Inner City Scholarship Fund
Camp Week
August 17 to 21, 2009
See a photo album of the ICSF week at Rye Nature Center at http://frncicsfcamp.shutterfly.com/ .
Each year, the Friends of Rye Nature Center collaborates with the Inner-City Scholarship Fund in a special initiative to bring 48 youth from an East Harlem neighborhood in New York City to the Nature Center for a special week-long ecology day camp program.
This program is entirely sponsored by donations. FRNC supporters provide all the tuition costs and lunches for the children. The ICSF and donors at the schools provide for the chaperones and busing.
You can join this growing donor team and support this valuable program. Contact the office to make your pledge in any amount (a gift of $350 sponsors one child for an entire week right here at Rye Nature Center). Please call 914-967-5150 or e-mail info@ryenaturecenter.org. Or, send a check payable to "FRNC" and note "ICSF Camp Week" on the memo line.
About the program:
The youth are selected from among the recipients of the ICSF Be A Students Friend Program. According to Karina Strobl, Associate Director of Be A Student’s Friend, a scholarship program administered by ICSF, “Our students live in poor, urban neighborhoods where they rarely, if ever, leave the city. They never get a fresh air break. Most have never gone to camp and never have the opportunity to spend an entire week outdoors, amid trees, creeks, and animals. At Rye Nature Center, our students will learn teamwork, make new friends, and build skills and self-esteem – all experiences that will last them the rest of their lives. We are so grateful to FRNC for giving them this valuable opportunity.”
The program was conceived in 2008 by then President Mary Julian, also a long-time supporter of ICSF. Mary and her family provide scholarships to several children through Be A Student’s Friend. She wondered what her sponsored students did each summer. Realizing that they spent their entire time off confined to their urban neighborhoods, Mary envisioned something different. She says, “Every child, whether in the suburbs or the city, deserves and needs environmental education. I personally correspond with a number of these children and I know they will greatly benefit. We only wish we could invite many more.”
During the week-long camp, the students will participate in hands-on guided discovery lessons on the 47-acre sanctuary. Nancy Carlson, Education Director explains the program: “We will draw on a sampling of the activities we do in our regular seven week camp.” Russ Johnson, Executive Director elaborates, “We will even run a CIT (counselor-in-training) unit for the oldest inner city youth. Someday they may join our summer staff and add to our cultural diversity.”
Please call and make your pledge in support of these children today. Please call 914-967-5150 or e-mail info@ryenaturecenter.org or send a check made payable to "FRNC" and note "ICSF Camp Week" in the memo.
"The difference between New York City and the Rye Nature Center is that the Rye Nature Center has forests, houses and a quiet street. They have their own stone or rock bridge and walls instead of concrete bridges"
--Alexi, 3rd Grade, Mt. Carmel-Holy Rosary School
