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Summer Camps Inspire a New Generation of Water Stewards
Kaitie Evers, PDE’s Engagement and Schuylkill Action Network Coordinator, assists a child with probing a sample of water and leaves collected from a local stream to examine the small fish and insects that live in these habitats.
This summer, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (PDE) staff provided unforgettable experiences for young explorers during a two-week camp series. The Aquanautics and Water Warriors camps immersed youngsters in the wonders of water and blended hands-on science with outdoor adventure. Designed for rising 3rd through 9th graders, these camps sought to foster both a love for the natural world and a deep understanding of environmental stewardship.
The camps were part of the Cab Calloway School Fund’s SMArtSummer Camp, and this was the first year PDE partnered with the Fund to offer an environmental education-focused camp program.
Aquanautics, for rising 3rd through 5th graders, focused on understanding water’s vital role in everyday life and environmental stewardship. For a week, campers explored these themes through interactive experiments and creative projects, such as making oobleck, which is a mixture of water and cornstarch, and leaf pack experiments, where they examined small creatures that inhabit local creeks and streams. The leaf pack experiment turned up unexpected thrills, when a baby American eel turned up among the sample of wet leaves and sticks. The kids immediately named the eel Slimey, who was returned to his natural home.
Campers also visited the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science in Wilmington, where the kids interacted with native animal specimens and learned about the impact of stormwater runoff using an Enviroscape model.
The Water Warriors camp welcomed rising 6th to 9th graders to dive even deeper into the science of water. This group explored high-quality streams at the Stroud Water Research Center in Avondale, Pennsylvania, where they carefully followed scientific protocols to analyze water samples and collect macroinvertebrates such as mayfly, caddisfly, and stonefly larvae, as well as planarians and water pennies.
In the classroom, campers eagerly plunged into hands-on activities, like the Enviroscape model and the exploration of freshwater mussels that brought the concepts of water conservation and stewardship to life.
Both Aquanautics and Water Warriors campers visited Lums Pond State Park in Bear, Delaware, where they learned basic kayaking skills and tried their hand at fishing with the help of PDE Board Vice Chairman Craig Durand. The budding anglers were thrilled with their catches, proudly releasing fish back into the pond, and everyone left with a sense of accomplishment in their new skills. Best of all, the kids got to keep their fishing rods and tackle boxes (donated by the IKE Foundation) so they could practice their angling skills. Later, campers channeled their creativity into making hollow-form fish art projects, which beautifully expressed the fish lessons they learned throughout the week.
“This camp was better than video game camp!” one camper declared, a sentiment that perfectly captures the excitement and learning that filled the days.
STRONG COMMUNITIES: C2.3 / C2.4
You can find photos of the camps at: bit.ly/m/PDE-SMArt-Summer-Camp
Special thanks go to the Cab Calloway School Fund, Craig Durand, Stroud Water Research Center, the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science, the IKE Foundation, and the Wakefern Food Corporation for their invaluable contributions. Their support made these camps a resounding success, leaving the campers eager to continue their journey as water warriors and environmental stewards.
