Boston Nature Center Welcomes All

Boston Nature Center Welcomes All 2018 Annual Report Dear BNC Community, Recognizing that diversity is as important in organi- zational culture as it is in nature, a central priority of Mass Audubon’s strategic plan is ensuring that we share the gift of connection to nature with the broadest group of people, and do it in ways that are most meaningful to them. As an urban sanctuary nestled within some of Boston’s most diverse neighborhoods, Boston Nature Center enjoys unique opportunities to explore and practice ways of being welcoming. This imperative informs much of what we do and how we do it. To amplify the reach of our programs, Boston Nature Center (BNC) partners with the Boston ask their friend which pronoun they prefer. Individu- Public Schools, Head Start programs, and home als who have sensory challenges will find that we school groups to infuse their curricula with hands- have a trail just for them, and that our green build- on, minds-on science, technology, engineering, and ing is also fully accessible. Many of our staff mem- math (STEM). We offer community members of all bers are bilingual and our sanctuary guides are ages a wide variety of high quality, engaging, and available in Spanish and Braille. Our numerous affordable programs, especially during the summer, volunteer groups include participants who attend that meet the needs of working families and keep adult day programs. urban young people learning and growing all year long. Our three-year environmental internship We hope that you will find yourself here at the BNC. program for teens gives them an opportunity to We honor and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We gain invaluable leadership and employment embrace our extended community as family. Come experience – and a chance to experience being a visit the BNC, explore the two miles of trails and role model for younger members of their communi- boardwalks, the old and the new orchards, and ties. Community gardeners, bee keepers, and join us in this journey of respecting and welcoming composters all call Boston Nature Center home. each other as we protect nature for ourselves and for wildlife. We welcome all—and that means you. Most of our staff come from the communities we serve and we intentionally train them to celebrate Warmly for all of us at the BNC, diversity and inclusion. As a result, they meet visi- Jocelyn and Julie tors “where they are.” Preschool teachers who over- hear a child referring to a classmate by the wrong Jocelyn Heywood, Chair, pronoun are trained to gently encourage them to Boston Nature Center Sanctuary Committee Julie Brandlen, Anne and Peter Brooke Director 1 2018 Annual Report Boston Nature Center BNC Summer Camp and Summer Discoveries Expand Our Reach For ten weeks during the summer of 2018, Boston Nature Center welcomed campers, families and staff who were as diverse as the communities that surround the sanctuary: ■ 1,481 campers and families from more than forty Boston area neighborhoods with different cultural traditions, languages spoken at home, and family structures; ■ More than half of our campers and staff identified themselves as people of color; and “I only have rave reviews for BNC! ■ Half of our families (745) received scholarship This is the best camp in Boston with support, ensuring that our campers were socio-economically diverse. lots of education and a nature As campers deepen their understanding of the world around focus—but also diverse for children them in a beautiful outdoor setting, they are cheered on by of all backgrounds—and fun with enthusiastic camp staff who believe that camp is a place where children can grow as individuals, build new friend- songs and jokes. Attending was a ships, become compassionate leaders, and have fun playing tremendous opportunity!” outdoors. Campers participated in small, age-specific groups with a weekly curriculum based on a nature theme Camp Parent and a developmentally-appropriate framework. "The staff were great. Everyone used positive language and were happy to discuss any issues with students until they were resolved. I didn’t see a single staff raise their voice or have to use threat of punishment to get a camper to behave. They seemed really well trained. Relationship building seemed to be an essential value." External evaluator during APT Observation from After School & Beyond. BNC is a participant in the city-wide program called Boston Summer Learning Community. This year, thanks to a generous challenge grant from the Sidney A. Swensrud Foundation which many generous donors helped us match, we were able to provide $102,000 in scholarship support. The scholarship funds allow us to continue to offer a sliding scale to calculate a family’s camp fee, guaranteeing that they can depend upon an affordable rate. Again this summer, families repeatedly told us how much they appreciated knowing that no matter what their circumstances are or how they may change over the summer – even if it is the loss of a home, job, or a caregiver – their children will spend a safe, enriching summer at camp. Thank you to all of our donors for making this