The 4-H Superhero Day Camps, held in Foley and Sauk Rapids, were filled with excitement as 165 campers, from kindergarten through sixth grade, discussed superhero powers with the 23 counselors from Benton County 4-H. 

Magician Curtis Hed was on-hand and spoke to the youth while performing, emphasizing that “You are important, and it is important to be kind.” This theme resonated throughout his magic show, with the campers reciting the phrase back to him multiple times.

The day began with all the campers donning green superhero capes and masks. Upon arrival, they chose a superhero design to color, which they would later iron onto their homemade capes made from t-shirts. They also decorated their superhero masks and, with help from the counselors, identified their unique superpowers. The campers engaged in hands-on activities, including making bioplastic moon dough, creating mystery crystals in rainbow tubes, experimenting with cosmic slime, and observing fizzy foam chemical reactions. They also participated in a superpower relay to showcase their special abilities.

After lunch, the campers had the opportunity to meet “real-life” superheroes. At each camp, a Superhero Panel featured local heroes who answered questions about their jobs. They discussed how they use their “superpowers,” the special tools and gadgets that assist them, the challenges of their work, and shared advice for campers interested in pursuing similar careers in the future. Each superhero presented a picture board showcasing their jobs, their families, and some brought along gadgets used in their work.

 Among the “real-life” superheroes at the two camps were: Matt Steiner (Army), Glen Kaschmitter (Farmer), Roy Schneider (Farmer), Jeannie Boyle (Nurse), Angie Arnold (Teacher), Teresa Heck (Teacher), Katy Behrendt (Police Detective), Becky Molitor (Stable Owner & Western Heritage), Ben Phenow (Firefighter Captain), Kevin Peine (Firefighter EMT), and Ken Pakarek (Nurse EMT).

As campers engaged with the “real-life” superheroes, smiles filled the room. 4-H camper Eva Hanson., a fifth grader, asked Captain Ben Phenow of the Rice Fire Department, “Do you get a lot of calls to save cats out of trees?” Captain Ben replied, “We get some, but most cats eventually jump down on their own.” Another 4-H camper, fourth grader Luke Schleper, asked, “Do you get to compete in water games at festivals and do fun things?” Captain Ben answered, “Yes! We do get to do fun things sometimes.”

4-H camper, fourth grader Eli Storkamp, asked Matt Steiner from the Navy, “Do you protect the ocean from bad guys like pirates?” Matt replied, “Yes, pirates and all kinds of bad people. There are a lot of items moving on the ocean that people want, and we help get them safely to their destinations.”

“Do you have to do chores every day like I do?” asked stable owner Becky Molitor. 4-H camper fifth grader Chloe Keegan responded, “Yes, I do. I got my first pony when I was five, so I’ve been doing chores for a long time.”

4-H camper, second grader Frankie Wieland asked Police Detective Katy Behrendt, “How many investigations do you do in a day?” Detective Katy replied, “I do one to seven things every day.” The kids reacted with a collective “Whoa!”

4-H camp counselor, eighth grader Hailey Manea, asked farmer Roy Schneider, “What is your favorite part of farming?” Roy replied, “I would say problem-solving. Looking to see how I can fix something to make sure it runs smoothly, is healthy, or works better.” 

4-H camper fourth grader James Thornborrow asked, “How fast does the combine empty out?” Roy responded, “Oh, it’s pretty fast! I can harvest about five-six acres in an hour.”

4-H camper third grader Grace Legatt asked Nurse EMT Ken Pakarek, “What is the worst thing that happens?” Ken replied, “Well, any call for help can be the worst day for the person and their family, and my job and desire is to help make that worst day a little bit better for them.”

As the time to say goodbye to their “real-life” superheroes came, the kids found it hard to part. Once the superheroes left, they played a few games with the counselors before it was time to head out. With capes on their backs, masks on their faces, and superhero bags of goodies in their hands, they jumped with excitement to share all about their day with their families, who were waiting to pick them up.