Laughing and Learning with Nature
Posted by: Kelli
Today I found myself walking through nature. Camp ASCCA houses the
Oscar C. Dunn Rotary Environmental Center. Inside you can learn about trees, reptiles, birds, snakes and just about anything found in nature. Children from Seale Harris Junior Camp were walking around, looking at all the lifelike exhibits the Dunn Center has displayed!
A Camp ASCCA program staff member, Billy, was there to answer questions and to conduct a couple games about nature. He got the entire group involved with the question and answer session. The group was excited to learn these interesting facts about some of 
the animals they had seen on display. They learned if these animals were carnivores, herbivores or omnivores.
The children thought it was interesting to learn that some animals did not eat what they thought it should. The group took what they had just learned and played a game. In the
game everyone had to wear a name tag of a type of animal. They took a ball of yarn and they would pass it across each other to a different type of animal that they thought their animal could be eaten by or could eat. The string of yarn became a massive food chain web.
By doing this the group could see that each element of nature affects another part of nature. They learned that we are all tied into each other and we should help preserve and take care of the things we have in nature.
The group was laughing and learning the entire time.
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Sixth grade students from Lee Scott Academy near Auburn visited Camp ASCCA for a 3-day Environmental Camp at the end of April. They arrived before lunch on Wednesday and stayed until after lunch on Friday. During that time the students were able to totally immerse themselves in the camp experience. The 6th graders participated in programs like Dunn Center, Map & GPS, Group Elements, Step Outside & Fish, Zip Line, Living Streams, Lake Testing, and a Nature Hike out to our Eagle’s Nest. They were also able to enjoy some 
of our nighttime activities like Ball Field Games, Camp Fire, and Night Hike. The kids at Lee Scott were great and we look forward to seeing them again next year!
Recently Dean Road Elementary visited Camp ASCCA for a fun day of Environmental Education. Over 80 3rd grade students got to experience a day at camp, learn a little about the environment, and have fun too. The students were able to participate in our Living Streams, Forestry, Dunn Center, Group Elements, and Zip Line programs.
Living Streams program allows the students to get hands on with animal and insect life in a stream. It teaches the kids the different indicators of a clean stream and lets them get a new perspective on water quality.
The Zip Line is always one of the favorites with its 30 foot climb and then a swift ride down a “zip” cable.
The water has once again reached the boat ramp. Although we are still a little way away from being able to launch a boat, it is a good sign.
But for now things are starting to look up on the northern-most part of the Lake. We are still below winter pool, but hopefully the rains will continue to fall throughout the spring and we will be able to return to full pool this summer. That is something I will be truly excited to see!