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July 7th Monday

Today is the first day of the camp. We were supposed to get 16 campers. However, we only get 12. No discourage for me and E., we feel 12 campers is fine with us. The Counselor told us we would get two more from other worksites.

The orientation day went well except there is miscommunication between E. and I. We should never split up the campers. And I think E. and I have memorized all their names. There are two kids who may be trouble makers but we will work with them.

One is careless and wants all the attention from the others. E. and I will talk to him alone with a proper timing. Another fools around. E. and I will work best and try to attract him on the site. The fact that he shows interest in the deer is a very good sign. I feel another is separated from other campers. I don’t know if that is the case or this is just the first day she has not made any friends yet.

July 9th Wednesday

Today was a good well-planned day. Everything we did today was on track and on time. And we had two more campers join us. In the morning, we divided to two groups working on two different plots. We used the tools we prepared and turned over the soil. Group 2 which led by me had gone much further than E’s group. We finished up turning over the soil and fertilizing. E’s group just finished turning over the soil. However, Steve will help us and do extra work on the garden to make the two groups on the same place. In the afternoon, we went to do tree rubbing with P.G. We took a 20-minute walk to the Silver Maple Forest and got deep in the forest. Campers got the color pens and tissue papers that were prepared by P.G. and started doing tree rubbing with the demonstration by P.G. As far as I can see from their results, they did a great job. Then we headed back to the office. After we got back in the office around 2:15, Counselor took over and they did clean-ups before they leave.

Campers started to make friends with each other today. They need to be friendly as individuals so that they can be familiar and know each other better No small group forming. We Still need to double check with coordinator about the transportation to MWRA.

July 11th Friday

Today, the energy consultant came in and gave a lesson about how much impact you can make on daily basis. He is a terrific guy with great energy and passion to teach the campers about energy efficiency. He brought so many examples, like the electricity bill, the energy efficient light bulb, the “vampire” test kit. etc. Personally, I really like the idea of the references for the “vampire” as it is sucking all the electricity in our house and make us pay more. Campers feel a little bit exhausted while the consultant kept talking. He didn’t give them any break time because he had so much materials need to be covered and they are very much useful and valuable. I talked to one of the campers later in the afternoon about the morning session, he said he got a lot of it this morning. Now, he actually is concerned about the globe and energy issues.

In the afternoon, we divided them into 4 groups and took them to the North Trail to do some tree identification. We brought the field guide and dichotomous key book with us and helped them along the north trail to do some identifications. however, not all the trees or plants are listed in the books that we have. So we have to some extra work later in order to follow this up.

July 14th Monday

Second week just started and campers started to keep in mind with the ecology ideas. In the morning, campers spent the first hour finishing identifying the tree leaves that they brought from the North Trail on Wednesday. Most of them found what tree it is called either from the guidebook or on the internet. Some of them still had trouble identifying them from the sources. We have not had a chance let them upload pictures and journals on the wikispaces yet. But we will do later this week. After that, campers took tools, packets and journals with them to the New England Garden. In there, they have learned some plants grew over there. And we did a fantastic job removing weeds just the entry way and half of the garden. We will go back there to do more studying and weeding.

In the afternoon, Steven took us back to his garden to finish planting. Campers planted cucumbers, watermelons, brocolis, basil, etc. Campers also learned some transplanting skills and applied on peppers and squashes. After we headed back, Counselor was here and gave her workshop for half an hour.

July 16th Wednesday

Today was an unpleasant field trip for the campers and the supervisors. We experienced a horrible rain at the deer island on our way to MWRA. First of all, the fault is all E’s and mine. We didn’t do better job on the weather forecast and miss the direction so that the campers spent extra time in the rain. However, when we got there, Nadie and other officers provided us with some clean clothes and towels. Because of the rain, we only had an abbreviated tour compared to the regular one. Nadie talked about the history of the facility, its function, how the water comes from and where it goes after treatments. I think the campers had a better idea about where their waste water went. We didn’t get a chance to see some of the major plants like the pumps, eggs, etc. Hope we can visit them again later in the camp.

In the afternoon, Counselor took over and filled out the timesheets for them. We let them out earlier because we met earlier in the morning so that we could get to MWRA on time. We figured out the Math of their working time. We will do better job about all the weather forecast and other details.

