Rock Spring Garden Club Sends Two Campers to APS’s Outdoor Lab!

Hooray!  We sent two campers, Waala and Hosanna, both from Barrett Elementary School, to Arlington County Public Schools’ Outdoor Lab this summer!  With funds raised from the Holiday Design Event, RSGC awarded two camp scholarships to two wonderful young girls.  Outdoor Lab is sanctioned by APS.  It is a 210 acre facility that supports their science programs as well as the Virginia Standards of Learning.  It provides a place for environmental educational experiences of upper elementary and secondary students to study plant life and terrain, water study, wildlife, and ecology.

The Outdoor Lab has made a major and positive impact on the welfare of thousands of school children for decades. In the natural classroom, urban youth, often for the first time, can run in a meadow, climb a mountain, hike beside a stream and study the flora and fauna.  Our campers wanted these experiences but could not attend without our scholarships.

Waala, an active member of 4-H, wants to work in “nature” someday.  She wants to study human interactions with the environment so that we have cleaner and safer communities.  Hosanna is deeply concerned about “green spaces” in Arlington.  A Peer Mediator, she sees the need to have wide open spaces for children to play and explore nature.  As a budding artist, she often draws cityscapes with interactive playgrounds.

On a personal note, I want to tell you that these girls were so touched by our scholarships.  We gave them our RSGC totes filled with essentials required by the camp prior to leaving on the bus.  They were overwhelmed with gratitude.  Camp for these girls is a life changing experience.  It was their first time to be away from home and to have some independence. You only need to see the smiles on their lovely faces to know how much they enjoyed Outdoor Lab!   Thanks to you, we made it happen!

I would like to thank the Ad Hoc committee, appointed by Past President Thea McGinnis, who helped me implement this new scholarship program.  Renee Bayes, Anita Brown, and Ann Kelly provided wise counsel and supported the process.  Special thanks to Mary Cottrell for lovely photography.

Hmmm… how many can we send next summer?! ?  Dorinda Burroughs, Scholarship Chair

Member Dorinda Burroughs sends off our first scholarship recipient to APS Outdoor Lab