Summer campers complete a challenge requiring teamwork and problem solving.
Hitchcock’s Nature Summer Camp was full through 5 sessions this past season with 122 campers and 10 junior counselors. Thanks to generous contributions from members and community organizations, we were able to offer 15 scholarships this year. While most campers were from Massachusetts, we also saw participants from Italy, New York, Maine, and Pennsylvania. Session themes included: Patterns in Nature, Leadership Training Camp, Buzzing About Bees (and other insects), Geology Rocks!, Animal Superheroes, Soil, Seeds, and Sun. Counselors, Patrick O’Roark, Courtney Dyson, Amy Tolman, and Hannah French guided campers through an exciting summer of hands-on learning and exploring in our environment. To follow our campers through their summer, visit the Nature Camp blog.
Campers connect with nature based crafts.
New to camp this year, the Leadership Training session for youth ages 11-16, held June 30-July 3, attracted a group of 10 young people desiring to gain an understanding of leadership and through direct empowerment, reflective conversations, and skills practice. Peter Lamdin, one of Hitchcock Center’s first counselor’s in the 1970’s and recently retired 6th grade teacher at Fort River School, returned to provide focused curriculum and activity planning direction. Joining him during the session was returning camp counselor Courtney Dyson. Participants engaged in group challenges, a guided rock climbing field trip, learning opportunities to increase knowledge of the environment, discussions and reflections.
Leadership Training camp participants participate in a rock climbing challenge.
Highlights of this summer’s camp included:
A camper builds a pollinator hotel.
Campers learn about identifying fossil predators at the Beneski Museum.
Share this page with friends!
Hitchcock Center for the Environment
at Hampshire College
845 West Street | Amherst MA 01002 | 413.256.6006 | 413.253.2809 fax