The New London County 4-H Camp was founded in 1947 on 24.5 acres in Franklin, CT.  Our mission is simple, to change the life of a child in 6 days. We provide kids with the opportunities to learn life lessons through adventure, teamwork, personal connections and just pure fun!

In 2024, we served over 1000 campers in both overnight (800 campers) and day camp (290 campers).  Our camper numbers have almost doubled since 2014.  Not only have the number of campers expanded, so too has our camp.  We have ’found’ more usable space within our 24.5 acres.  We created a way to get over creeks and wetlands, allowing our campers to access magical spaces like Clover Island, complete with hanging bench swings and a lighthouse!   We created gathering areas under roof cover for outside dining, day camp and a stage at the waterfront.

TEEN LEADER PROGRAM

We have a very strong teen program at the 4-H Camp.  In 2024 we had 330 high-school aged kids in our Teen Leadership and Junior Staff programs.  We foster acceptance, kindness and respect for others as well as for themselves.  Their connections to others and finding value in themselves are important not only personally but to our community. 

Teen Leaders learn leadership and citizenship skills in a fun, outdoor setting.  They assist our Counselors and Leadership Team Directors in making camp as fun as possible for themselves and campers.  They are eligible for promotion to the Junior Staff program, which is our version of a Counselor-in-Training program, after demonstrating leadership, appropriate level of responsibility, respect of themselves and others, and can serve as positive role models for our younger campers.  About 75% of our staff are ‘homegrown’ starting first as campers, then Teen Leaders and then Junior Staff.  They embody our mission to change the life of a child by serving in the roles of Teen Leaders and Junior Staff. 

Also, many Teen Leaders and Junior Staff have become Connecticut 4-H Teen Ambassadors (which is an adjunct program to the New London County 4-H Camp during the fall, winter and spring).  We have one of the largest Teen Ambassador programs in the country.

These teens develop leadership, citizenship, community service, and workforce preparedness skills and accomplishments to become part of our teens’ job, college, scholarship and career applications.  Teens who are part of these programs have a decisive advantage in the job market, college applications, scholarship applications, and careers.  It is very common for several of our teens to be admitted into Ivy League schools (one is currently at Yale University) and all types of prestigious colleges, universities, junior colleges, and other fields of higher education.  It is also very common for our teens to receive scholarships ahead of their classmates.

On a local level, many of our teens are hired ahead of fellow teens for local jobs in our community in places such as nursing homes, trampoline parks, and daycare centers, just to name a few.  After college, as adults, our teens have become doctors, lawyers, scientists, schoolteachers, social workers, and have taken positions in managerial levels, just to name a few of the spots.

Many of our teens marry and raise families, and become substantial productive members of our towns and society.  Many of them continue on with volunteer service.

We feel strongly that all children should have the opportunity to attend camp.  We have a campership program where we provided financial assistance to just over 80 overnight and day campers totaling about $33,000 in 2024.  We also receive a grant from the State of Connecticut every year which allows us to provide 60 individual campers who are children of parents in the Armed Services with a free week of camp. While we have some generous corporate and small business donors, as well as donations from alumni, family and friends.

The New London County 4-H Foundation, Inc. owns and operates the New London County 4-H Camp.  Our organization is made up of entirely of volunteers so that every donated dollar and camp fee goes back into the camp.  Our Board and volunteers are dedicated to supporting our mission to change the life of a child.