July 15, 2008 — Despite the gentle rain that fell Tuesday, many of the 26 kids attending an Eco-Camp at the V.I. Environmental Resource Station continued right on with their morning soccer game.
The youths are spending three days and two nights at the Lameshur location for the Eco-Camps, sponsored by the St. John Friends of V.I. National Park. The soccer game preceded the day's more structured activities, which included hikes, swims, beach walks and science lessons, where participants evaluated what they saw on their beach walks.
"I want them to be inspired to think more deeply about their natural surroundings and their personal interaction with their environment," said VIERS Environmental Coordinator Hilary Maynard.
The camps have some obvious successes. Two girls — Kayla Clendinen, 11, of St. Thomas, and Jasmine Libert, 14, of Tigard, Ore. — said they started thinking about marine-science careers after attending the camps.
This was the third year at Eco-Camp for Kayla, a student at Ulla Muller School.
"I love science, marine biology, the environment and everything around me," she said as she and Libert took a break from the rain inside the campground's dining room.
Libert was on St. John to visit her grandmother, Martha Hills. This is her "fourth or fifth" year attending an Eco-Camp.
"I like going on hikes and learning about the history of what used to go on," she said.
While several other campers said a marine-science career wasn't in their future, they said they were having a good time.
Claude Lalanne, 11, who will attend Bertha C. Boschulte School on St. Thomas in the fall, said he likes seeing the different animals that live at this remote end of St. John.
"I want to work in a pet shop or an aquarium because I like animals," he said.
The camp has good food and teaches students about the environment, said John Ovcina, 9, a student at Gifft Hill School on St. John.
While Ovcina and Lalanne were at the camp for the second time, it was the first time for Casey Stevens, 8, a student at Joseph Sibilly School on St. Thomas.
"I like it," he said. "It's right next to the beach, and I like hiking."
Maia Ginther, 10, a St. John home schooler, gave the instructors high marks for making sure the campers don't get into fights. She also liked the fact that campers were learning how to take care of mother nature.
Another new camper, Sonrisa Collins, 8, a St. Thomas home schooler, said she thought the campfires were nice.
VIERS expanded the scope of the Eco-Camps this year to include more lab work and talks by a variety of researchers and residents, said VIERS Administrator Randy Brown.
There is no space available at any of the remaining Eco-Camps, and youths who didn't register in time are on a waiting list, said Friends Development Director Karen Brady. The camps run through the end of July.
The Friends funded 120 spots at the Eco-Camps, which are free to V.I. residents. Residents must pay a $30 refundable application fee, which VIERS asks be donated to its Friends of VIERS group to fund its activities.
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