July 18th Friday

Today was a great day with Matt and Pepper. In the morning, Matt did a great job illustrating the idea of the stormwater wetland and other basic knowledge about water treatment and testing subjects. He tied up pretty well with our visit to MWRA on Wednesday. Campers did a great job focusing and discussing on the matters and subjects that Matt illustrated because it is very close to their daily life. Most of campers participated very well and had some Q&A with Matt and I. We started our lunch break a little earlier because we spent most of the time on the field doing water quality testing in the afternoon. I didn’t go with the group because I have to stay in the office for Counselor to come and dropped the check. However, from my conversation and some oral surveys with the campers, they had a better conceptual idea about the water quality testing and performed them very well.

Later we met Pepper and finished making up greeting cards. Campers used their imagination and made around 20 of the greeting cards in order for us to present in front of the legislators. We still need to pin down the date of the state house visit. Nothing we can do now just wait. After this, we will be able to make other schedules with revisiting MWRA and Boston group.

July 21st

It was such a pleasant day with Amy. Campers learned a lot from the lecture and outdoor capturing insects and identifying them. In the morning, we started doing specialty project for the first hour. Most of the campers have already chosen what their specialty project will be and had researched on it for half an hour. They had all the notes in their journal books. Then, Amy took over and started a ppt describing different types of insects and how to identifying them. Campers did great job paying attention and took notes. And Amy brought three bags of “cricket snack” for the campers to taste. Then we walked to the meadow and started our first insect capturing and identifying activity. It only took them 20 minutes to find 35 different types of insects in the meadow. Then we had our lunch at the picnic table.

In the afternoon, we went to the wetland and started another capturing. It took them the same amount of time but found less insects there. They found 20 different types of insects in the wetland. It is harder for them to find more insects because they can’t go deep into the marsh. There are many dragonflies and mosquittos. After that, we walked back to office and started off a discussion with Amy about what and where you found the insect. After this day, campers had a better idea about insects and ready for more to come as Arlene will come on Wednesday.

June 21

Today was the first day of the third week. We met with Amy Mertle for the whole day and learned about insects. Before she arrived, however, the campers were journaling the information from their last site visit when they recorded the water quality testing. We learned that the test for coliform in both locations, Little Pond and Perch Pond, we both positive. This was a good learning point for the campers, I think they really got to see the importance of why we need to continuously do these tests. Even though our tests are very rudimentary, it was still good information for the scientific community.

After they were done exchanging information about their water quality testing, they began to really do research for their specialty project. The projects chosen were: jake- blue heron, emmett- turkey vulture, tinaia- silver maple tree, prathana- woodchuck, sophie- deer, atsede-blue butterfly, charlotte-great blue heron, chris- beaver, julian- red winged blackbird, jasper- northern walking stick, max- sharp shinned hawk, natneal- catfish.

Amy came right when the focus levels were starting to dwindle which was perfect for them to take a quick break and come back ready to learn. She gave them a quick lecture with powerpoint on what is an insect, what are the different kinds of insects, and where mostly to find each type based on their general behaviors.

We first went to the restored meadow out along the path to the picnic tables by acorn park. With 30 ft segments, the campers were paired up and sent into the meadow with nets, ID books and a checklist. They spent 20 minutes here collecting, identifying, and cataloguing the insects that they found. We had lunch out at the park and bonded while we were all together. Note to self: remember to bring a soccer ball or frisbee for Wednesday lunch break to play with at the picnic tables. After lunch, we walked over to the wetland and did the same procedure. After 20 minutes, we came back to the office and with Amy we compared the different amounts and diversity of insects at each site. We spent the last 30 mins of camp doing more research for the specialty projects. We are going to aim for having at least an outline/first write up done by the end of this week or early next week so that way the campers will have their first thing to put up into the kiosks. We will also be able to print off some of the pictures I have been taking to put in the kiosk as well.

