MARIPOSA COUNTY–The Mariposa County Arts Council (Arts Council) and Sierra Foothill Conservancy (SFC) have the pleasure of presenting their 2024 Art + Environmental Education Summer Day Camp! This day camp receives support from the Mariposa County Unified School District’s Expanded Learning Opportunity program. Tailored for TK-6th grade students in Mariposa County, this place-based, outdoor education program is a collaborative effort. It centers on a standards-aligned, integrated curriculum led by naturalists, scientists, Indigenous culture keepers, and teaching artists.
Registration opens April 23 and will close May 3, 2024. To register, go online to www.mariposaartscouncil.org or contact your school site for printed forms. Forms are also available for pick up at the Mariposa County Unified School District Office (5082 Old Hwy N, Mariposa).
The Details
Day Camp will be June 10 – July 19, Monday – Friday, from 8 am – 5 pm. The program is free and open to all enrolled District and Sierra Foothill Charter school students. All meals, supplies, and transportation will be provided.
The Day Camp is based at Mariposa Elementary School. This design provides a safe environment for students to explore and celebrate the natural landscapes in their community. Part of the camp’s programming includes time spent interacting with the outdoors on the Mariposa Creek Parkway. Also, on one of our local weekly field trips to SFC’s Stookey Preserve and Wahhoga Village in Yosemite National Park. Each of these outdoor locations offer unique, hands-on learning experiences that connect students to local landscapes. This connection is through scientific, cultural, and artistic lenses.
“I was so thrilled to have my kids be able to learn outside, away from screens, and fully immersed in our natural world. Both of my children came home each day with beautiful art projects and a lot to share with me about what they learned that day. Thank you to all of the camp counselors, School staff, and the Mariposa Arts Council for making this a reality!” Flora Savage (Parent)
The Locations
These special places hold cultural and ecological significance for the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation who – in partnership with SFC and MCAC – are guiding ongoing restoration efforts at each of these sites. These restoration efforts guide the program’s curriculum. Mariposa Creek, for instance, is undergoing a restoration process, focusing on removing invasive species and restoring native flora. Students will learn by engaging in hands-on activities. These include watershed modeling, creating and using watercolor paint made with natural materials, nurturing newly planted native plants. They will also conduct scientific analysis of Mariposa Creek’s health.
Similarly, SFC’s Stookey Preserve near Lushmeadows boasts diverse ecosystems. It also serves as a habitat for various rare species of plants and animals. Through a visual and performing arts curriculum, students delve into the preserve’s unique fauna, water cycles, and cultural preservation. This promotes collaborative and connective learning.
Wahhoga Village in Yosemite National Park offers students a glimpse into Indigenous culture and heritage. Immersed in traditional arts like rattle making and weaving, students gain appreciation for the historic and contemporary significance of the Miwuk in Yosemite, expanding their horizons and fostering connections to local Tribal communities.
The Experience
At its core, the Art + Environmental Day Camp program endeavors to provide meaningful, active, and collaborative learning experiences, nurturing students’ deep connections to their community, local ecological and cultural landscapes, and instilling stewardship values for the future.
Art + Environmental Education Day Camp first began in 2023 and with funding by the Mariposa County Unified School District and Sierra Foothill Charter School. For more information, please contact Ava Burns at burns@mariposaartscouncil.org or call the Arts Council at (209) 966-3155.
The Arts Council, is an incorporated not-for-profit organization, created to promote and support all forms of the cultural arts, for all ages, throughout Mariposa County and is supported in part by the County of Mariposa, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, and the California Arts Council, a state agency.
Sierra Foothill Conservancy is the local land trust providing conservation, restoration and community engagement programming in Mariposa County. SFC is an incorporated not-for-profit organization and nationally accredited land trust.
