Immerse your young scientist in the wonders of wetlands, environmental science, and community action this summer! The Bolsa Chica Conservancy offers summer programs for all school-aged children.
Exciting discoveries and new friends await your budding, young scientist this summer at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands! Join the Bolsa Chica Conservancy for a week-long, hands-on day program that explores the wonders of your local wetlands. Your young scientist will delight in the interactive, science-based activities and experiments that stimulate wonder and critical thinking at the same time! Children from Kindergarten to 7th grade can experience the wetlands inside and out in a fun and educational week full of adventure.
[2023 Summer Wetland Explorers Program Flyer]
[2023 Summer Wetland Explorers Program Registration Packet]
Junior Wetland Explorers Program
Kick off the summer season with a week of science and fun in the sun! Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about habitats, wetlands, watersheds, ecosystem components, food chains, and recycling through guided hikes of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, hands-on science labs, STEM-based activities and crafts, and supplemental education videos. Every day brings new discoveries on the trail, and Junior Wetland Explorers will record all their findings in their wetland science journal.
Grades: Kindergarten – 3rd grade
When: Monday-Friday, 26-30 June 2023, 9:00am-4:00pm
Program Contribution: $325
Please note that Wednesday (28 June) will be partially spent at the Bolsa Chica State Beach, where Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about the wetland’s neighboring habitat – the ocean. Make sure to bring a towel and change of clothes.
Senior Wetland Explorers Program
Dive and dig your way through this summer season with a week of science and fun in the sun! Senior Wetland Explorers will learn about ecosystems, wetlands, watersheds, ecosystem components, adaptations, fossils, and conservation through guided hikes of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, hands-on science labs, STEM-based activities and crafts, and supplemental education videos. Every day brings new discoveries on the trail, and Junior Wetland Explorers will record all their findings in their wetland science journal.
Grades: 4th – 7th grade
When: Monday-Friday, 10-14 July 2023, 9:00am-4:00pm
Program Contribution: $325
Please note that Wednesday (12 July) will be partially spent at the Bolsa Chica State Beach, where Junior Wetland Explorers will learn about the wetland’s neighboring habitat – the ocean. Make sure to bring a towel and change of clothes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Do BCC staff go through background checks? Yes! BCC staff are vetted and trained to be excellent guides for students’ wetland adventures.
Will the program spend time outside? Yes! We spend about half the day outside, and half the day inside. (Sunscreen is recommended as a daily part of the program.)
What sort of supplemental education videos do you show? All videos are pre-vetted by BCC staff to ensure appropriate content is shown. Video producers include Scholastic, BBC Earth, and more. During lunch breaks, we usually watch Disney films as a way to de-compress halfway through the day. If you have specific tv restrictions for your wetland explorer, please let us know!
What do you do at the beach on Wednesday? Wednesday is the day we focus on marine life, so wetland explorers will take what they know about marine wetlands like Bolsa Chica, and see how it compares to the ocean. We look for examples of marine life at the beach before jumping into the waves for some beach time fun. All wetland explorers will be wearing neon safety vests during beach time for ease of tracking them while they are participating in beach activities.
My child has an allergy/physical limitation… Please let BCC staff know about these in the registration packet (download link above). If you have any in-depth questions or concerns, please contact Whitney Thompson at (714) 846-1114 or whitney@bolsachica.org.
Do I need to pack my child a snack/lunch? For the most part, yes. Please have your wetland explorer bring a lunch Monday-Thursday, and on Friday, we order pizza for all participants to celebrate a full week of wetland learning. The BCC will also supply healthy snacks such as fruit and trail mix (these snacks are chosen based on all food allergies of participating wetland explorers).
For more information:
Please contact Whitney Thompson at (714) 846-1114 or at whitney@bolsachica.org for any questions and/or concerns about the Summer Wetland Explorers Program.
Created in 2012 through a Crystal Awards grant provided by the Boeing Company’s Employees Community Fund (ECF), the Youth Leadership in Environmental Action Program (YLEAP) is designed to engage students aged 13-17 in environmental stewardship and community involvement. YLEAP aims to cultivate youth leaders and environmental advocates by providing them with knowledge and skills that help them to motivate and inspire themselves and others to protect, restore, and preserve vital coastal ecosystems like the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve for years to come. Since the program’s inception, many young leaders have collectively worked over 500 hours for the Conservancy’s programs.
YLEAP is a year-long program consisting of both hands-on instruction and job shadowing supported by Conservancy staff, interns, and long-term volunteers. During the week-long instructional segment, participants will gain knowledge in wetland and watershed science and ecology, marine habitats, environmental conservation and community stewardship through Conservancy-led instruction and field trips. Once participants complete the instructional aspect of the program, they will have the opportunity to shadow Conservancy staff/leadership, intern, and volunteer naturalists during a variety of events including educational programs, restoration events, event management, and public outreach, and will eventually transition to a volunteer naturalist when the year concludes.
The 2023 YLEAP program will take place 7/31-8/3.
To participate, students must complete an application form, write a one-page essay on a given prompt, and submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, school administrator, or community leader. The suggested donation for YLEAP is $325.* Applications must be received by mail or email no later than Monday, July 24th at 4pm.
[Click HERE to download the 2023 YLEAP flyer] [Click HERE to download the application packet]