June 23

Today we started off with the campers calculating the averages of the water quality tests that they did. They then compared the averages to the normal standard levels of each test, and then they compared each site to each other. They drew conclusions based on the data that they collected. Bo and I will be reading these to keep them accountable for not slacking off when we ask them to do something in their journals. The averages were as follows:

Arlene came and gave them a powerpoint in the office that introduced them to the macroinvertebrates that they would be finding in the water. She had previously collected specimens that she used for an activity after. The campers were split into three groups and were given each a bag of samples. Each bag had a different level of diversity in it that the campers had to calculate. In order to calculate the diversity levels, they had to first identify what each macroinvertebrate was. Once they had been identified, the campers were given an equation that they were able to use for calculating the levels of diversity in each sample bag. This activity was good so that they could get practice identifiyng the different insects as well as learning how to compare levels of biodiversity in different sample collections.

Steven Gillies met up with us to give us a hand with the campers so we could split into groups easier. We then went out to collect samples at the canoe launch on the reservation. We found many macroinvertebrates. Mostly scuds and water bugs. Not a very diverse amount of life was found here. We then went to the wetland and did the same procedure. We found more biodiversity and more larva of dragon flies. The campers even got to see different larva species of dragon flies. The water here was cleaner and clearer too, so we were able to find more in our samples which might have domething to do with the amount of biodiversity we found.

We came back to the office where Steve gave them a preperation talk about Friday. He let them know that if they don’t do their research on their specialty project ahead of time, then we won’t be asked back to the museum next year. This Friday will not just be a walk in the park, a feild trip to a pretty museum. We want to challenge the campers and make them step up to a higher level of academia that we know they are capable of meeting. Doing this will require a little bit of extra work on their part to do some research at home so we can have good discussions with the “behind the scenes” tour of the museum.

Bersabelle came in and gave them a talk about communication for their weekly workshop. They did their chores and went home.

June 25

Today is the last day of the third week, we are officially ½ way there. This morning we started of by talking with the trouble camper. He seemed not as apologetic or concerned as we were. He was mostly aware of the money that he could potentially lose. I was not sure that he was going to “hear” what we were saying to him, regardless of if he was “listening” to what we were saying. However, as the day went on, he became more of a help to us than anything. He helped another campers carry her bike down the escalator into the T, he was driven and focused during our trash pick up. After he talked with Bersabell he even helped to call his friends in to the conversation we were having with Steve at the museum when they were straying away and goofing off. I see real potential in him, and I would hate to see if he would have to be moved to another job site.

After our talk with the camper, we did 30 minutes of research on the specialty projects. The computers had just come in, so the campers were able to use more than the books that they had exhausted to research their specialty projects. After their research we went to the wetlands to pick up trash. Bo and I came up with an idea to have them be in a competition. We split them into 3 teams of four and said that the team with the most trash would get a prize from Bo and I on Monday. We decided to buy them all a watermelon to split. Then after the winning group had eaten some of the watermelon, we would split the rest of the watermelon up among the rest of the group as a consolation prize for doing all of the hard work. Each group had finished the day with AT LEAST one full bag of trash. One group had 2 bags of trash, and two groups found rusted shopping carts that were leaching iron and other chemicals directly into the water table. So we brought all of the trash back to the office where we stopped for an early lunch.

We talked with Ellen about the trail clearing and decided that we will be able to do this next week. On Wednesday, Steve was not able to get us to come back to Waltham Farms, so instead we are going to spend the morning gardening at both the veggie garden and the kiosk. We will start at the veggie garden mostly to just see how the veggies are doing, do some weeding, and tend to the plots. Then with the leftover time, we will walk to the kiosk garden and continue our work from two weeks ago. By then it will probably be lunch. Those that want to go back to the office can, others who want to go to the picnic tables can. Because at 1, after lunch, we will all meet back up at the reservation and go to the north trail. We will do our trail clipping so that way people can safely walk through the reservation to little pond without worrying about thorns or poison ivy or low lying branches.

After we came back from the wetland, I could clearly see a new comradery forming with the campers. They were all bonded over the competition within their trash groups, and since these groups were a general mix of friend groups, it really brought all of the friend groups together. We took group photos outside of the building and went to lunch. After lunch, we got on the T and headed to Harvard Square. We got off the T and went to go meet with Steve Gillies to walk to the Harvard Museum of Natural History. The museum went well. We gave the campers a chance to walk around and look at all of the different mammals, fish, birds, etc. on the third floor. Then we all came back together and did our specialty project talks. Each camper gave a talk about their specialty project. Some did a really good job researching. I thought Charlotte and Jasper did an AMAZING job doing their research. There took really diligent notes. If people were more attentive towards the end of the presentations, Charlotte would have gotten te respect she deserved for the hard work she put into the research. I will thank her again and compliment her again the following Monday when she comes back to the office.

