Kettunen Center will enhance educational and overnight experiences to enrich 4-H experiential learning.

Campaign Priority: Kettunen Center
Campaign Goal: $3 million

Place-based learning is a key component of Michigan 4-H’s success. Kettunen Center is a complete conference and retreat facility that provides place and space to support 4-H volunteer and youth development programming. Each year since 1961, thousands of Michigan 4-H volunteers and members, MSU Extension staff members and resource persons have attended Michigan 4-H’s skill-building workshops, most of which are conducted at Kettunen Center. These 4-H workshops, typically held on weekends, introduce volunteers to new learning models and materials to improve their work with young people in their local communities.

In addition to serving MSU Extension and 4-H audiences, Kettunen Center also hosts a variety of field trips, youth band and sports camps, family reunions, and meetings and conferences for other groups. Since 1988, Kettunen Center has also offered environmental and educational programs to local youth through school field trips and special events.

In the 2016-2017 program year, Kettunen Center:

• Hosted 12 Michigan 4-H workshops serving 1,320 4-H participants.
• Served 173 additional groups that brought 8,102 participants to the facility.
• Delivered environmental and outdoor education programming to 1,978 youth and 1,003 adults.

Samuel’s Story

Calhoun County’s Samuel Lawrence has been involved with 4-H for six years in a variety of 4-H project areas. This year is his first year as a member of the 4-H State Youth Leadership Council. He has been to Kettunen Center several times to learn more about topics of interest to him. Most recently, he attended the 4-H Spectacular at Kettunen Center.

“Kettunen Center is a really nice place. I enjoy every workshop and getting to know people and making friends,” he said. “I go to 4-H Spectacular to learn about other people’s cultures and to get a better understanding of their point of view. I enjoy the outreach, bringing other cultures into it, international students, leadership, and that they pack so much into two days!”