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by Elena Istomina, Ph.D.
Seacamp Association, Inc. has applied the lesson of this Chinese proverb
both literally and figuratively through their combined approach to marine
science and the global camp community. Founded in 1966, Seacamp is the
parent organization of two thriving businesses: Seacamp - a summer residential
camp specializing in marine science and SCUBA programs; and a school program
operating as the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute (NHMI). The NHMI delivers
environmental and marine science education programs to middle and high
school students, as well as to university students and teachers. Both of
these programs operate on Big Pine Key in the Florida Keys, with 450 campers
from the United States and around the world participating in three 18-day
summer sessions. Campers study the ocean, learn about coral reefs, and
share traditional camp activities. More than 10,000 local, state, national,
and international students and teachers participate in the NHMI programs
each year.
In 1992, Seacamp Executive Director, Irene Hooper, and Summer Camp Director,
Grace Upshaw, visited Russian camps on the Black Sea and near Moscow and
were impressed by the natural beauty of the settings and the commitment
of the administrators, but they also understood the tenuous status of camps
in Russia in the post-Soviet era. (See the article, “Potatoes and
Soap: A Russian Director’s Dilemma on page 46.) As the director and
founder of an environmental camp, Hooper saw a unique program opportunity
for Russian camps.
Camp: A New Market Economy
After visiting camp Orlyonok on the Black Sea and several other camps,
the concept of applying the new market economy to the venue of camps
began to develop. Because industries could no longer support them,
camps needed to learn marketing techniques to attract customers and
to learn how to raise money. It was important for camps to develop
new programs to attract campers as they located their niche in a new
market. Hooper realized that some highly qualified scientists whose
research institutes and universities could not pay their salaries for
months could be attracted by camp administrations to design new projects
for camps. The key to the success of many camps in a new Russian economy
could lie in developing environmental programs.
The opportunity to help camps in the former Soviet Union presented
itself when the U.S. Department of Commerce established the Special
American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT). The grant called
for American organizations to host former Soviet Union scientists and
managers from different industries and educate them how to conduct
business in a free market economy. In 1993, Seacamp Association, Inc.,
applied for and received a SABIT grant.
Under the auspices of this program, scientists and managers from camps
and environmental centers travel to Seacamp for periods of three to
four months to learn how to operate successful camp programs with a
marine science focus in a market economy. With each group, a team is
developed with expertise in scientific and management skills to develop
a winning course of action for selected Russian camps. By recognizing
the dual needs of scientists to find new projects and camp directors
to develop new programs, Seacamp has made a practical contribution
to the Russian camp industry. While at Seacamp, camp administrators
learn by working side by side with the administrative staff in various
Seacamp departments in order to learn the skills and decision processes
needed to run a thriving camp program. Meanwhile, scientists observe
Seacamp’s field-oriented teaching approach and learn ways
of applying academic science to hands-on education. When they return to
Russia and Ukraine, these interns work together to apply their newly acquired
knowledge to practical work.
The Far-reaching Influence of SABIT Interns
Seacamp received its first SABIT grant in December 1993. By the
end of May 2004, ten years later, Seacamp has hosted forty-eight
interns from as far as the Russian Far East to the largest Russian
and Ukrainian camps, Orlyonok and Artek, on the shores of the Black
Sea. Seacamp SABIT interns have organized two environmental centers,
opened two camps, founded four associations and foundations, set
up one commercial company, and have developed and implemented seven
successful camp programs in different areas of Russia and Ukraine,
including national republics of Mari-El, Buryatiya, and Yakutiya.
Seacamp SABIT interns have also developed more than forty educational
resources in laboratory activities, science manuals, and camp games.
Two English-Russian and Russian-English dictionaries were created,
Dictionary of Camping Words and Phrases and Environmental Science
Dictionary. Two unique exhibits of coral and algae were left to
Seacamp as a legacy of the SABIT interns.
One of the SABIT interns, Dr. A. Kamnev, set up the most successful
marine science and environmental program in camp Kavkaz on the Black
Sea. Another intern, Taras Kononets, developed and now manages the
first national Internet camp site, www.camps.ru. Seven Russian groups,
organized and accompanied by SABIT interns, have participated in
the summer and schools’ programs
of Seacamp. In the summer of 2003, the Foundation for the Advancement of
Camping Industry, Youth Health Development, Recreation, and Out-of-School
Activities “Roads to Discovery” was set up in Moscow by seven
Seacamp SABIT interns. In the summer of 2004, the Foundation successfully
operated three sessions of marine science and SCUBA programs on the Black
Sea for three hundred campers.
Contributing to the Future
During the past ten years, Seacamp/NHMI has made a great
contribution to developing marine science, and environmental
camp programs in Russia and Ukraine. Although the SABIT program
does not generate income for Seacamp, it generates something
more important: A like-minded community of people who work
for future generations. Most of the Seacamp interns work
with students either as camp administrators with school-age
children at camp or as scientists at the university level.
A dramatic “trickle-down” effect
is apparent as each camp administrator, educator, or scientist carries
the Seacamp message back to Russia and Ukraine. By teaching students about
the environment and developing the camp structure that supports such programs,
Seacamp has contributed the foundation for creating the infrastructure
of a sustainable future. Each year the Seacamp staff is rewarded by seeing
newly created camp programs come to life in Russia and Ukraine by the network
of interns as the camp’s philosophy and mission are spread internationally.
Originally published in the 2004 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine.
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