Heart Camp
Echo Hill Outdoor School (EHOS) seeks to empower the individual as one of our core missions. Leaving home to attend a summer camp can prompt mixed emotions from children and their parents alike even under the best of circumstances, but those of us who are involved in the world of summer camps know how important having some time away from home is for children to learn how to make their own choices, experience independence, and grow as people. Since 2008, a group of medical staff from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in partnership with Echo Hill Outdoor School have sought to empower a group of spirited individuals who light up our campus for a once-a-summer event: “Heart Camp.”
The Heart Campers whoop with laughter while catching fish alongside nurse practitioners, while kayaking with their cardiologists, and while eating leisurely meals with mixed tables of EHOS staff, CHOP staff, and their friends. The children who attend Heart Camp have all either had heart or lung transplants, or have pulmonary hypertension. A traditional summer camp would not be equipped to adequately meet the medical needs of these children. The presence, attention, and deep care of the medical staff from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia makes their stay possible, as well as their willingness to develop thoughtful programming with the Echo Hill Outdoor School staff.
This year, the Heart Campers arrived to see brightly colored decorations festooning their dorms, and an Olympics theme decking out Harris Hall. They threw themselves into a dance full of delightful costumes, a Heart Camp Olympics in the rain, and a carnival complete with a dunk tank, where they joyfully plunged staff members. Their week is rounded out by cooking lessons, decorating candles and pillowcases, visits to the goats and garden, and lots of games. On the last day, families were invited to watch a slideshow of photos of all the activities their children participated in, and to experience a little camp magic as staff members handed out Heart Camp awards as souvenirs, speaking to the honor, courage, and warmth of each of the attendees. The mood in the room was triumphant as campers embraced each other and hooted and hollered each others’ names. Several of the campers were aging out this year, making it an emotional week, but everyone brought the positivity for each other as their cheers soared into the rafters.
Endless thanks go out to the Heart Campers themselves, their families, the CHOP staff, and the generosity of donors and community members that contribute to Heart Camp’s success!
Cathedral Scholars
On a warm Thursday afternoon in July, a group of thirty high schoolers from Washington D.C. loaded their bags into the dorm where they’d be staying the night, and immersed themselves in two days of Eastern Shore living. These motivated young adults are part of the National Cathedral’s “Cathedral Scholars” program, which was created to assist students from underserved D.C. public schools. In the morning, scholars participate in a rigorous academic program designed to prepare them for college, and in the afternoons, they learn and practice a variety of skills at paid internships. The Cathedral Scholars have been coming to Echo Hill since 2003, where they apply their leadership skills and determination to group problem-solving on low course elements, and climbing the walls and nets of the pathfinder. While chatting over meals, many of the scholars revealed diverse and ambitious goals—starting their own businesses, getting into their dream school, and writing a book were mentioned. The scholars valued sharing and reflection after each activity, and one returnee mused that his time enjoying the view of the forested adventure course was as important as the climb itself. Many of them expressed that they appreciated their time away from the city, and were excited to learn more about plant life and ecosystems after a relaxed moment of sampling apples from EHOS’s orchard during their evening night hikes. The blend of physical challenge, reflection, and good conversation invigorated staff and scholars alike.
Survivor Summit
In summer of 2019, Dr. Matt King brought eight young adult cancer survivors, aged 18-24, to Echo Hill Outdoor School’s (EHOS) campus to begin what would quickly become a cherished partnership. Dr. King and his brothers founded Survivor Summit, an organization that raises funds for cancer survivors and runs programming to support cancer survivors seeking challenging adventures and bonding with those with similar experiences. With the EHOS group, Dr. King and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Cancer Center wish to provide support to young adults, who often do not have much specialized support navigating their unique struggles as cancer survivors during that transitional time. This summer at EHOS, the participants, along with Dr. King, his brother Mike, and two members of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia psychosocial department staff, got to explore many facets of Kent County. They went for an overnight camping trip and paddle on the Chester River, where they swam, fished, and (for many) slept in tents for the first time, braving a heat wave. They went out on historic workboats to experience the Chesapeake, immersed themselves in a swamp walk, and learned belaying skills on the Adventure Course. The Survivor Summit group is strengthened by the many returnees, who encourage the new folks to keep going out of their comfort zones, and to apply the lessons they learned at Echo Hill back to their lives at home. One participant shared in an evening discussion that she spent years in the gym to build up the upper body strength she needed to climb to the top EHOS’s Alpine Tower, after her first attempt in 2019. Cheers broke out across the course when she disappeared from view, having scaled the tower successfully five years later! Echo Hill Outdoor School looks forward to many more adventures with Survivor Summit.
Maryland National Guard
Since 2012, Echo Hill Outdoor School (EHOS) has welcomed children of members of the Maryland National Guard for a recreational summer camp program. The Youth Camp (ages 6 – 12yrs.) arrived in early summer, bursting with excitement to explore our campus. Later in the summer, the Teen Camp (ages 13 – 17yrs.) arrived, looking forward to more challenging programming as well as a return to their favorite yearly activities. The campers enjoyed swimming during outings to Betterton Beach, supporting each other as a team during high and low adventure opportunities, and bonding while tie-dying shirts and savoring s’mores around a campfire. The staff encouraged creativity during evening activities like karaoke and a talent show. Campers return summer after summer, bringing along younger siblings and creating cherished memories. Particularly motivated members of the Teen Camp often volunteer as helpers for the Youth Camp, showing their commitment to their communities. Several alumni of the teen camp have gone on to become interns and Staff Naturalists at Echo Hill Outdoor School.
Some of our other 2024 Summer Programs:
Washington College First Year Students Orientation
Johns Hopkins University Mentors/School of Engineering
Gunston School First Year Students
Tatnall School Peer Mentors
Nature Forward Bay Quest and Advanced Bay Quest
Green Acres Day Camp