CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
Camp Wawona Set to Begin Accredited Outdoor Education Program Caron Oswald
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he first time Elden Ramirez, CCC youth ministries director, visited Camp Wawona, he was awed by the beauty and the endless ministry opportunities. “Camp Wawona, in the midst of Yosemite National Park, was the perfect place for an outdoor education program,” Ramirez says. “We were lacking structure and certified staff.” While historically Camp Wawona was a popular destination for school groups, camp staff did not provide educational programming. Conference leaders embraced the vision and the advantages of Camp Wawona offering a nature-based curriculum. “Developing an accredited outdoor education program would offer a unique experience within
our own camp,” said Ramiro Cano, conference executive secretary. Three significant changes were necessary to develop an accredited outdoor education program. First, all camp ministries, including programming, facilities and hiring for both year-round and summer camp would be under the umbrella of the youth department. The youth ministries director would also become the executive director of Camp Wawona. Ramirez became executive director in December 2008. Second, the year-round staff would need degrees in outdoor education and had to be certified to teach, as well as be willing to perform the traditional staff duties, including house-keeping, laundry, grounds maintenance, etc. Anthony
Camp Wawona year-round and outdoor education staff are pictured left to right: Ashley Angelo, Derek Wright (standing) Kristen Malerek, Ryan Kloosterhuis, Rachel Keele, Anthony Handal (kneeling), Donnie Keele, and Mary Ellen Barlow. Patricia Bair, head cook, is not pictured.
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Handal, year-round programming director, and Derek Wright, outdoor education director, were the first hired. “Outdoor education strives to connect students with their Creator through the natural surroundings and hands-on experience,” Wright says. Third, supplementing the remaining camp staff needs without altering the existing budget was essential. “We were going to need more help and instructors,” Ramirez says. They contacted Adventist colleges and universities to request that Camp Wawona be on the list for student externships. Students usually select those destinations a year in advance. By August 2009, four student missionaries had signed up. “Every employee has the certified training to assist teaching in the outdoor education program, along with all the other programs and needs at camp,” Ramirez says. The new state-accredited program begins in March 2010. Ten schools have already registered for the fourday sessions that include subjects ranging from math to land navigation. Lesson plans are designed according to the California State Education Standards. “How better to take the heart of the child to the very throne of God than through nature,” Cano says. “Through the sounds and sights of God’s creation, His majesty and power become real.” For additional information, visit www.campwawona.org. www.pacificunionrecorder.com