By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
“I think it would be wonderful if [NorthBay] had a refresher program that keeps it real. As a parent, you don’t want your kids to become complacent about the valuable lessons they learned there,” says Marie Barker, mother of Ceara and Devan—the twins we met last month.
The folks at NorthBay feel the same way. Their follow- up program, headed by Alexis Powers, Phil Davis, and others on the NorthBay team, is growing. But it’s not mature yet. “This is the first year we’re really partnering with schools for a follow-up, so the program is in its infancy,” says Keith Williams, North- Bay’s educational director.
Williams says the camp worked closely with roughly six schools in 2006, but that number has the potential to grow to up to 50 schools this year with the help of organizations like the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Maryland Sea Grant, as well as the State of Maryland.
As of February 2006, these organizations have helped fund a biofilms project, summer teacher workshops, and curriculum development.
But NorthBay doesn’t rely on outside funding to keep it real. Their own summer program is a built-in chance for kids to return and refresh the lessons they learned during the school year.
Yearning for adventure
DJ Ragan, the second-time sixth grader we also met last month, expressed his interest in NorthBay’s summer program. “I’d do that over summer school any day,” he says.
With an all-new program lineup—paddling, sailing, wilderness living, swimming, mountaineering, filmmaking, homesteading, rock climbing, mountain biking, extreme science, and arts and crafts—who wouldn’t? But the messages of character and leadership underscore the adventure, making NorthBay Summer (www.northbaysummer.com) an ideal followup program.