Summer Adventures 2012 Environmental Resource Center
let your imagination and
knowledge take flight
program philosophy
Our programs—especially our camp programs—are a bit different from a typical camp. At the end of a program, each camper will have a deeper understanding of this amazing valley, the roles of diversity and community, and of themselves.
We achieve this by spending days in the field with experienced teachers who deliver a comprehensive ecology and natural history curriculum. Each day builds on the knowledge and discoveries made the day before, allowing participants to expand and apply newly‐gained expertise.
We keep our group sizes small (8:1 student‐teacher ratio) to create a sense of community among participants. We value teamwork and collaboration and reflect this in everything from field activities to meals and chores. Ultimately, we create meaningful, hands‐on experiences in natural science and environmental education that draw on children’s imagination and love of play to help them dis‐ cover and learn about the natural world .
summer offerings
Day Camp for Rising 4th—6th Graders City Meets Wild, July 16‐20
EcoCamps for Rising 4th—7th Graders EcoCamp for Rising 8th+9th Graders
Forces of Nature, July 23‐27 Flight School, August 6‐10
Science on the Summits, July 23‐27
Shooting Star Sleep Out A family event celebrating the Perseids, August 11‐12
inspire learn Õ act
Nature Workshops and More
Day Camp
Rising 4th‐6th
For years, you’ve been asking for a day camp experience that mirrors the philosophy we apply at EcoCamp – and this is your year! We are very pleased to introduce a new foray into a place‐based learning adventure that starts right at home – and lets you sleep at home! Program cost includes all supplies and one generous snack. Participants will need to arrive dressed for a variety of weather conditions, as we will be in the field except in cases of dangerous weather. They will need a lunch, a 1‐quart water bottle, a comfortable backpack, and some children may also wish to bring additional snacks.
adventure begins at home
City Meets Wild. July 16—20. Based out of The Sage School, Hailey, ID. 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Our valley is a tiny speck of civilization in the midst of wilderness. How does this shape our community, and how do we affect the wild? In this week‐long program, we’ll explore the unique relationship we hold with nature in our special home. We’ll journey on foot to local preserves and trails to learn about local habitats, plants, and animals. We’ll put on our reporter hats, and visit with local residents to find out why they’ve chosen this as home. We’ll complete a service project to understand how we can create positive change on our landscape. The week will draw on a variety of experiences and tools, including exploration, art, interviews, scientific inquiry, play, technology, and more to deepen our sense of place and connection to home. The week will culminate with a celebration for the families, where participants will creatively present their achievements from the week. $200 members/$250 public
EcoCamps
Rising 4th‐7th
Prints on the Land. July 16—20
CANCELLED: On May 1st, we learned that the 4‐H Camp inadvertently double booked the facility for our stay. We were offered the opportunity to share the facility with the other group (over 200 people), but the qual‐ ity of our programs and the safety of your children are too critical to us. We made the determination that we could not meet our standards in such a setting. We’re incredibly disappointed, but this encouraged us to of‐ fer “City Meets Wild.” We’ll be back at over‐ night camp this session next year!
understand the natural
world Forces of Nature. July 23—27
Explore the creative and destructive effects of wind, water, fire, and ice upon the Earth. Volcanoes, earthquakes, wildfires, glaciers, raging rivers, and fierce winds have all combined to create the valley we see today. We’ll learn how to read and understand the impact of these forces upon our landscape. We’ll also explore how you can be a force for nature! On our final day, we will get up close and personal with water by rafting the Salmon River with White Cloud Rafting!
Cost $430
wonder, delight
+
discovery
Flight School. August 6—10
Immerse yourself in a world of feathers and beaks as EcoCamp becomes a bird banding station! Researchers from the Idaho Bird Observatory join us this week, and each morning, they will use mist nets to capture and band songbirds. Campers will assist the researchers, releasing the birds after they have been banded! When the nets close, learn about the mysteries of flight, the unique characteristics of birds, their importance to the ecosystem, and more!
Cost $350
Rising 4th—7th Graders a day in the
life...
With hot springs and meteors, wildlife and friends, a day in an EcoCamper’s life is as rich and diverse as our valley home!
Life at EcoCamp centers around the field days. Campers depart immediately after breakfast with their professional field instructors. Groups are formed by age and experience. We take sack lunches into the field to spend as much time exploring and learning as possible.
When we return, campers have (supervised) free time to relax and decompress before dinner. After dinner, our experienced evening staff facilitate an array of activities that mix camp traditions (games, s’mores and songs) with new explorations of nature. At night, campers retire to their chaperoned cabins.
