Teen Programs (Ages 13-18)

Creating from Nature: Pigments, Tools & Art from the Earth

Wednesdays, 1:00-4:00pm

Sept -Nov

This immersive 8-week outdoor art course invites students to slow down, observe deeply, and create art directly with materials from the earth. Working in a forest classroom, students will learn to make their own pigments from soil and plants, craft drawing tools from natural materials, and develop sustainable art practices that honor our relationship with the natural world.

Through guided exploration of traditional earth-based art techniques, nature journaling, and literary connections, students will develop both artistic skills and environmental awareness while fostering a deeper connection to the land. The course emphasizes student choice through sociocratic decision-making, process over product, and the integration of cultural, literary, and ecological perspectives into art-making.  Sliding scale: $265-380

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Wetland Ecology and Water Quality

Mondays, 1:00-4:00

Sept-Nov

Learners will learn engage in the scientific study of wetland ecosystems, including their physical, chemical, and biological components, as well as the interactions between these components and their surrounding environments. All while being involved in 8 weeks of hands-on activities, field work, and investigations into wetland functions, restoration, and conservation, with a guide and wetland scientists. Cortland county and surrounds contain many different types of wetlands including marl ponds, marshes, bogs, and fens...and we will explore them all! Bring yer boots! Sliding scale: $265-380

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Teen Campfire Cooking Program

Wednesdays and Fridays, 10:30-1:30

Sept 10- Oct 31

Learning basic kitchen skills encompasses the essential techniques and knowledge for preparing meals. These include proper knife handling, reading recipes, measuring ingredients, understanding cooking temperatures, and mastering fundamental cooking methods like boiling, sautéing, and baking. Fostering community responsibility through providing a campfire cooked lunch for communal meals prepared by and for each other. Providing a communal meal will ensure everyone has access to food while building a healthy relationship with food.

Understanding food systems is a great way to immerse in place-based learning. Food systems encompass all the elements and activities related to producing, processing, distributing, consuming, and disposing of food, as well as the broader societal, economic, and environmental contexts in which these activities occur. It includes everything from farming and fishing to transportation, retail, and even how we deal with food waste. Understanding food systems is important to understanding where we are in this rural, agricultural part of upstate NY.  Sliding scale: $265-380

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