NATCHEZ — For four area youth, attending a Youth Conservation Camp sponsored by the Adams County Extension Service and the Adams County Board of Supervisors was a great way to spend a week during their summer.

Hayden Newman, Justin Allgood, Sarah Garrity, and JaDarius Ealey received a full scholarship to attend the camp in which they studied hunter safety education, archery equipment, gun safety, predator control, game calling techniques and fish and wildlife identification.

“The kids were both anxious and nervous while waiting to see if they had won the scholarship,” Melanie Sojourner, director of the Southwest Area 4-H Livestock program said. “They heard from other kids that it was fun and wanted to go to the camp.”

The four campers received several certifications and learned alot of things about wildlife during the camp.

“It’s a special opportunity for the kids to do things they have never done before,” Sojourner said. “It’s an excellent setting to learn in.”

In order for the kids to go, they apply for a sponsorship through the Adams County Extension Service and wait to see if they are accepted.

“We pay for four kids to go to the camp every year,” Sojourner said. “The funding comes from Title Three and the state budget.”

Ealey and Garrity attend Cathedral while Newman and Allgood attend Adams County Christian School.

“These kids had never been to a week long camp in their lives before and it was very special to them,” Sojourner said.

Each year Sojourner receives many applications from area kids and has a panel to narrow the applicants down to four.

“We advertise in the newspaper and radio and require the kids to write an essay and fill out an application in order to receive the sponsorship,” Sojourner said. “They have to write about what it will mean to them if they get the sponsorship.”

Sojourner encourages anyone that’s interested in applying to be watching for their advertisements so that they can get their applications in before the deadline.

“I hope that everyone will get their application in early,” Sojourner said. “This is a great opportunity for anyone to take advantage of.”