Rising 7th graders also participate in special capstone experiences to celebrate their “senior” status. On our last night (weather permitting), the entire camp sleeps out under the stars! Wish you could come too??
EcoCamps
Rising 8th+9th
Science on the Summits. July 23—27
An in‐depth focus on sub‐alpine and alpine ecology. This year, we are offering a new opportunity for older students who would like to deepen their understanding of the natural world. In Science on the Summits, we will be exploring the unique ecosystems that exist at our higher elevations. In addition to a stronger focus on the sciences, our field days will be longer and more intense; participants should be physically prepared for 5‐10 mile hikes with 1000’ of elevation gain. On Friday, there will be an optional half‐day rafting trip on the Salmon River with White Cloud Rafting.
Cost $350/$430 with optional rafting
Evidently, graduating from
EcoCamp was not a popular idea...
We had such a blast with our rising 7th graders last year—night hikes to the hot springs, cookouts, and more. But throughout summer, we heard repeatedly from campers and parents their dismay that it was the last year.
We listened, and created a new experience for our older participants. We’ll build on our traditional EcoCamp model, adding more science to a longer field day. We’ll rely less on games as a means of learning about nature, and more on personal observations, group explorations, and scientific investigations. We will hike into the high lakes, so it is important to be physically prepared, and to have the proper gear (a good backpack for carrying two quarts of water, supportive shoes, etc.).
We’ll be sure to join campfire each night, but we have a host of new activities planned for the evening hours as well. We can’t wait to begin this new adventure with you!
REGISTRATION FORM Please complete this form and return it to the following address. If you are registering more than one child, please use one form per child
Environmental Resource Center P.O. Box 819 Ketchum, ID 83340 Name of Participant:
[ ] Male
Grade for 2012-13 School Year:
[ ] Female
Phone Number:
Email Address: Mailing Address: City, State & Zip: Parent/Guardian Name: Emergency Contact Name: Phone:
Relationship to Participant:
Has child attended EcoCamp before?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No Make sure your cabinmate also requests you.
Cabinmate Request:
We will do our best, but there are no guarantees.
Youth:
[ ] Small
[ ] Medium
Adult:
[ ] Small
[ ] Medium
[ ] Large
T-Shirt Size: [ ] Large
[ ] XL
[ ] XXL
Dietary or Medical Restrictions:
Please mark how you heard about EcoCamp – Newspaper ad Newspaper article ERC Mailing or Newsletter BCSD Bridges Attended Last Year ERC website Sun Valley Online School Flyer Other (please describe)
Payment plans may be available. Contact Lisa Horton at 208.726.4333
I am registering my child for: [ ]
City Meets Wild (Day Camp) (No discounts below) (for rising 4th-6th graders, July 16-20) (Rate member/non-member)
$200/ $250
[ ]
EcoCamp: Forces of Nature (includes river rafting trip Friday) (for rising 4th-7th graders, July 23-27)
$430
[ ]
EcoCamp: Flight School (for rising 4th-7th graders, Aug 6-10)
$350
[ ]
Science on the Summits—NO RAFTING (for rising 8th and 9th graders, July 23-27)
$350
[ ]
Science on the Summits—WITH OPTIONAL RAFTING (for rising 8th and 9th graders, July 23-27)
$430
Choose ONE from section in gray, if applies
Discounts [ ]
ERC Family Membership Discount
- $35
OR [ ]
Early Bird Registration Discount Before May 4
- $25
[ ]
THEN, also take Family Discount (for multiple family members, or one child in two camps; only one discount per family) if applies
-$50
Scholarship
Give or Receive Scholarship Assistance
[ ]
I would like to receive/have attached a scholarship application and I am enclosing my $50 deposit (per camp to reserve a space)
[ ]
We would like make a donation to help out another family send a child to EcoCamp Payment Total
Payment Method
[ ] Check [ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa [ ] AMEX [ ] Discover
Name on Card: Card Billing Address: City, State & Zip: E-mail Address for Receipt: Credit Card Number: Security Code from back of card: Signature:
Expiration Date:
$50 $ $
meteors
+ memories
Shooting Star Sleep Out. August 11‐
Every summer, the Perseid Meteor Shower str before summer draws to a close. Come togeth sweetest of summer pleasures: sleeping unde Camp Perkins, on Lake Alturas in the Sawtooth staff and local experts on Saturday afternoon canoe, kayak, and explore!
