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Camps for Youth Ages 8-12
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At our "Building Like Bugs" summer camp girls learned how mud dauber wasps use clay to build their nests. The campers then learned how to use clay to build their own pots. |
Summer Camps
The Web of Life Ecology Center offers separate camps for girls and boys aged 8 to 12. Camp begins on Monday morning and lasts until the closing performance Thursday evening.
During their four days at camp, campers learn about science, art, and conservation by exploring the natural world through hands-on, and mind-on, activities. All residential camps include team-building activities using our new challenge course; special evening activities; campfires; creative art projects; showering in our outdoor rainwater showers; and sleeping in our new bunkhouse.
Small Predators was the theme for the 2010 camps, and campers built bat
houses and learned the important ecological role that bats and frogs play in
maintaining insect control. In the 2009 Bluebird camp, campers built birdhouses specifically for
bluebirds, which campers learned were threatened because of pesticide
use. Our theme in 2008 was Native Americans, during which campers created
beautiful gourd art and learned to minimize their footprint on
Earth.
Mentors
from St. John's Jesuit
High School, Charleston
Catholic High
School, and St.
Charles Preparatory School
act as positive role models, work side-by-side the campers on activities, and
maintain a safe environment at each camp. Each mentor is paired up with two
campers. Including mentors, staff, and other volunteers the ratio of adults to
campers is almost 1:1.
Our theme in 2006 was Touch the Earth! Campers explored Earth science,
including "The Wonders of Water", "Plants a Plenty: Using Plants
in Everyday Life", "Animals: All Critters Great and Small", and
"Rock Hounding: Rocks and Minerals." Staff and volunteers gave
exciting hands-on presentations on each subject. In 2005, the theme for the
summer camps was "Snap, Slither,
Slurp!" and focused on the study of
reptiles and amphibians. In 2004 the theme was "Building Like Bugs," and in 2003 the girls' camp
focused on birds and the boys' camp focused on "The Big Sky."
Tuition for camp is $100 and includes all home cooked meals. Several partial scholarships are available through the generosity of individuals who have donated money to sponsor a child. For more information on summer camps contact Kathy at 304-393-4103. Camps Photos
Click on photos to enlarge
 Entomologist Greg Chrislip displays his live insect collection including several tarantulas. |
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 Going on an insect hike. |
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 Hiking, games, and an obstacle course allow campers to burn off some energy. |
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Two campers work with their mentor to build butterfly houses. |
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Sometimes to adequately study nature you have to experience it first hand. |
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Campers search for aquatic insects. |
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| A camper and mentor take a break to play checkers. |
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Campers put on a show for their parents incorporating all they have learned. |
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| The boys perform an African warrior dance. |
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