News

Learning is FUNdamental

Just this winter, 36 excited Nystrom Elementary students boarded a school bus in Richmond, California ready to embark on a 5-day adventure at Camp Arroyo. In just an hours drive they pulled through the gates a little nervous about the week that was to come, but excited for their first time “camping”. For many of these students it was their first time away from home and their first time out in nature. It was amazing to see how they overcame their insecurities and shyness and were able to embrace this new environment and take on new challenges while supporting each other along the way.

One of the highlights of the trip was when the students got to spend some time in the Organic Garden cooking a small feast. The students were responsible for harvesting fresh ingredients from the garden, following a recipe to prepare an assigned dish, and setting a proper table to dine at. On the menu this week were Fried Green Tomatoes, Homemade Tortillas, Kale Salad and Lavender Lemonade. Cooking in the Garden is always an eye opening experience; the students are not only using math and reading skills, they are working in a group atmosphere and learning skills that will transfer into their everyday lives. One Naturalist, Ryan, was working very closely with a group of students. When he asked one student if she knew how to crack an egg, she responded yes, and then smashed the egg on the counter. Although this brings a smile to our faces because to most adults egg cracking can be like second nature, this was an opportunity for Ryan to teach this young lady a life skill.

The Nystrom students had many adventures, learned life skills and were exposed to nature. The joy on their faces when they would see a squirrel, deer or turkey walk by was priceless. One Naturalist said at the end of the week, “I had an amazing time with these kids. It feels so good to help create an amazing week for kids who don’t have these opportunities.” When the students were loading up the buses on Friday to head back home, many expressed that they weren’t yet ready to leave Camp Arroyo, but were excited to share their new memories with their friends and families back home.

Volunteering: It’s a Matter of Heart

On October 26, 2011 volunteers, staff, board members and guests gathered at the Oakland Airport Hilton to celebrate our volunteers and their dedication to The YMCA of the East Bay. This year’s theme was “Volunteering: It’s a Matter of Heart.” Camp Arroyo was proud to recognize Mark Hertz as our volunteer of the year.

Mark is one of the original visionaries of the Camp Arroyo garden. He worked on creating the garden when Camp Arroyo first opened and has been a great asset to it ever since. Over this past year, Mark has embarked on a colossal task of rebuilding all of the raised beds in the garden. And for those who know about gophers that like to attack gardens, you will understand that this is no easy feat. Mark designed the new heavy duty- pest proof beds, worked with a local company to get in kind donation on the necessary building materials and has lugged numerous 60 pound blocks to create the gorgeous raised beds that will be utilized by all of our Outdoor Environmental Education school groups while they explore the garden area.

Mark has also been generous enough to spend time working with a local Eagle Scout, guiding him with a garden fruit tree cage project. His help with trouble shooting issues with our resident chickens never goes unnoticed. Mark’s time, generosity and talents have been greatly appreciated by the Camp Arroyo staff as well as all of those who get a chance to enjoy the beautiful garden that he helped to build.

We are so grateful to Mark for all of his efforts as well as the efforts of all of the folks who volunteer with us throughout the year.

We Can Make a Difference!

As January continues on, schools from Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda, and Union City are making their way to Camp Arroyo thanks to a generous grant from Stopwaste.org, who has provided an outdoor education experience for nearly four hundred students. Students who would not otherwise have this opportunity.

During their time at Camp Arroyo the students spend time hiking, gardening, singing songs, eating delicious food, sleeping in green built cabins, and learning about their impact on the earth. As a living model of sustainability, Camp Arroyo is the perfect setting to inspire students.

Their time spent at YMCA East Bay Outdoor School at Camp Arroyo is just the beginning. Upon returning to their school each class is now responsible for a post camp project. The projects vary school by school; the outcomes will all focus on reducing the amount of waste that goes to the landfill. Liza Young, a teacher from Washington Elementary said, “My students thoroughly enjoyed themselves, learned a ton, and really caught the "I can make a difference" bug. I know that our follow-up activities and the student action project will help solidify the concepts that they learned about at camp. My entire class is excited about teaching their parents and the other classes in our school about the importance of using reusable bags. I think what you are doing at Camp Arroyo is incredible.”

Although the three days fly by, the memories from this trip will last a lifetime. The schools leave camp excited about making a difference in the world. Starting in April the Y-EBOS staff will be heading into the classrooms where the students will have an opportunity to be the teachers and show their Naturalists (outdoor school educators) the incredible things they are able to accomplish when they work together.

Stopwaste.org sends students to Camp Arroyo

In January students from all over Alameda County will swarm the grounds of Camp Arroyo through a grant provided by Stopwaste.org. Since 2004 Stopwaste.org has been partnering with the Y to provide quality outdoor education to students who usually do not have the opportunity to explore their natural environment.

Teachers who have participated in Stopwaste.org workshops during the school year are invited to apply in early fall for this opportunity. Participating schools must complete a pre-camp waste reduction lunch and a post camp project which will encourage sustainability in their schools and communities. Ten schools have been selected to receive this year’s grant, a 3-day 2-night trip; nearly $7,000 per class is free for the participating schools.

While the students are visiting YMCA East Bay Outdoor School at Camp Arroyo the curriculum will focus on the concepts of the 4R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot). Throughout the three day stay the students will be participating in four lessons that empower them to make a positive change in their communities. Whether it is turning the lights off when they leave a room or using a reusable bag at the grocery store, Y-EBOS firmly believes that every student has the opportunity to make a positive difference. To get them off on the right foot the participants will each be receiving a reusable bag, donated by Whole Foods of San Ramon.

As the Y-EBOS staff spends this holiday season preparing for the busy month of January they encourage you to think about the 4R’s in your homes, a few ideas include:

Reduce: When asked paper or plastic at the store, say neither and provide your own bags.
Reuse materials you already have to wrap holiday gifts (old calendars, newspaper, magazines, paper bags, etc.).
Recycle: If you can’t reuse a box, bottle or can, make sure it ends up in the recycling bin. You can even take plastic bags, and other clean flimsy plastics back to the grocery store to be recycled.
Rot: Use your green bins as much as possible, not only can food go in there but also pumpkins, natural wreaths, and small Christmas trees.

OUTDOOR SCHOOL WELCOMES RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS

On June 6, 2010, YMCA East Bay Outdoor School (Y-EBOS) at Camp Arroyo completed our ninth—and biggest—year of welcoming students from across the Bay Area to learn about the natural world surrounding them. Over the 2009-2010 school year, 3,300 students (accompanied by nearly 600 teachers and chaperones) from 57 different Bay Area schools spent three to five days hiking, spotting wildlife, gardening, and climbing. More than 40 percent of the students received financial aid from Y-EBOS funding partners to attend the Outdoor School.

As one teacher put it, “This is better than any textbook. This is real learning in a way kids won’t forget. The experience is priceless...You make kids feel good and happy to learn.”

Students got their hands dirty (often literally!) learning science concepts and put their minds to work on language arts projects based on the California State Department of Education Content Standards. The lessons learned at Y-EBOS connect what they learn in the classroom to living, breathing examples in nature.

“Camp Arroyo does an outstanding job of teaching students to respect the environment by understanding life cycles and their role in it. The program is structured to shift their thinking toward how each individual person can make a difference,” one teacher noted.

Beyond the extensive curriculum, Y-EBOS provides a welcoming community consistent with the YMCA of the East Bay’s core values, including how to strengthen themselves and their communities. One teacher wrote: “The kids learn independence in a controlled environment and they learn team building.”