The event includes Saturday dinner and Sunda access to the shared bathhouse, but no cabins of the star‐show; however, we anticipate a ver the periphery of our campsite as a “back‐up” p
‐12
reaks across the sky, putting on a fabulous show her with the ERC and other families for that r the stars! This year, we will hold the event at h Valley. In addition to nature workshops led by ERC and Sunday morning , there will also be chances to
ay breakfast. This will be a sleep‐out; we will have s. The goal is to sleep without tents, for a full view ry chilly night, so families may set up tents around plan. Join us for this amazing weekend!
Member Cost $30 per adult, $15 per child Non‐Member Cost $35 per adult, $20 per child
look
closely
Wild Lunch with The Hunger Coalition, Tuesdays and Thursdays, June 12—July 5
We will once again offer a series of nature education day camps during Lunch Connections at Woodside Elementary. The program is open to ages 1‐18, but children under 10 need to be accompanied by a caretaker over 15. Learn more about the plants and animals that share our home— and get a nutritious and scrumptious lunch at the same time!
Cost—FREE!!
listen
carefully
Wild Connections at the Symphony, A Parent’s Night Out! July 30, Aug 4 + 14
The ERC partners with the Sun Valley Summer Symphony again this summer. We create a fun and educational setting for your children to connect with nature, freeing you to connect with the concert! You’ll find us at the back of the lawn at the Pavilion. Open to ages 5—13. Space is limited. SVSS will take registrations at 208‐622‐5607, x12.
Cost—FREE!!
Nature Workshops for Families
These programs are free to our members. Suggested donation for non‐members: $10/individual, $25 family. Space is limited; registration is strongly recommended. To register, please call our office, 208.726.4333. More information, including locations, is available on our website at www.ercsv.org. You can also email lhorton@ercsv.org to be added to Local Dirt, our e‐newsletter, to be the first to hear about upcoming events!
Beaver Walks Thursday, June 28th, 6:30 – 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug 16th, 6:30 – 9 p.m.
Join Lisa Huttinger, ERC's Education Director, for an intimate look into the world of beavers. We will learn about the amazing adaptations of North America's largest rodent, see first‐hand the modifications this keystone species makes to its environment, and (with a little luck) spy these animals in person!
know your
home Sun Seekers and Explorers
River Romp
Friday, June 29, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug 17th, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Sun seekers, come out and play! During this family workshop, we will be exploring animals that are active during the daytime and their adaptations to being diurnal. Be ready to search for pollinators, reptiles, and more. We will also discover the sun’s effects on plants. We’ll have an afternoon of exploration in the sun, so don’t forget your sunscreen!
Come explore the Big Wood River! Children and adults are invited to discover river ecology through hands‐on exploration. Learn more about the many plants and animals which depend on this aquatic wonderland for survival.
Down and Dirty Friday, June 22, 12:30‐4:30 p.m. for Children Ages 8 ‐ 12
Come ready to explore the earth beneath our feet! We’ll be focusing on an exploration of soils and all the critters that lie within. We will also be channeling our inner ant by building our own ant colony. We meet at Lyons Park, Hailey. This program is free to ERC Family Members. Suggested donation for non‐ members is $10 per child. We promise not to send them home too muddy!
EcoCamps Location
EcoCamps and Science on the Summits take place at the Central Idaho 4‐H Camp, 17 miles north of Ketchum. The facility is nestled next to Prairie Creek and surrounded by mountains, forests, and abundant wildlife. Participants stay in one‐room, bunk‐bed cabins with counselors, share a bathhouse, and eat breakfast and dinner in the lodge. Our days are spent discovering the diversity and delight of nature with professional educators, and lunch is eaten in the field to take advantage of every moment of the day.
frequently asked
questions
What discounts might I receive? We have a variety of discounts available for registr early registration, ERC member, and multiple family members/sessions discounts. S
Is financial aid possible? Scholarship support is available for the three EcoCamps an however, every participant will pay a minimum of $50. Please send in the registratio you would like to receive a scholarship application. If we can not offer you adequat the $50 in full. Discounts do not apply to scholarships.
What if I must cancel my registration? Cancellations are subject to a $50 processing program begins, a $250 fee if cancelled less than six weeks before the start date. W refunds for cancellations within 7 days of the program.
How can we help another family enroll their child? If your family is able to help ano tax‐deductible donation to our scholarship fund, and connect one more child or fam
What if my child has special needs? We can work with your family to properly supp your child may have. We have also worked in the past to include children at camp w contact us for more information.
rations paid in full. These include See our registration form for details.
nd Science on the Summits; on form with $50 and indicate that e financial support, we will refund
g fee up to six weeks before each We’re sorry, but we cannot offer
other financially, please consider a mily to nature!
port any dietary and health concerns with learning differences. Please
P.O. Box 819 471 N. Washington Ketchum, ID 83340 208.726.4333 www.ercsv.org