Thanks to an essay contest held by the Clinton Land Conversation Trust and an endowment from a local nature lover, more than 20 Joel School students will be able to participate in environment-themed camps for free this summer.

Dana Skidmore, a 4th-grade teacher at Joel and a member of the Land Conservation Trust, is in charge of the Ecology Camp run each summer in Clinton. Skidmore explained that each year the trust sponsors scholarships for kids between the 2nd- and 4th grade to attend the Bushy Hill Nature Center summer camp in Ivoryton for a week. To qualify, the kids must write an essay explaining why they want to go to the camp and why they are the perfect candidate. The trust then selects the winners. However, thanks to a grant that Skidmore was able to secure this year, the trust was able to provide additional scholarships to send some kids to Ecology Camp, too.

The winners for the Bushy Hill Scholarship are Sophia Vincelette, Chloe Shields, Brenden Bradley, Evan LaFrance, Celeste Shorey, Victor Alvarado, Bryson Wenderkin, Cormick McEnaney, Ethan Rae, and Viviane Honorio. The kids who won scholarships to Ecology Camp include Savannah Rutkis, Emma Coffin, Maddie Stevens, Peter Carden, Ben Battista, Evan LaFrance, Ayla Vanderwood, Madison Corella, Perry Simon, Luzmari Peralta, Andres Peralta, Mason Hamway, and Amy Burns.

Skidmore explained that for the Busy Hill Nature Center scholarships, the money is provided thanks to Eunice Symonds, a nature lover who in her will provided the trust with substantial money that was specified to be used for furthering environmental education.

“She’s the one who deserves the credit,” Skidmore said. “We’ve been doing this for about 12 years now.”

Skidmore said that the two camps are similar, but there are key differences.

“Busy Hill provides a wonder outdoor educational experience,” Skidmore said, highlighting activities like hiking, archery, swimming, and fire making.

Meanwhile Ecology Camp, which Skidmore has run for the past 15 years, allows kids to explore the beach and woodland areas in town.

“Essentially kids compare and contrast salt water and fresh water habitats and gain an appreciation for what is in their own backyards, literally,” said Skidmore.

The Ecology Camp is co-sponsored by the Clinton Parks & Recreation Department and the land trust, and now the Community Foundation of Middlesex County has joined as a sponsor. The foundation also provided a grant to the camp, which was how the land trust was able to reward additional kids with the additional scholarships to that camp instead of just Bushy Hill.

“It’s so awesome because now 23 kids have the chance to go,” said Skidmore.

When poring over the essays to pick the winners, Skidmore said there some common themes that stood out to the trust.

“We definitely looked at kids that said they had never experienced camp before. Also, a lot of kids said because of COVID, families would bring them on hikes or beach walks,” she said.

Those new experiences outdoors have contributed to some kids developing a new love of nature during the pandemic which the scholarships can help further, Skidmore believes.

“I was so proud of the kids,” she said.