Grants in Action: Pickering Creek Audubon and Women & Girls Fund Offer "Camp Like a Girl"

Описание: When Krysta Hougen and Samantha Pitts, full-time educators at the Pickering Center Audubon Center, compare notes about their programs for young people in the Mid-Shore region, the first thing they observe is that many of these kids have never been in a wilderness setting before. While Pickering may be on only ten miles away from downtown Easton, it can seem like a different planet for quite a number of these boys and girls.

The second thing they noticed is that whenever a child, male or female, hesitated or showed caution in these new surroundings, the taunt of "don't be like a girl" was the most common phrase used by their peers. And since both instructors happened to have been girls when they first fell in love with nature, it was a clear sign that girls needed extra attention.

It didn't take long to realize that a girls camp, could be an excellent strategy for this and build confidence with both girls and young teens. And with the help of the Women & Girls Fund, that has become a reality with the "Camp like a Girl" program at Pickering this summer.

The Spy talked to Krysta and Samantha a few weeks go to talk about "Camp Like a Girl" as well as Susie Dillon from the Women & Girls Fund to talk about the concept and its new beginning this summer.