Coast Kids summer camp deemed success

(Aug. 18, 2023) This June and July, Assateague Coastal Trust’s Coast Kids program ran four weeks of nature summer camp for kids aged 6 to 12 years.

During the first two weeks, according to a new release, participating campers explored eight different locations across the region. They learned about plankton and the bay’s food web, fish, amphibians, reptiles, owls, forest habitat, edible wild plants, and macroinvertebrates in creeks, all while crabbing, paddle boarding, hiking and horseback riding.

Coast Kids added two weeks of Wild Scientists camp, which were held at the trust’s office. The campers studied backyard life, including insects, soil organisms and birds to create a beautiful pollinator garden.

They were empowered to make a difference by taking steps to make the world a more environmentally friendly place.

Countless hands-on science experiments taught them about plastic and its alternatives, renewable energy, carbon footprint and climate change.

The release said Coast Kids Camp has been a successful camp for years.

Thanks to generous support, 25 percent of the spaces were reserved for scholarship recipients.

Organizations including the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Maryland Coastal Bays Program, and Carol and Ray Armstrong donated funds to help support the program, and an array of people helped make it happen.

For more information about Coast Kids events, visit ActForBays.org or email Coast Kids Director, Verena Chase, at coastkids@actforbays.org.