SuperKids Camp
 
http://www.parksandpeople.org/programs_motivating_superkids.html
 
SuperKids Camp is a six-week summer reading initiative for elementary school students in the Baltimore City Public School System. Intensive reading instruction is complemented by enrichment experiences at locations throughout Baltimore City. In past summers, BES designed and provided a tree enrichment activity and Parks and People provided watershed enrichment experiences.
 
KidsGrow
 
http://www.parksandpeople.org/programs_motivating_kidsgrow.html
 
KidsGrow has provided environmental education through summer camps and after school programs since 1994. At the request of Parks and People, BES worked alongside of KidsGrow students and leaders to develop and pilot an urban ecology curriculum for after school programs. The culmination of this effort is My City’s An Ecosystem: A Handbook for After School Urban Ecology Program Leaders, now available in draft form.
 
This curriculum provides urban youth with the tools to learn about the urban ecosystems in which they study, play and live. The children do investigations on many facets of urban ecology, collect data, and look at comparisons along an urban to rural gradient. They often discuss their work with BES scientists: Examples include discussing bird species in West Baltimore with BES Scientist Dr. Charlie Nilon, looking at macro- invertebrates at BES scientist Chris Swann’s environmental laboratory at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) or asking BES Principal Investigator Dr. Steward Pickett for his advice on how to become a scientist just like him. Our goal for students is that each child discovers that their own neighborhood is interesting and important – worth studying, protecting, improving and sharing with others.
 
BRANCHES
 
http://www.parksandpeople.org/programs_urban_init_currentprojects.html
 
BES has been a partner in BRANCHES (Building Resources and Nurturing Community Health & Environmental Stewardship) since its inception. BRANCHES, a youth park forestry project, provides training and summer jobs for economically disadvantaged high school youth with an emphasis on the development of useful job skills that can lead to long-term opportunities in tree care related professions. BES scientists have participated in identifying work projects and leading ecology education sessions for the college interns who work directly with the BRANCHES students.