(http://www.maineaudubon.org/explore/camp/hi_overview.shtml) needs to
renew its mission to fit into a changing world. I discovered this when I
stopped by the center on a recent vacation trip to Maine. The HIAC has
been conducting summer environmental education workshops for educators and
students since 1936, but had to cancel courses this summer because of low
enrollment. Maine Audubon is currently gathering ideas about how to
successfully reopen the summer program.
As I listened to a long-time staffer tell us -while holding back tears-
about the current sad state of affairs at the center my mind was spinning
with ideas about what a great opportunity the HIAC could be for the
sustainability movement in independent schools. Here is an incredible
facility with a glorious past in the environmental movement, an associated
group of knowledgeable and passionate staff and educators dedicated to the
center, and it went unused this summer and its future is uncertain. This
at a time when sustainability has never been more important and is of huge
interest to the independent school world. Surely there must be some way to
put this resource together with the sustainability movement in our schools
to the benefit of both?
If you have ideas on how to do this please share them here of over on this
discussion on ISENET
(http://isenet.ning.com/forum/topics/help-envision-a-next-stage-for), but
perhaps more importantly share them on the website referenced above.
The staffer I talked with said there is a wide-open opportunity at HIAC
for a group with a vision and resources to carry forward the center's
mission of environmental education. I believe that within the independent
school community the potential exists to develop a group that can help
develop the vision and gather the resources to keep this treasure of an
educational resource open and vital.
If you are going to be around Damariscotta, Maine during the remainder of
the summer don't miss the opportunity to stop by HIAC. It is a magical
place.
Fred
[ For info on ISED-L see http://www.gds.org/ISED-L ]
Submissions to ISED-L are released under a creative commons, attribution, non-commercial, share-alike license.
RSS Feed, http://listserv.syr.edu/scripts/wa.exe?RSS&L=ISED-L
