Fired Up at Field School 2018!

From June 11–13, summer camp staff from Mass Audubon Camps across the state gathered at Wildwood for Field School, a fun, hands-on, 3-day training program designed to kick off the summer and get staff ready for camp.

Camps from every corner of Massachusetts were there, from Pleasant Valley in the Berkshires to Wellfleet Bay on Cape Cod. We even got to see the fine folks from our Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary on Martha’s Vineyard, who took the ferry to the mainland to make the long trek to Rindge!

Staff learned new skills and brushed up on old ones, from tree identification to group management, and waterfront safety to fire-building. Special training workshops with Mass Audubon Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Lisa Harrison and Education Director Kris Scopinich encouraged folks to dig deeper on topics like welcoming and celebrating diversity at our camps and exploring potential future careers in environmental and conservations fields, respectively.

Each day was jam-packed but also included ample free time for exploring the property and having fun at the waterfront with swimming and paddling. It’s safe to say our staff are pumped up and excited to welcome campers and their families to the 2018 summer camp season!

Here are some photos from Field School to give you a glimpse of all the fun and learning that took place:

Camp Director Becky Gilles leads a workshop

Wildwood Camp Director Becky Gilles leads a workshop on teaching kids birding and nature observation skills.

Two counselors observing a deer antler

Camp counselors learned about natural science and how to bring science to life for campers.

A counselor successfully lighting her first campfire!

A Boston Nature Center Day Camp counselor successfully lighting her first campfire during a workshop on fire-building skills and safety.

Program Coordinator Meredith and JC Director Charlie examine a nest of tiny baby spiders.

There’s so much to discover at Wildwood! Here, Program Coordinator Meredith and Assistant Program Coordinator Charlie examine a nest of tiny baby spiders.

A near-empty pot of fresh popcorn on a camp stove resting on the ground.

Outdoor Cooking was a popular workshop thanks in no small part to the yummy snacks!

Learning to identify Eastern Hemlock by observing its needles.

Learning to identify Eastern Hemlock by observing its needles.

A counselor enjoys some quiet reflection and journaling by Hubbard Pond.

Amid all the excitement, many folks made time for quiet reflection in nature.

Lifeguards practicing safety and rescue techniques at the waterfront.

Lifeguards practicing safety and rescue techniques at the waterfront.

Two counselors enjoying a canoe on Hubbard Pond

Don’t worry, there was plenty of free time for fun, too!

This entry was posted in Summer Camp on by .

About Ryan D.

Where: Mass Audubon Headquarters, Lincoln | Who: A Vermont ex-pat, lifelong skier, musician, photographer, motorcycle enthusiast, budding native plant gardener, and pun master | Favorite part of the job: Working with wonderful colleagues to make nature accessible to everyone