Ultimate Summer Experience at VMNH

Thanks to local partners and organizations, campers at VMNH were able to experience a wide range of activites. Most of which, we had never tried! Here are a few images to show you how we spent our summer.

Art Week

We had the opportunity to explore wood working and cooking at the School of Craft & Design.

Designing jewelry boxes from start to finish.

In cooking class, we had the opportunity to prepare (and eat) dishes from each continent in the world.

Expert pizza dough tossing!


Chicken Kabobs

Preparing guacamole dip.

Science Exploration Week
We participated in a fun-filled week of science in a camp called Marvelous Messes. Of course, everything is more fun when messes are made!

Who knew this would happen when we combined baking soda and vinegar?

Owl pellets, anyone?

After a little hesitation, it was not as bad as we assumed.




Extracting DNA from fruit and vegetables.

Athletic Week
We learned the proper batting technique, played volleyball, visited a local farm, went hiking, canoeing and ice skating.

We decided to take a break after a refreshing hike on the Rhododendron Trail at the Gravely Nature Preserve.

Welcome to Owen Farm!

What will we see next?

Wet and Wild with the Collinsville YMCA and Fieldale Community Center

The final week of MHC After 3 summer camp ends today, and we've had a full month of science fun and adventure! The students from the Collinsville YMCA were with me in the mornings this week, and the Fieldale Community Center in the afternoons. I'm posting some photos to highlight what we did this week:

Monday at Fairy Stone

The stream at Fairy Stone near the Allied Shelter

Testing water quality in the stream

Ready to catch a crayfish

Got one!

Tuesday at Philpott Lake

The "fish" attempt to go through the "turbine" in the Hooks and Ladders activity

This "fish" can jump high!

Playing bat-moth

The Collinsville YMCA group at the Philpott overlook

Looking off the dam-on the river side

A little bird that joined me for lunch

Wednesday at the Smith River

A free-swimming caddisfly pupa

Thursday at Fairy Stone Lake

Ranger Lee gives a casting net lesson

Seining in the lake

Due to a boat house delay, we had a few minutes to fill. So, the kids had an improptu sand castle contest. I challenged them to include a bridge in their castle design.

Getting ready to canoe

Wet and Wild!

HC After 3 students from the Bassett Community Center and the Martinsville Boys and Girls Club have been enjoying VMNH's "Wet and Wild" camp this week. I didn't have my camera for our trips to Fairy Stone or Philpott this week, but I had it today when we all went into the Smith River!

In the morning, the Bassett Community Center met us at the new Great Road Access Point (near CP Films in Bassett). It was a chilly 55 degrees in the water, but everyone went in to find some crayfish and macro invertebrates (see earlier posts for details on the bethic organisms). Here are some photos from today:

VMNH Youth Volunteers ready to help!

Looking for macro invertebrates

Sorting out the different species: mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, etc.

Examining the bugs

Brian Williams (DRBA) shows the group a crayfish

Brandy (Bassett Community Center) picks up a crayfish

In the afternoon, students from the Boys and Girls Club joined us at the South Martinsville canoe access ramp to look for wildlife. Here are their photos:

Putting the bugs caught in the kick net into our viewing containers

Picking up rocks

More macro invertebrates caught!

Walking around the island

Showing the group how to use a kick net, and examining the macros and crayfish

PS- We always release all wildlife back into the stream, so they can continue to thrive in our rivers and streams.