July 28

Today we began our fourth week. This was the only day this week that we will have a full day of learning. This morning was raining and it looked like we weren’t going to be able to go outside and do any of our plans. We took the first 15 minutes to journal in our journals from last week. Then we introduced the Do The Math Documentary with Bill Mckibben. This documentary is very near and dear to my heart because I worked on the divestment campaign at UVM with 350.org, 350 VT and 350 new england, as well as got to speak with Bill Mckibben at his last stop on the Do The Math Tour. So I was able to pause the video when I knew that I could add a little bit more to help the kids understand climate change and the roll we play in it. We talked about burning fossil fuels, how much time we have left on earth if we keep burning them as fast as we are. We talked about the impacts that the changing climate will have on a local and global level. We talked about mitigation and adaptation, and had just gotten to the uplifting “What we can do to help” part of the film when Don came in.

Bo helped him set up the kites while I finished wrapping up our discussion in the conference room. Don took over from there. He talked with the campers about how he gathers climate data, and the importance of doing it the same way over and over again. He explained what kites can tell us, and how the organization he works for uses kites to gather climate data. Then he brought the kids out into the hallway to make the kites. After they had been made, we went out back behind our building to the soccer field to test them out. The weather was perfect. The sun was out, with the occaisional cloud passing by, and the winds were high enough to give the kites some strong lift, but not too strong to break them. Some of the kites got tangled, and when they did, the campers lost interest. But Don then brought out his special kites that are more professional. these were big big kites that he let the campers fly.

After about an hour flying the kites, it was time for lunch. After lunch we all met in the office to get ready to go meet Anne-Marie. She had emailed Bo and I ahead of time to say that the reservation was flooded and that the north trail would be near to impossible to walk through. We got all suited up in boots, or boot covers, and took some clippers along to just get the thorns out of our way while walking. If the trails are less soggy (we were up to our knee caps in water) on Wednesday, then in the afternoon we will be doing a full trail clearing. Anne-Marie talked about the history of the lands and how to look for clues in the landscape that can tell you more about the natural history and peie together the story of the landscapes. We told the campers to keep asking questions to be able to write down this information to type up and put into the kiosks so that visitors will be able to learn about the history of the reservation.

July 30

Today was the best day of camp we have had so far. Aside from the usual two campers, who for some reason were acting up more than they usually do, everyone was working so hard to complete everything we asked them to do. They should all be so proud of what they accomplished because the results were tangible and they were able to actually see how thier work was helping the organization and the reservation.

In the morning we had them outline what they wanted to write up for the kiosk so that way Bo and I could review the outlines tonight and tomorrow and then on Friday morning they can all spend time typing them up into the computer so we can print them out for the kiosk. They had the option of writing about any combination of: specialty projects, natural history walks, water quality, insects, plants, or macro-invertebrates. They were told that they should think of questions that they would want the reader to be able to answer at the end of their paper. Then they should fill their paper with the information it would take to answer those questions. They were told to make it informative for passersby so that visitors can lear all about the reservation just like the things we have been learning.

After they had mostly fiished their outlines, we went over to the veggie garden to do some quick weeding. We finished in 30 minutes and got to see that some of our plants were actually starting to come up above ground. This was great for most of them to see, that their hard-work from two weeks ago was actually worth doing for something.

We left for the next garden at the kiosk and saw that most of the weeds had grown up through our first weeding and mulching job. The campers were pretty tired at this point and so were taking lots of breaks. But they finished lining the path with rocks, and they mulched the first whole half of the garden paths. Then it was lunch time and we all went out to the reservation.

During lunch, all of the boy campers played soccer which was a great way for them to bond. We split them up into partners and dropped them off at differet places along the trail to work on. We went all the back to the first wetland where there are all of those blackberry bushes. A little less than half way done. The trail looked great and I am so proud of them. They should be so happy about what they did today because it was all hard labor and they finished strong.