Friday, August 13, 2010

Blacks Creek Family Nautical Day!


Greetings from the dwindling days of summer programming... I'm heartbroken to see some of our youth staff's final blog posts already! But despite the fact that I've been carrying a light jacket around this week, our youth programs are still going strong, or, in the case of Blacks Creek in Quincy, ending on very strong notes.


Tuesday afternoon, the staff and families of Blacks Creek gathered together to celebrate a successful summer at the William F. Ryan Boating and Sailing Center , and Save the Harbor / Save the Bay was honored to be a part of it. I was there with Aruna and Shaunae-- the three of us representing our entire staff's love of working there this summer. The event was a great chance for the kids at Blacks Creek to show their parents everything they learned this summer, be it sailing, kayacking, rowing, or all the knowledge they gained about all the critters that live in our Harbor. Plus, my family is very important to me, so I love seeing others in the context of their familes, especially the adorable kids I've been teaching at Blacks Creek! One of my favorite moments of the entire summer thus far was when Maria, one of Blacks Creek's many enthusiastic Harbor Explorers, gathered an audience of several mothers around the green crab in her hand and started explaining, 1. the difference between a male crab and a female crab, 2. how to hold a crab so it won't pinch you, and 3. hold to identify a green crab even if its orange in color. I couldn't have been more proud as she explained, "You have to count these 5 spikes next to its eye. And there are 5 letters in the word "green" so you can spell out G-R-E-E-N!" It was so rewarding not only to see that Maria had absorbed this knowledge, but that she had mastered it enough to pass it along to others and foster even greater Harbor stewardship in Quincy. As cliche as it may sound, I saw a seed of knowledge get planted, grow, and branch out right before my eyes. If I had any doubt before that I want a future in education, I don't anymore!


Thank you to the Blacks Creek families for a great afternoon, and thank you to William F. Ryan Center for an incredible partnership this summer. I kept hearing from parents that their children had a great time in the Harbor Explorers camp, and I know that was a collaborative effort of our entire staff being rotated through all summer. Every one of us had a hand in making the summer a success. I'm extremely happy to have been a part of not only these past 6 weeks in Quincy, but of the afternoon that celebrated them as a community. Thanks again!

Lots of Harbor Love,
Michelle

No comments: