The Best We Can Do

The

BEST WE CAN

DO

36 Spring/Summer 2022

JUST UP THE ROAD FROM THACHER, over 30 different threatened or endangered species of turtles and tortoises make their home at the Turtle Conservancy, a global conservation organization whose mission is to preserve and protect natural ecosystems, focusing on turtles and tortoises, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the Earth’s biological diversity.

The summer camp represents an exciting next step in Thacher's collaboration with the Turtle Conservancy.”

Founded by Eric Goode, whose father Frederick worked at Thacher in the late 1960s, the Turtle Conservancy is the only AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited captive-breeding facility dedicated solely to turtles and tortoises in the world.

Since 2018, Thacher and the Turtle Conservancy have collaborated to provide experiential learning opportunities for Thacher students, including year-long courses in field biology and advanced field biology and a recent xBlock elective (a single-term elective revolving around inquiry-driven learning) on conservation engineering, in which students designed and built turtle traps and basking platforms that were installed at Sespe Cienega, a restoration site along the Santa Clara River corridor in Fillmore, CA.

This summer, Thacher and the Turtle Conservancy expanded their collaboration further, this time in the creation of a week-long, residential summer program for rising 7th and 8th graders, a third of whom have been intentionally selected from the Ojai Valley. The program is designed to provide an immersive educational experience to curious, motivated, and community-minded students. It has been fully funded by a grant from a mutual friend of the Turtle Conservancy and The Thacher School with the goal of prioritizing students from underserved communities and/or low socioeconomic backgrounds who have a passion for science.

Turtle Camp gives students the opportunity to explore the world of turtles and tortoises, immerse in real conservation programs, and form a deeper understanding of how they as humans affect their environment and the creatures with whom they share a habitat.

“The summer camp represents an exciting next step in Thacher's collaboration with the Turtle Conservancy,” said Dr. Tracy Miller, Thacher’s Director of Studies. “It will allow middle school students to experience the possibilities of experiential learning, digging into important topics around conservation and ecology alongside a community of peers, TC experts, and Thacher teachers and alums. It will bring some of the magic of Thacher's residential life program to the summer and allow for a week filled with community, laughter, and joyful learning.”

The camp is based at Thacher, where students and program staff stay in the dorms and utilize the school’s dining hall, classrooms, and pool. This summer, students spent most of their time outdoors exploring the endangered turtle and tortoise species at the Turtle Conservancy and participating in real field work in local wild spaces. Part way through the program they were separated into three teams: water testing, biodiversity inventory, and turtle surveys. Each team received in-depth training in their subject to prepare them for participating in a real conservation research project.

The experience culminates with an overnight backpacking trip to Patton’s Cabin in the Sespe Wilderness, where students conduct research on the Sespe river designed to learn more about and protect the Southwestern Pond Turtle.

Saturday, June 25

Students arrive, learn about campus and global conservation

Sunday, June 26

Tour of the Turtle Conservancy, hike on Horn Canyon, introduction to Southwestern Pond Turtle Conservation Program

Monday, June 27

Learn about tortoise anatomy and evolution, work with Giant Galapagos and Aldabra Tortoises, introduce field techniques (GPS, navigation, measuring and weighing turtles)

Tuesday, June 28

Conduct water testing at Turtle Conservancy, learn about egg incubation and development, stream assessment in Horn Canyon

Wednesday, June 29

Formation of three teams (water testing, species inventory, and turtle survey) and prepare for camping trip

Thursday, June 30

Travel to Patton’s Cabin, conduct field research projects, explore Piedra Blanca

Friday, July 1

Return to Thacher, analyze data from field, and presentation of findings

Saturday, July 2

Students return home

Each day and evening also included free time at the pool, mountain biking, beach trips, and other activities led by program staff. To learn more about the Turtle Conservancy, visit turtleconservancy.org.

The Thacher School 37

The Thacher School 5025 Thacher Road Ojai, CA 93023

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE P A I D OXNARD, CA PERMIT NO. 1215

Students in the Technology-Based Art & Music xBlock elective showcase their Photoshop animations involving planets, astronauts, Legos, and memes, with a soundtrack created in Ableton.