for the

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Jekyll Island 4-H Center Celebrates Silver Anniversary management of Jekyll Island 4-H center, which was under the daily direction of former Carroll County 4-H’er, Russell Sills. The early years included 4-H Camp programs and a number of Elderhostel programs. Then in 1986, the 4-H Environmental Education Program began at the Jekyll Island facility. Danny Tillman was the first official manager from 1986 to 1988 followed by Westy Westmoreland until his retirement in 1998. Alan Sikes was the first EE Coordinator and under Donna Stewart’s leadership, the EE program experienced phenomenal growth from 1989 to 2002. Since 2003, Melanie Biersmith has served as both Center Director and EE Coordinator.

celebrate the accomplishments of the 4-H Center, it is a perfect time to revisit the Georgia 4-H mission, vision, a n d environmental e d u c a t i o n objectives. Join us at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center where we continue to fulfill the mission, vision, and objectives every day. We'll see you at the beach!

In 2002 the dining hall seating capacity was expanded. Structural problems were discovered in February 2003 on the three motel buildings resulting in a 2.2 million dollar renovation of the motel units. By the fall of 2003, the facility was running at full speed again providing one of the most popular Environmental Education programs on the east coast of the United States. Since its inception as a 4-H Center, over 176,000 people have participated in EE programs, over 93,000 have visited Tidelands Nature Center, and over 25,000 have participated in 4-H summer camp programs. As we reflect upon the last 25 years and

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25 Things to Know about Jekyll Island 4-H Center 1. 2.

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Who operates the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Extension What happens at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? Environmental Education (EE) programs focusing on marine science and coastal ecology are conducted from Sept. – May for school groups; Summer 4-H camps are conducted during June and July for school aged children and are made available through county extension offices; Other youth based groups including 4-H clubs, athletic teams, and church g r o u p s u se th e f aci l it i e s throughout the year Is there anything available for the general public at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? Tidelands Nature Center, located approximately 2 miles from the 4-H Center on the Intracoastal Waterway, is operated by the University of Georgia 4-H Program and is open to the public When was the 4-H Center on Jekyll Island established? The first summer of 4-H Camp took place in 1983; The first EE programs occurred in 1987; Tidelands Nature Center opened in 2000 Where is the Jekyll Island 4-H Center located? The 4-H Center is situated 13 miles from Brunswick on the south end of Jekyll Island; The center is beachfront and is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the maritime forest How many people are employed by the Jekyll Island 4H Center? A total of 27 people (13 regular full-time employees and up to 14 part-time seasonal employees) How many people have been served by the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? Since its inception, over 176,000 people have participated in EE programs, over 93,000 have visited Tidelands Nature Center, and over 25,000 have participated in 4-H summer camp programs; Annually, approximately 11,000 people participate in environmental education programs, another approximately 1200 in summer camp programs, and approximately 18,000 at Tidelands. What is the annual operating budget of Jekyll Island 4H Center? Approximately $1 million How are the funds for the Jekyll Island 4-H Center generated? Less than 2% of the operating budget is paid from state appropriated dollars, the remainder is received from fees generated by 4-H members and

school students who attend programs at the 4-H Center 10. Where do groups stay while visiting the Jekyll Island 4H Center? Groups stay in our climate-controlled dormitory units; They eat well-balanced meals in our dining hall; Over the last 3 years, Georgia 4-H has invested $2.5 million in renovations and improvements to the dormitory and dining hall facilities 11. What is the capacity of the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? Capacity is approximately 220 people for lodging and dining accommodations 12. Why do school groups visit Jekyll Island 4-H Center for EE programs? Groups participate in 4-H Center’s field studies to enhance and enrich their curriculum; Many of the visiting students have never seen an ocean, so 4-H Center’s programs provide rich opportunities to introduce students to the important Georgia coastal habitat; Our programs are interdisciplinary in nature and our hands-on education programs incorporate math, science, history, and writing; Our programs promote social skills and cooperation between peers and teachers 13. What is a typical EE field study at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? For our traditional, 3 day/2 night “lunch to lunch” program, visiting groups

Spot Light on Employees The Jekyll Island 4-H Center employs up to 27 people. Of the 15 employees that work year round, 80% have worked at the center approximately 5 years or more. Even more amazing, 60% of the 15 year round employees have worked at the center approximately 10 years or more and 20% have actually worked at the center approximately 20 years or more! Meet the Jekyll 4-H year round staff: ≥ 20 years: Lucy Holmes, Robert Ramsey and Sharon Hamilton 10-15 years: James Nobles, Winston Drury, Dawn Zenkert, Joyce Hutchinson, Kim Britton and Carol Ducksworth ~5 years: Tom Woolf, Melanie Biersmith and Roosevelt Butler Mrs. Lucy Holmes’ first summer at the 4-H Center was in 1983, the first year it was in service. Mrs. Lucy has been preparing and serv(Continued on page 7) ing well-balanced meals in our dining hall for 25 years!

