That’s A Wrap! Lloyd Center for the Environment’s Education Department “Wraps Up” Another Successful Summer Program Season!

This spring, uncertainty regarding COVID-19 lingered in the air, however, it was certain that the Lloyd Center was going to run its two most desired summer programs: Young Naturalist and Coastal Studies. And even though safety measures were prioritized in the programs’ structures, the Center’s mission remained uncompromised – to provide environmental education to children in a fun, hands-on, exploratory way to develop the next generation of environmental stewards.

Parents and guardians had expressed the need to break their children away from the virtual world and immerse them in the natural world, to allow their child’s senses to be enlightened by the natural elements the environment provides.

The Lloyd Center’s 2021 summer programs proved to be the perfect remedy. As a result, each program week for Coastal Studies and Young Naturalist booked quickly and had waitlists. The demand also created the need for the Young Naturalist program to add an extra Bonus Week!
As the saying goes, “time flies when you are having fun!” This was felt by both students and instructors. Eight weeks of programing flew by!

The four one-week long Coastal Studies programs for students ages 9-12, offered standard-based lessons, inquiry, and exploratory fun! These programs had students mucking in wetlands, taking trips to local marine habitats to discover the difference and variety among organisms within each habitat, and had students “walking” on the Wild Side, with each day taking students on a new adventure into the Lloyd Center’s coastal and forest habitat to learn and discover the organisms that surrounded them.

The eight one-week long Young Naturalist programs for students ages 6-9, also offered nature/science-themed lessons, outdoor adventures, discoveries, hands-on activities, and a lot of fun! Students dip-netted in the estuary, explored the organisms that inhabit the freshwater Kettle Hole Pond, and had students looking to the land and sky to identify the organisms that live in those much drier habitats. STEAM activities wrapped up the week. STEAM Friday’s engaged students in science experiments and exercised students’ creativity designing and building structures.

With any outdoor program, the natural elements sometimes may not be in your favor. This summer was no exception. However, the students were real troopers and adapted to the ever-changing environment. The weather, the need to wear masks inside, and being aware of social distancing, did not phase the students nor prevent them from having a great time!

The Lloyd Center’s summer programs were a great success! Thank you to the parents and guardians, students and staff, for their participation and support. We wish you a happy and safe school year and hope to see you next summer!