Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP), California

Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP), California

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SCHOOL PROGRAM: CATALINA ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (CELP), CATALINA ISLAND, CALIFORNIA, USA

The Catalina Environmental Leadership Program (CELP) is a residential environmental and outdoor education program for student groups in grades four through twelve. This program began in 1999 as a partnership between Ocean Futures Society and Catalina Island Camps. During the fall and spring, it offers 3 or 5-day programs that immerse participants in the kelp bed ecosystem, demonstrate connections between kelp beds and terrestrial ecosystems, explore the ecological wisdom of Native Americans who once lived on Catalina and discuss the important role that the ocean plays in the biosphere.

This unique, high-energy learning experience gives students what they cannot find in a classroom: a chance to study natural ecosystems and sustainable living firsthand and hands on. They learn about sustainable living practices such as composting, recycling, and organic gardening, discovering how nature provides perfect examples of communities functioning in a self-sustaining way. The program empowers students to take the lessons they learn in nature and apply them to make positive changes in their own lives and in their schools and communities. Please view the slideshow and feel free to download this and share it with others. By doing this you will become a true Ambassador of the Environment.

During the summer this camp transforms into a summer camp for kids of all ages. For more information, please visit here. Also, for one week in August, Ocean Futures Society and Catalina Island Camps offer a weeklong Family Camp with special guests Jean-Michel Cousteau and Dr. Richard Murphy. Family Camp is a chance for families and other groups to come together on Catalina Island for an intimate experience with Jean-Michel Cousteau and the other CELP staff to learn about the Island’s unique natural wonders and sustainable living. For more information about Family Camp, click on this link.