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25 Things to Know about Jekyll Island 4-H Center

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receive 2 nights of lodging, 7 meals, and 12 education programs (8 day and 4 evening) for a fee of $87 (2006-07 school year rate) What types of classes are taught at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? All residential EE groups take our core classes: beach ecology, marsh ecology, maritime forest ecology; Teachers also select electives to round out their field study and best complement the curriculum being taught in the local classroom; teachers choose from the 4-H center’s day elective classes: dock study, slough study, herpetology, ornithology, north end study, orienteering, plankton, sand lab/beach profile, seining and nets; and also from the evening elective classes: sea turtles, marine mammals, hurricanes, astronomy, sharks, endangered species, environmental issues, fish kits, water thick and thin, and night walk. Where are the EE classes taught at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center? The majority of our classes are taught outdoors in nature’s classroom; Almost every class takes place on location at the Jekyll Island 4-H Center because of our location on the south end of the island and beachfront access; Children easily walk from the center to the forest and beach where multiple classes are taught promoting physical education and healthy lifestyles; Also, the 4-H Center’s location on the less-populated south end allows classes to be conducted safely and without disturbing the residents or tourists on the island How do the Jekyll Island 4-H Center programs affect the island? Many of our visiting groups elect to take a boat tour using boats leaving from the Jekyll Wharf Marina, historic district tours leaving from the Jekyll Island Museum, and bike rides using bikes from Jekyll Island vendors; Additionally, many families will return to Jekyll Island for vacation visits as a result of having been introduced to its natural wonders and beauty through 4-H Center’s programming Are the Jekyll Island 4-H Center EE programs aligned with state standards? Yes, all of the programs are aligned with the current Georgia Performance Standards and students participating

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in 4-H Center EE field studies are considered on task What grade levels participate in Jekyll Island 4-H Center EE programs? Kindergarten through 12th grade Where do schools come from to participate in the Jekyll Island 4-H Center EE programs? Most of the schools are public and private schools from all over Georgia; Schools from South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Alabama (and even Missouri) have utilized the 4-H Center’s programs What are some of the biggest impacts the Jekyll Island 4-H Center programs may have on students? The opportunities to see the ocean for the first time, see constellations without impediments like light pollution or physical barriers, see a sea turtle nest, watch a flock of migratory birds, pull a net in the Atlantic ocean to sample for benthic animals, climb a several hundred year old live oak tree, hold a native snake, sample the river for invertebrates, visit a shipwreck on the beach, learn about marine science and coastal ecology by actually experiencing it! 21. Who participates in Jekyll Island 4-H summer camp programs? 4-H members from across Georgia What do campers do in Jekyll Island 4-H summer camp programs? 4-H members participate in a variety of outdoor activities including many of the environmental education classes; 4-H members also visit Summer Waves Water Park, visit St. Simons Island for a picnic and shopping, enjoy beach swims, have dances, and participate in other camp games and activities What can visitors do at Tidelands Nature Center? Visitors can view local animals and exhibits, rent canoes and paddleboats, go on guided nature hikes, go on a self-guided nature trail, or go on a guided kayak tour What kinds of animals can be seen at Tidelands Nature Center? Alligators, sea turtle, fish, nurse shark, gopher tortoises, crabs, terrapins, and snakes Are there other 4-H Centers in Georgia? Yes, Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Wahsega 4-H Center in Dahlonega, Fortson 4-H Center in Hampton, and Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island

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Pre Sorted Standard U.S Postage

Georgia 4-H Foundation Hoke Smith Annex University of Georgia Athens GA 30602-4356

PAID Palatine, IL P&DC Permit No 7133

Rock Eagle 4-H Center O 350 Rock Eagle Road NW O Eatonton GA 31024 706-484-2800 O FAX 706-484-2888 O [email protected] www.rockeagle4h.org The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. Cooperative Extension offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex or disability. An equal opportunity/affirmative action organization committed to a diverse work force.

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