Day trips and privately-run overnight camps will replace a popular science immersion program that had been a tradition for Shasta County schoolchildren for past halfcentury.
When camp starts in the spring, schools will choose which camp they want.
Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE)offersschools a menu of day-camp choicesthat includethe same or similar science-immersion curriculum as Whiskeytown Environmental SchoolCamp once offered.
Officials had to switch gears from the WES Camp after the campus at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area was damaged in the Carr Fire in July 2018.
Nathan Fairchild, SCOE's director of science programs, said there is an upside to the day trips:Students can visit numerous venues, including Lassen National Park and Anderson River Park. The schools can decide how and when to schedule thesefield trips, and they are less expensive.
Students “could do five full days for $100 per kidinstead of $255 per kid” for afive-day camping trip— the pricefor WESCamp, Fairchild said. That price doesn't include meals or the cost to busstudents to venues.
The Carr Fire rendered WES campunusable, so educators promised fifth- and sixth-graders at Shasta County schools they would still get to go to a camp.
Two coreWESelements are the same, Fairchild said:Curriculum and staff.
Former Shasta State Historic Park superintendent Lori Martin taught at WES Camp 20 years ago.Now retired, she leads aday trip to Whiskeytown National Recreation Areato teach studentsabout fire ecology.
Most of the kids she’s taught so far this fall have their own Carr Fire experiences, Martin said. “We build upon those (experiences) — using the park site as the lesson.”Some schools choose overnight camp option
Some schools opted to hire non-profit Unite Camps to host overnight trips for students.
Representatives from Unite Camps spoke to Shasta County school superintendents about arranging three-day, two-night camps in the spring, director Scott Alexander said.
The company,which arranges camps for faith-based and other organizations, will rent campfacilities and lead theeducational camps for the schools.Locations include Mountain Meadows camp in Shingletown near Viola.
Seventeen schools from seven Shasta County districts booked Unite's camps for the spring, including Redding School of the Arts, Grant Middle School and Shasta Elementary School.
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Schoolprincipals madethe final call to sign with Unite Camps or go with SCOE’s day camps,Alexander said.“We’re pretty much full for the spring. We only have one week” notyetbooked.
“I think SCOE bent over backwards last year to” provide an alternative, Lassen View Elementary School principal Caryn Emerson said, but “when our parents got word there was another option out there” for an overnight camp experience, they got excited about it and asked Emerson to go with Unite.
Unite has an autumn programin the works for next year for schools that want to do camps in the fall, Alexander said. Camping in fall can help students bond earlier in the school year.
RELATED:WES Camp, longtime outdoor ed. tradition for Shasta County kids, may not be back next year
Cost for Unite's three-day camps is $200 per student, including meals. Schools provide transportation to the camp site.
SCOE is fine with alternative programs as long as students get the same quality immersion science education, Fairchild said. “If someone can give those kids great experiences and they learn, that’s great."
On July 23, 2018,the Carr Fire startednearCarr Powerhouse Road onHighway 299 by Whiskeytown Lakewhen a trailer tire blew, and the rim sparks igniteddry brush. The firedestroyed a large partof Whiskeytown National Recreation Areabefore it burned most of the town of Keswickand parts of Shasta and west Redding.
WES cabins still stand at Whiskeytown, but debris flowing from the creekand other damage closed the site. Heavy snow in February caused further damage.
SCOE’s $250,000 insurance check for the overnight camp program made it possible for students to go to Lassen Pines Christian Camp near Viola last spring. That was a one-time thing, Fairchild said in May.
He still hopesto one day return students to Whiskeytown,Fairchild said.W.E.S. was perfect for the annual overnight science and nature camps, a 50-year Shasta County tradition.
SCOE won’t clear students to go back to W.E.S. until the site is safe and cleared for use, he said. There’s no guarantee when or ifthat will be.
Go to https://bit.ly/2JfsXFw to see day programs available to schools.
Jessica Skropanic is features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers lifestyle andentertainment stories, andweekly arts featured.a.t.e. Followher on Twitter @RS_JSkropanicand on Facebook. Join Jessica in theGet Out! Nor Calrecreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
