Chronicle Fall 2009
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FALL 2009 Thank You! Contents 485 Chewonki Neck Road Wiscasset, Maine 04578-4822 (207) 882-7323 • Fax: (207) 882-4074 email: [email protected] • www.chewonki.org 3 President’s Notes CHEWONKI FOUNDATION STAFF Don Hudson, President Mark Adams, Big Eddy Campground Staff 4 News from the Neck Susan Adams, Big Eddy Campground Manager Garth Altenburg, Camp for Boys, Director Scott Andrews, Semester School, History Carob Arnold, Facilities Manager 8 Thank You! Peter Arnold, Sustainability Coordinator Paul Arthur, Semester School, English, Assistant Head of School With unparalleled generosity from its Page 8 Sandy Bandhu, Camp & Wilderness Trips Assistant Nathaniel Blauss, Outdoor Classroom supporters, Chewonki celebrates the largest Kate Braemer, Outdoor Classroom Sarah Burgess, Kitchen & Dining Manager campaign in its history and positions itself to Emma Carlson, Outdoor Classroom, Assistant Director Jason Chandler, Semester School, Teaching Fellow reach a broader segment of society. Lauralyn Citizen, Reception/Office Manager Betta Stothart Connor, Director of Communications Keith Crowley, Outreach Program Assistant Director Jane Cullina, Outdoor Classroom Intern Blair Currier, Cook & Girls Camp Kitchen Manager 12 Food Meets Philosophy Todd Dowling, Outdoor Classroom Eric Duffy, Assistant Health Care & Safety Coordinator In the Girls Camp kitchen at Fourth Bill Edgerton, Cook Phine Ewing, Volunteer Gardener Debsconeag Lake, chef Blair Currier takes Lisa Ferrel, Cook Lynne Flaccus, Head Naturalist meals to the zenith three times a day. Ginny Freeman, Camp Registrar Rebecca Graham, IT Manager Becky Harth, Outdoor Classroom Intern Leah Kramer Heyman, Outreach Educator 16 Learning to Find Your Way Bill Hinkley, Semester School, Math Abby Holland, Semester School, Spanish Exploring with a map and compass is a Lucy Hull, Director of Development Anna Hunt, Outreach Program Director favorite activity on Chewonki Neck. Getting Katie Hyman, Semester School, Teaching Fellow Libby Irwin, Semester School, Asst. Director of Admissions & lost is part of the fun! Alumni Relations Carol James, Housekeeping Rebecca Kosakowski, Semester School, Admissions Director Page 12 Aaron LaFlamme, Outdoor Equipment & Logistics 18 Stalking the Wild Professor Chad LaFlamme, Outdoor Classroom Intern Don Lamson, Director of Operations “Doc Fred” brings charisma, knowledge, and Dot Lamson, Center for Environmental Education, Director Matt Langella, Outdoor Classroom Bethany Laursen, Outdoor Classroom unbridled enthusiasm to the nature program Anne Leslie, Foundations Coordinator Addie Liddic, Outdoor Classroom at Boys Camp. Ryan Linehan, Summer Wilderness Programs Director Prema Long, Lead Outreach Educator Tamothy Louten, Health Care Coordinator, Supervising RN Holly Lowe, Development Assistant 21 Notes from the Farm Susie Magarity, Outdoor Classroom Erica Marcus, Outdoor Classroom Rain. Pests. Blight. Summer 2009 was a Rachel Marks, Outdoor Classroom Trish McLeod, Business Office challenge, to put it mildly. Willard Morgan, Semester School, Head of School Ashley Nadeau, Outdoor Classroom Nancy Percy, Human Resource Manager Page 16 Megan Phillips, Outdoor Classroom 22 Encouraging Mistakes Hannah Plekon, Outdoor Classroom, Program Assistant Ben Redman, Semester School, Math Chewonki Semester School has a strong Chris Riley, Wilderness Programs Assistant Director Christina Roach, Outdoor Classroom Intern tradition of teaching foreign languages...and Amy Rogers, Semester School, English Mimi Rooney, Farm Apprentice even of encouraging mistakes. Lauren Salzman, Outdoor Classroom Caitlin Scott, Semester School, Admissions Fellow Greg Shute, Wilderness Programs Director Peter Sniffen, Semester School, Science Doug Soholt, Outreach Educator 25 On My Bookshelf Jamie Sonia, Business Office Assistant Jeremy Tardif, Assistant Farm Manager Anne Leslie reviews Fordlandia: The Rise and Dick Thomas, Chief of Staff & Director of Alumni Relations Leah Titcomb, Outreach Educator Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City by Edward Tittmann, Chief Financial Officer Katie Tremblay, Outdoor Classroom, Program Director Greg Grandin. Page 18 Tom Twist, Sustainability Assistant Genell Vashro, Camp for Girls, Director Sarah Webster, Outdoor Classroom Sue West, Semester School, Art 25 Step It Up for Sustainability Marjolaine Whittlesey, Semester School, French Peg Willauer-Tobey, Assistant Director of Development Supporting local farmers enriches landscapes, Ken Wise, Carpenter Margaret Youngs, Farm & Woodlot Manager communities, and the food we eat. CHRONICLE STAFF Elizabeth Pierson, Editor Betta Stothart Connor, Assistant Editor Fall Design, Graphic Design 26 Annual Report 2008–2009 Jock Montgomery, Photography PROGRAMS Semester