Igniting Skills Through Campfire Cooking
Extension Education
Jesse Bocksnick
4-H Outdoor Skills Coordinator
UACES
Little Rock
Abstract
Outdoor cooking has long been a traditional component of 4-H camping programs; however, opportunities to intentionally assess life skill development through these activities are often limited. The Arkansas 4-H Campfire Cooking Contest was developed to transform a familiar camp activity into a structured Extension Education program that intentionally supports Positive Youth Development and the 4-H Beyond Ready framework. The primary objective of this program was to use campfire cooking as a platform to build youth competence in food and fire safety, teamwork, communication, creativity, and leadership while providing measurable outcomes. Youth ages 9–19 participated individually or in teams to prepare one dish entirely from scratch using cast iron cookware over a wood or charcoal campfire within a two-hour time limit. Participants were evaluated using a standardized judging rubric assessing safety practices, time management, creativity, recipe completeness, dish quality, and verbal presentation. Coaching was prohibited to ensure youth-led learning. Program evaluation included judge scoring data, observational feedback, and participant reflection discussions. Evaluation results demonstrated consistent participant competency in food and fire safety, effective time management, and increased confidence in public speaking. Judges observed growth in dish complexity, creativity, and presentation when compared to informal camp cooking experiences. Reflection sessions further reinforced peer-to-peer learning and critical thinking. These findings indicate that the Arkansas 4-H Campfire Cooking Contest successfully converts a traditional outdoor activity into an intentional, assessable Extension Education experience. This program offers a replicable model for integrating experiential learning, workforce readiness skills, and youth leadership development into camp-based programming.
Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted only for display at AM/PIC. Poster is not to be judged, but the abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: Jesse Bocksnick, Creenna Bocksnick
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Bocksnick, J. 4-H Outdoor Skills Coordinator, University of Arkansas, Arkansas, 72204
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Bocksnick, C. AR 4-H Camping Coordinator, University of Arkansas, Arkansas, 72223