Registration is open through Feb. 15 for The Traveling Classrooms’ second trip to Camp Churchill, a nine-day, hands-on, real-world science adventure in the summer for rising sixth to eighth graders. Led by Park City Day School teachers Jamie Madore and Andrea Hoppe, the summer camp offers students a chance to travel to Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, to study beluga whales, explore polar bear habitats and immerse themselves in the subarctic ecosystem. The camp will take place July 28-Aug. 5, including six days of international travel to the Hudson Bay. Madore and Hoppe created The Traveling Classroom and embarked on their first trip last year.Forming Camp Churchill allowed the teachers to take learning outside of the classroom and deepen the impact of the topics covered in the curriculum. The camp will continue to feature its partnership with the Beluga Bits citizen science program, which allows participants to help track and identify beluga whales. This continued partnership offers students a unique experience in wildlife conservation.“The connection to the wildlife and landscape was undeniable,” said Hoppe. “We’re excited to continue this partnership and bring it to the next group of students.”Students will begin their experience with three days at the Park City Day School. During this time, “campers will engage in active citizen science research in preparation for their trip to Churchill. Classroom days will feature direct communication with scientists on beluga boats in Churchill, international travel preparation and agenda overviews, local observation hikes, and research around the effects of global climate change on arctic species,” The Traveling Classroom said.The remaining days will include two travel nights in Calgary and three nights onsite in Churchill, Manitoba, where the group will participate in activities like whale watching, polar bear sightings and dog carting. Students will also work with local nonprofit groups focused on conservation and have the opportunity to witness the Northern Lights.Being in a remote environment like Churchill gives students the chance to experience a world very different from their own. “It’s important for kids to see how other people live and understand ecosystems that are so different from what they know,” said Madore. One of the most memorable moments from last summer’s trip occurred during a Zodiac boat ride in cold, rainy conditions.“The kids were shivering, but we were surrounded by thousands of beluga whales,” recalled Madore. “It was an incredible moment — everyone pushed through the discomfort because we knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.” They were also fortunate enough to see polar bears swimming in the waters, with the belugas playfully teasing them.Last summer, Madore and Hoppe were impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and curiosity. “The kids were engaged, excited, and truly interested in what they were learning about,” said Hoppe. “It was a great group of kids who really embraced the experience.”The teachers expressed that the trip not only deepened the students’ understanding of the science topics they studied in school, but also gave them a profound appreciation for the wildlife and ecosystems of the subarctic.With the success of last year’s camp, Madore and Hoppe are excited to offer Camp Churchill again. “We want to continue offering students opportunities to experience environments that they wouldn’t normally have the chance to see,” said Madore.“Camp Churchill was like nothing I had ever experienced before,” said 2024 camper Cameron Z. “It’s hard to find words for how amazing it was to see beluga whales and even polar bears thriving in their natural habitat.” For more information about the camp and registration, visit thetravelingclassroom.org.Credit: Courtesy of The Traveling ClassroomThe post Camp Churchill: A science adventure to the subarctic appeared first on Park Record.