EcoCation: My First Summer Camp!

Truth be told, I went to my first summer camp many many years ago in the 1970's. I spent the day on the beach and got a really bad sunburn. The staff called me "lobster boy" for the rest of the week. It was fitting since my dad was a crab fisherman.

This summer, however, I got to lead my first summer camp. Coordinating outings, buying snacks, and planning for every activity was a lot more time consuming than I thought. Fortunately, my AmeriCorps partner Sheralynn has done this before and had some great suggestions for making things run smoothly. We had two sessions of camp and by the second one, I was feeling like a pro.

The camps were some of the most fun I have had yet. Having the same group for a week gave me a chance to bond with them and learn more about who they were. Although this was camp, we tried to teach when we could and followed a hydrology theme for the week. I am looking forward to more of this type of activity. It's fun to recognize them when you are out other places.

Posing for a group photo at the top of Bogus Basin on day one.

Day two features a loooooong hike down Hull's Gulch. At the bottom we have root beer floats!

Midway down the hike. The group all gets matching bandannas to promote team thinking. They also dunk them in the creek to stay cool.

The first week couldn't float the river because it was too high so we went to the Birds of Prey center and met a falcon.

Float trip on week two was super fun (and wet)!

This sneaky snake was hanging out in a tree along the bank of the river. Crafty!

I was worried that they wouldn't want to go in the water. I think I was worried for nothing.

On Thursday we got to visit the Boise River Wildlife Management Area where biologist Krista Muller talked to them about how animals get food and water, and the importance of good habitat.