possible! Boston Nature Center 2018 Annual Report 2 Summer Discoveries The Summer Discoveries Program expanded Boston Nature Center’s reach and impact by making our environmental education programs accessible for young people who attended other Boston-area programs. This summer it offered organizations like Horizons for Homeless Children, Thomas M. Menino YMCA Summer Camp, and Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion affordable field trips and free trans- portation to and from the sanctuary. In total 3,783 children and counselors from 50 community groups participated in high-quality, interactive, outdoor field trips at BNC. BNC’s Teacher Naturalists guided participants’ exploration of the sanctuary using a thematic lens. For example, one dealt with human impact on the earth. As they brought visitors through the education center, community gardens, and compost facility, Teacher Naturalists posed questions like: ■ What do you know about the impact that humans have on the earth? ■ Why do we think that people might make choices that damage their environment? ■ What are some reasons that we might want to halt climate change or other ways that our environment is being damaged? and ■ What are some ways that we can combat climate change and make our environment better? This field trip concluded with young people: sharing what they learned or tried for the first time; discussing choices they could make to have a positive impact on the environment and projects they might want to start at their camp or school. They also considered what other actions they, their families and friends might want to take to protect the environment. BNC’s sanctuary was thriving throughout the summer filled with campers and counselors engaged in learning about nature in their own backyards! For a complete listing of the community groups attending BNC’s Summer Discoveries and other field experiences, please refer to the Program Statistics on Page 11 of this report. 3 2018 Annual Report Boston Nature Center Connecting with our Neighbors… Throughout the year, Boston Nature Center offered numer- In our schools... ous public programs on a wide variety of topics for diverse For fourteen years, Boston Nature Center’s Boston School audiences. Programs covered a rich assortment of topics Environmental Initiative (BSEI) has helped public schools ranging from our weekly Early Explorers Program about the to integrate science and environmental studies throughout seasons for homeschooled preschoolers, to programs on their curriculum — including literacy, math, and social turkeys and coyotes, tree identification, and bird photogra- studies. BSEI embeds a Teacher Naturalist into each school phy. Our programs are designed to introduce children and to model, mentor, and coach classroom teachers in the families to the natural world and some overarching con- use of hands-on, inquiry-based teaching methods utilizing cepts. The adult programs are designed to create aware- outdoor classrooms, neighborhood green spaces, and ness of the environmental issues germane to the Boston natural areas including the BNC. Teacher Naturalists help area, and how participants can be "greener" in their every- classroom teachers align their practices with the state's day lives. We also held festivals and special programs evolving Science Technology and Engineering (STE) including: Pumpkinfest, the Mattapan Food and Fitness Standards and provide them with ongoing professional Coalition’s Annual Tea Party, and a maple sugaring event. development and curriculum planning support. During the school year, BSEI equipped 90 classroom teachers with tools and strategies to use STE methods in outdoor settings; provided engaging curriculum for 1,723 students with a variety of learning styles and abilities to help them develop critical thinking skills; and expanded and deepened BNC’s relationships with schools, families, and communities. Participating schools included: Chittick Elementary School (Mattapan, PreK-5), Haley Pilot School (Roslindale, PreK-8), Philbrick Elementary School (Roslindale, PreK-5); Samuel W. Mason School (Roxbury, PreK-5); and Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School (Mattapan, PreK-8). and Growing With STEM To reach a larger audience of Boston teachers and students than is possible through the BSEI’s intensive mentoring approach, BNC launched a pilot program "Growing With Stem" at the Lee Academy Pilot School. The pilot provides a group of grade level teachers with an eight week unit that helps them to fully integrate the MA framework into their curriculum utilizing the best practices of the BSEI program. Artists Receptions and Programs BNC celebrated local artists by featuring quarterly exhibits of their work. This year, Mass Audubon’s Photo Exhibit was displayed. We also welcomed Barry Van Dusen who displayed a body of work that "celebrates the richness and bio- logical diversity of Massachusetts and the Mass Audubon sanctuary system." Nature photography was featured by Robert Scott in his exhibit: The Garden Flowers and bird photography classes were offered by Eduardo del Solar.

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