Eco-Kids Camp Day 3: Medicinal Plants and Horseback Riding

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Today the campers went for a guided tour of the Ixchel Medicine Trail here at Chaa Creek with some of our naturalist experts. Before the tour started, the naturalists gave a short presentation and show and tell on the importance of medicinal plants, how to use them, and how they help make medicine today.

2015 Belize Eco Kids Camp Day 2: Maya Culture & History

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For arts and crafts time today, the campers focused on the definition of the three R’s of conservation: reduce, reuse, and recycle. With used bed cloth and recycled plastic bottles, they learned that they were reducing the number of bottle huggers and bags that people buy, as they made their own packs to carry water bottles and other small trinkets they may want! More importantly though, they had fun designing their own articles of fashion with their team mates and counselors.

Belize Eco Kids Summer Camp: Biodiversity & Conservation!

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The eco-kids campers started the first full day of camp early Monday morning around the campfire singing traditional Belizean songs. Under the guidance of the resident expert eco-artist Miss Lilly Jones, each camper made their own “jungle journal” from recycled materials, which they will use to take personal notes on each day’s activities.

2015 Belize Eco-Kids Camp Rule #1 – JUST BE A KID!

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Upon arrival at the camp grounds the Eco-Kids were assigned to both their cabins and their teams for the week. The Tapirs, Toucans, Jaguars, and last but not least, the Howler Monkeys. Then they were all assembled in the dining area to design their team flags with paint and markers. Most of the campers were ecstatic when they learned that their hand and footprints were eligible to go on their team flags!

Belize Eco-Kids Summer Camp 2015 Kick-Off!

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The annual eco-kids summer camp gives 24 young Belizeans between the ages of 8 and 13 a chance to learn about their natural world through a mix of adventure, social interaction, and fun filled applied education – all aimed at instilling a sense of wonderment in the unique cultures that constitute Belize and the environment that sustains us all.

Belize Eco-Kids Summer Camp Winners 2015!

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24 young Belizeans between the ages of 8 and 13 have won a one week Chaa Creek Eco Kids Summer Camp Package which is scheduled from July 19th to the 26th, 2015. We want to congratulate all winners of our Eco Kids Essay Competition from more than 150 entries countrywide.

What is the Eco Kids Summer Camp all about?

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A weeklong summer camp that teaches Belizean children to be stewards of their environment and instills memorable values that will have an impact on the way children conduct their lives, their relationship with our fragile Earth, and the sustainable development of our future.

Eco Kids Summer Camp Day 3 – Medicinal Plants

Explaining why the white poisonwood is dangerous

Mrs Salome’s presentation on medicinal plants highlighted several popular Belizean herbs, such as serosee, thyme, and aloe vera, and allowed campers got to practice their bush medicine skills. A couple lucky volunteers pretended to have earaches, and they were cured by using thyme. From the excellent bedside manner displayed by some campers, it would seem there are some future doctors in the group!

Eco Kids learn about The Ancient Maya

Group photo at the lookout

Once we arrived back at Chaa Creek, Mr. Awe gave a presentation on the history and culture of the Maya, from their origins as hunter-gatherers crossing the Bering Straits, to the decline of their civilization thousands of years ago. And just to make sure the campers were paying attention, he split boys and girls into two teams and gave a pop quiz at the end. It was a close call, but the girls scored higher by one point!

Eco Kids Learn about Biodiversity and Conservation

Learning about animal skulls

The first day at Chaa Creek Eco Kids summer camp began a little earlier
than expected for some campers. After all, it’s quite difficult to sleep
when a howler monkey troop comes roaring through at the crack of dawn!

Eco Kids Summer Camp 2013 Kick-Off!!

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“The winners were selected by Lucy Fleming (Chaa Creek co-founder) & Eco Kids organizer Roberto Harrison, categorized by districts and organized to meet at central points to be picked up by a Chaa Creek shuttle and transferred to the Macal River Camp,” said Mr. Harrison.

Chaa Creek’s Eco Kids Set for Educational Adventure

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According to Chaa Creek founder and general manager Lucy Fleming, the innovative annual event gives Belizean youth an opportunity to learn about their natural world through a mix of adventure, social interaction, fun and hands-on education aimed at instilling a sense of wonder and responsibility for the environment.

My Top Reasons Why I want to Be an Eco Kid

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I want to be an Eco Kid because I want to make a positive difference in my beautiful country Belize. I strongly believe that it is young people like myself that will play an instrumental role in the future of Belize and the lessons that will be taught in this camp will lay down the foundation to equip me with the proper knowledge to make the changes.

Fascinating Nature: Why is nature important?

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My name is Adreano Finnetty. I am currently a Standard 6 student attending Holy Redeemer Primary School in Belize City. Since I was born, I realized how fascinated I am with nature and the Earth itself. I have taken time and effort to learn as much as possible about nature: from the simplest of organisms, like flowers with the power of pollination; and, bugs which lay millions of eggs every single day; to animals of brute strength like lions and sharks.

Summer Vacation Kids’ Camps

I want to be an eco-kid for many reasons first of all I want to experience the outdoors and most of the activities you listed in your letter and secondly I am a kid and we kids like to run around and try new things, well some of us like it.

Aspiring to be an Eco- Kid

I read the advertisement over and over it sound very interesting I said this is awesome; I want to learn about biodiversity of plant and animals in the environment; conserving natural resources and more so to learn more about the ancient Maya history of which I am. I want to learn their culture including their traditional healing medicinal plant. I am also interesting in bird watching knowing all the species. If I cannot afford to go to a high school then I would at least be able to something in my life. It is very interesting to learn more things when you are young it will help others get more involve. Although I am a Maya I want to get first hand information about sites that our ancestor made.