I am a geologist with 50 years experience running our science-based nature program at Camp Pemigewassett ("Pemi")-a camp for boys 8-15 in the White Mtns of New Hampshire. The program has been active for over 90 years and we even run a pre-season clinic to train staff from other camps and centers to run a nature program. It takes place over a 5.5 day period in June at Pemi and has been dubbed "Nature Boot Camp" by some participants. In 2018 I was presented with the New England Environmental Education Alliance's award for Non-formal Environmental Education.

I believe that even little kids can do real science and that they can make discoveries on their own. At Pemi we have both structured "lessons" (which take place mostly outdoors) and we also have large blocks of unscheduled time when campers can play in nature and explore it on their own. Our structured "lessons" range from beginning to advanced and focus on learning through observing. It is possible for a camper to be with us for 8 years and still have new and exciting "nature" things available such as two different 2-day caving trips, or learning advanced nature photography techniques from a visiting professional.

I have another "hat" as Professor Emeritus of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of New Haven where I taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Our environmental science program is interdisciplinary and is very much hands-on. Much instruction takes place in the field and students learn by doing. We have an Environmental Education concentration in our MS program and my two "hats" merged here as Pemi's Nature Instruction clinic may be taken as a course for either graduate or undergraduate credit at the University of New Haven