School Cover photo by Chris Riley. Camp for Boys Camp for Girls Wilderness Trips for Teens Page 22 Wilderness Vacations for Adults & Families Outdoor Classroom for Schools Traveling Natural History Programs Sustainability Office President’s Notes Transition a Perfect Time for Reflection Ever since I was a young camper, Chewonki has had a profound influence on my appreciation for nature. More recently, the prospect of a rapidly changing climate has galvanized my thinking. We first talked about climate change (“the greenhouse effect” then) at Chewonki in 1970, shortly after the first Earth Day. We learned that three centuries of industrial revolution powered by fossil fuels have increased the concentration of heat-trapping atmospheric gases. Today we talk about sustainability as shorthand for living within the means of our human and natural resources to support all life on the planet. We contemplate a global transition to renewable energy from the sun and earth in response to the threats to all life posed by climate change. Now we contemplate the changes in human behavior that are needed to face this challenge. In the spirit of thoughtful reflection, and the need to distill some lessons gained from a lifetime of learning and teaching at Chewonki, I offer my perspective on the notion of sustainable living—Essential Principles of Sustainability. I offered them first to a group of students and faculty on Earth Day 2009, when invited to speak about how “someone like you might end up in a life like mine.” I think these principles converge nicely with the stories you see in this issue. We have achieved remarkable fundraising goals this past year, and these stories are also a great reminder of why your contributions are so much appreciated. Think about these ideas when reading about our reinvigorated nature program at Boys Camp and teaching foreign languages at Semester School; or about Blair Currier’s approach to providing healthy meals for Girls Camp, and new sources of energy like wind and geothermal. NUMBER ONE NUMBER FIVE Climate change is real and undeniable Teaching and learning about sustainable living The imminent threat of global heating demands action and a should be student-centered and hands-on comprehensive approach across society to confront misunder- Sustainability has many interrelated dimensions and should find standing and promote a deeper understanding of the complicated expression across the curriculum of schools. Aspects of science, interrelationship between people and nature. technology, and public policy are developing rapidly in response to climate change, and there is growing impetus to create more NUMBER TWO sustainable organizations and communities. Art, music, language, People and nature are inextricably connected and other elements of aesthetic culture need a place in this The view of the relationships between people and nature is exchange of ideas. We must come to terms with the fact that shifting from one that is essentially exploitative to one in which we are threatening our own existence. We need a Copernican nature’s intrinsic values to human life are honored. This change revolution in aims, structures, and perhaps in places of learning. in perspective must be promoted and strengthened. NUMBER SIX NUMBER THREE Quality of life is measured in more than material ways Human cultural diversity and diversity of life on Our standard of living is only one measure of what it means to Earth have equal value have a “good life.” Sustainable living encompasses both intrinsic The richness and diversity of human culture and the diversity of and extrinsic measures of quality. We should always be life forms and systems in nature are valuable in themselves. thinking about what it means to be a good citizen and to Human interference with the natural world, as exemplified by have a good life. climate change, is currently excessive and must be addressed at all levels of human society in order to lessen impacts on people This is my recipe for living more gently on the planet. and nature. DON HUDSON NUMBER FOUR The intentional communities created by schools can be models for many aspects of sustainability Our communities, schools especially, can adopt behaviors and practices that lessen their impact on people and the environment by measured use of non-renewable resources and judicious use of renewable resources. Visit our website at www.chewonki.org 3 News from the Neck Two Awards for Chewonki... reat news arrived in early August when Clean Air–Cool reatNonprofits of Palo Alto, California, announced on May 1 Planet, a leading organization dedicated to finding and Gthat Chewonki won first place in the “large nonprofit” promoting solutions to global warming, announced category of the 2009 Green Choice Awards. The contest, held that Chewonki would receive