Parnell Memorial Library Foundation

Click on the photo for more photos of camp.

Twenty-five elementary school students participated in Children’s Nature Camp June 9-13, 2008, at Parnell Memorial Library. The theme of the camp was “Get Bugged . . . Get Connected.” The mission of the camp was to connect children with the outdoors through nature-based, eco-friendly experiences so that they will become more confident and comfortable in the natural environment and will want to preserve and save it.

An article in the June 18 Birmingham News captured much of the spirit of the week. The children were divided into squads called Busy Bees, Ant-C Ants, Grueling Grasshoppers, Spunky Spiders, and Dangerous Dragonflies. They participated in a variety of experiences to explore nature, including field trips, nature study, hiking, movement activities, art, music, reading, writing, and storytelling.

Herschel Hale introduced the campers to some of the trees in Orr Park. Dr. Mike Hardig talked to them about habitat and showed them a shelf fungus high on a tree near Shoal Creek. Dr. Paul Davison, with the children assembled under the awning on the Children’s Porch, taught them to use pipettes to move small creatures from pans of pond water to their own hand-sized aquariums. Marty Schulman led them on a field trip to see the beehive coke ovens at West Blocton and the Cahaba lilies at the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge, where they waded into the river to get a closer look at the lilies.

Kate Vogel told many stories about nature’s creatures, real and imaginary. She also baked homemade sourdough bread and shared it with everyone on the library terrace.

Linda Cicero provided recycling containers for the campers. She showed them at the end of camp how little actual garbage they had produced (less than half a can) and how many large bags of plastic, paper, and cardboard they had generated that would be taken to the University of Montevallo for recycling.

Each day before camp, students gathered on the library terrace to do birding with Linda Cicero. They had access to nature kits that contained binoculars, field guides, and flash cards to help in identifying species. The campers also birded on the field trips and park explorations. During the week, the campers identified twenty-four different species of birds.

At the closing program on Friday afternoon, Camp Director Susan Lehman presented the Outstanding Camper awards to Austin Harper and Abigail Shimel.

The following students also received awards:

• Bees
  • Peyton Carroll, Most Energetic
  • Brady Matthews, Most Curious
  • Dakota Dubose, Most Helpful
  • David Ingels-Thompson, Mad Scientist
  • Adaline Vogel, Most Creative and Artistic
  • Thomas Frost, Most Adventurous

• Ants
  • Morgan Sanders, Most Outgoing
  • Taylor Ray, Most Helpful
  • Eli Cost, Most Adventurous

• Spiders
  • Abigail Shimel, Most Creative and Artistic
  • Cain Lougher, Most Outgoing
  • Samantha Howard, Most Helpful
  • Adam Jones, Good Citizen
  • Will Draper, Curious George Award
  • Ryan Fox, Most Adventurous

• Dragonflies
  • Austin Harper, The Mad Scientist Award
  • Christopher Villa Perez, Curious George Award
  • Alexander Love, Good Citizen Award
  • Camryn Callaway, Most Helpful Award

• Grasshoppers
  • Eddie Anthony, Most Adventurous
  • Mitchell Chambers, Most Outgoing Award
  • Lauren Yancy, Most Helpful
  • Brianna Brooks, Good Citizen Award
  • Hunter Billingsley, Curious George Award

The junior counselors for the week were Pete Seeds, Heather Daniel, Caitlyn Bidwell, Ashlyn Bidwell, and Tristian Yancy. The camp staff included Camp Coordinator Linda Cicero, Library Director Katie Williams, Kate Vogel, Anne Hamilton, Hilda Hicks, and Libbie Rodgers.

The sponsors of the 2008 Children’s Nature Camp were Parnell Memorial Library, Parnell Memorial Library Foundation, Fresh Air Family, Inc., and the City of Montevallo Parks and Recreation Board.

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