Camp Compass Academy

On April 30th, 2012, students and family members from the Camp Compass Academy in Allentown, PA took part in an Urban Bird Study. After two weeks of analyzing the materials provided by CUBs and adapting a curriculum to dig deeper into nature in the city, students at the Academy were able to apply their recently gained bird identification knowledge. Students were assigned viewing posts where they were able to individually record data in the culminating observation event.

“Reordering data is a skill that seems to be lost in all of the state testing and that’s why Camp Compass took on this project. Being able to work on a true study, something that has meaning gives youth a chance to feel important and a chance to apply skills they will need in life,” said John Annoni, the Academy’s CEO. “Opportunities to connect with nature in the city is what our mission is all about and I think the robins were just as happy to see all of the students taking the time to smile at them.”

Annoni continued, “The most inspiring thing to happen at our event was the sincere interest in learning more about the doves, since they are huntable and some of our students have had chances to hunt them in open farmers’ fields — ‘no one ever hits them, they are too fast’, one student said. But having them land so close made them somewhat tangible and that’s what learning is all about.”

If you live in a city, you do not have to go far to appreciate beautiful birds. You could find many of them almost anywhere!