Letters
From a Teacher at Columbia Elementary:
Dear Camp KEEP Staff,
Well, I am back in the four walls of my classroom, sitting behind my desk, staring at a glowing screen, and longing for salty sea air blowing in my face and sand in my shoes. I miss you all and the joy that you bring to learning to all of the students that we have the joy of teaching every day. I brought 12 students this year with varying special needs, which is more than double the amount that I have brought in years past. They were happy, all learned, and all felt special.
I know you do what you do week after week for many different children over and over again and maybe that is why I get so emotional over the fact that you make it such a wonderful week for us. You are amazing and I feel grateful to be a part of your world for my brief week out of the year. Thank you for the awesome week.
Until we meet again,
Amy Shepard
SDC Teacher
Columbia Elementary
From the students at South Fork School:
"We want you to know that your impact on us is continuing in our community here at home. A bunch of us have started a club that we call South Fork Big Green Club, and we meet once a week. Right now, we are working on getting recycling started here at school, and at home. But we have LOTS of ideas of other things we want to do ...like:
1. Pick up trash around our neighborhoods.
2. Build a trail here at school garden to take walks on for class or PE.
3. Work on our school garden, and hopefully start composting some of the leftovers from our kitchen here at school...and do it at home too.
4. Get some trees planted around our garden area.
We are excited about making a difference! Thank you for your enthusiasm and encouragement. It's helping us to change some things here in the South Fork of the Kern River Valley."
From Counselor Heather Manning, Endeavor Elementary:
"I wanted to thank you all for such a great time! Since I've been home, I purchased a water filter to use instead of bottles. I have made my family more aware of conservation because of you. We take advantage of the knowledge you all passed on to us! We have become more aware of our ability to help the environment and we have slowed our pace to admire more of it. Since I've been home, I think of something that I didn't quite realize while at KEEP...and that is... the awesome positiveness that you all exuded! I think that is what I miss the most. You were so great to be around! Thank you for an experience that I won't forget.
From Ollivier Jr. High:
"Being here was so wonderful and incredible. I loved seeing everything, hearing everything and touching everything." Danielle
"I hope that in the future I get to experience something like this again." Jerelly
From Rosedale North :
“I really had an awesome week because of the campfire time, holding the snakes and sea creatures, and going on the sand dunes.” Crystal
“I liked how all the naturalists took time to help us with what we needed help with.” Angie
“I really enjoyed the food. I think it was actually better than what we usually have.” Jennifer
“I might even want to be a naturalist.” Zachary
From Discovery School:
"I loved the tide pools, their food and campfire. I learned so many things... I wish I could go back there every year but sadly, I cannot." Brittany
"Another one of my favorite things about camp was those long, tiring, far, fun hikes. Yeah, they were hard, but they were so cool because you learned so much." Jordan
"Every single hike we went on had a beautiful view of either the clear blue ocean or the high mountains. The food there was great, I would eat until I felt I was going to explode." Alexandra
"I can't wait until one of my kids go to KEEP so I could go with them. Here's my definition of CAMP KEEP- Cool, Awesome, Memories, Pretty, Krazy, Extremely Educational, Please, I could go on forever." Taylor
"Camp KEEP was the best thing that happened to me. I had a great time over there." Cindy
"Being out in nature helped me respect it more and be more aware of my surroundings. Camp KEEP will be a memory that will last a life time." Baylee
From DiGiorgio Elementary:
"When I left I started to cry because of joy and memories brought back. I still, with all my heart, wish I could stay for a month. Thank you for everything." Samantha
From Stockdale School:
"Thank you, all naturalists, for the once-in-a-lifetime experience of learning and having fun outdoors. I hope to come back someday, or maybe even work there!" Kristina
"Thank you for making my week at KEEP a wonderful experience. I would have never known I could go a week without a TV, i-pod, computer and video games." Tyler
"KEEP will always be with me... I just wish I will get another chance to go there, like with my child when I'm older." Ulises
"My life at home is hard and stressful, but when I was at KEEP all my worries just floated away in the cool breeze of the ocean." Scott
"The cooks were great cooks. I love, love, LOVE the awesome food!" Kelly
From Quailwood School:
"I want to tell you that it changed the way that I think of nature now. I really like nature and science now because of my adventures at Camp." Andrew
"Going out and seeing the real thing instead of staying in a classroom learning stuff was a fun thing. Now I see why you all became naturalists. It's wonderful seeing nature's awesome power at work." Tom
"...compared to life in Bakersfield, KEEP is heaven. It's so peaceful and quiet, I actually felt like I was where I should have always been in my life. I've decided that when I grow up I'm going to be a naturalist at KEEP or a wildlife biologist." Chris
Here are the words to a song that was presented to KEEP Ocean by the students of Stockdale School, in honor of Lynne Haley our former program supervisor.
KEEP'S A WONDERFUL WORLD
I SEE OCEANS OF BLUE, GREY WHALES TOO
A PLACE IN THE TREES FOR JUST ME AND YOU
AND I THINK TO MYSELF, KEEP'S A WONDERFUL WORLD
I SEE STREAMS OF BLUE, AND DUNES OF WHITE
THE BRIGHT SUNNY DAYS, THE DARK STARRY NIGHTS
AND I THINK TO MYSELF, KEEPS A WONDERFUL WORLD
THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW SO PRETTY IN THE SKY
ARE ALSO ON THE FACES OF NATURALISTS PASSIN' BY
I SEE FRIENDS PLAYING GAMES, SAYING COME JOIN OUR FUN
TRYING TO REMEMBER NOT TO RUN.
I CLIMB MOUNTAINS HIGH, AND COVES SO LOW
I'LL LEARN MUCH MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW
AND I THINK TO MYSELF, KEEP'S A WONDERFUL WORLD
YES I THINK TO MYSELF, KEEP'S A WONDERFUL WORLD
February, 2007
From Kelsey Morrow of Leo B. Hart School ,
"Camp KEEP opened my eyes to the beauty of the world. Up until KEEP I looked at the earth in a way that didn't allow me to see all the little things that made our planet special. But KEEP wouldn't have affected me the way it did without you, the naturalists...You are the people who make KEEP what it is."
From Armando Vasquez:
"Good morning KEEP Ocean Staff, It has been a month since the Panama Buena Vista Van Horn Elementary School students participated at camp KEEP Ocean. As a counselor and a parent it was one of the most gratifying experiences of my life...wow! It will stay with me forever, "a living educational experience for all children" (his emphasis) Luke Vazquez and the other Octopi want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Go KEEP Ocean! Keep on living and teaching for the children.
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Last update: Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 2:15:32 PM
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