Summer Adventures at Baxter Academy
(June 17-21), (June 24-28), (July 8-12), (July 29-Aug 2), (Aug 5-9)
For more information/application email: Camp Participation!
Ages 12-14, Click Here to Apply!
(Please note: THAT ELIGIBLE STUDENTS MAY RECEIVE A WEEKLY STIPEND FOR PARTICIPATION. You may apply for more than one week, but acceptance is not guaranteed. We will confirm by June 1.)
June 17-June 21: Our Oceans
Student's will use the ocean as nature’s playground as the ocean provides ample opportunity for empowerment, self-expression, connection, and growth. Surfing carries the potential to instill passion and determination, to build character, to boost self-esteem, and to establish a sense of community, while being environmentally responsible. The ocean provides different environmental conditions on a daily basis: wind direction, swell direction, tide, temperature, rip currents, period, number of waves per set. By consistently observing what the conditions hold for the day, one develops the necessary skills to generate an awareness of how to adapt to an ever-changing environment – just like we have to do in our daily lives. Students will conduct research on the interconnectedness of organisms and the habitats in which they live. They will learn the intertidal zones can be characterized by the organisms which inhabit them. They will collect water samples from each tidal zone in efforts to track microplastic pollution along our coastline. A nature journal will be kept daily, which will record their findings from the field, as well as their discoveries. Poster presentations will conclude our week together.
June 24-28: Explore Maine, Hiking Adventure
Baxter Academy will provide students with the opportunity to learn about Maine’s diverse forest ecology system. They will learn about sustainable forestry and land management as they hike on Maine trails and explore Bradbury Mountain, Mackworth Island, and islands on the Maine Island Trail Network. They will collect data, create a photo journal (using i-pads available through Baxter Academy) of our habitat.
July 8 -12: AI in the Air
Students will learn how to build and program drones with the user-friendly Python programming that is appropriate for novices and more experienced students alike. They will utilize this drone technology for monitoring ocean health, farming, and land management. At the end of the week they will have a drone race competition and a drone that they can take home. They will be using their drones at Deering Oaks Park in Portland, the Back Cove in Portland, Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth, and Bug Light at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. In our partnership with 1000 Drones for 1000 Girls, the students will be certified with the FAA - Recreational Unmanned Aircraft Safety Test (TRUST) Certificate. This would prepare them to pursue a commercial drone pilot FAA certification upon turning 16 years old.
July 29-August 2: Our Farms, Our Future
Students will visit local small farms including Wolf Neck Farms, Pineland Farms and Garbage to Garden. They will learn about plant biology on the cellular level and the macro system level. They will learn about indigenous and sustainable crops. They will be introduced to the methods of ethically and safely forage wild plant matter They will also learn about composting. They will end the week with a journal and sketchbook reflecting their work of the week recording data collection and created artwork.
August 5-August 9: Seeing Portland Photography Camp
Students will explore the urban landscape of Portland, Maine to learn to ethically and safely forage wild plant matter to make photographs outdoors and in a darkroom using historic photographic processes. Students will also build their own pinhole cameras as well as a phone camera or a tablet camera to create lasting photographic landscapes. The week will culminate in a group show and community celebration.
