Camp Pemi’s Nature Instruction Clinic – Scholarships Available!
Camp Pemi’s Nature Instruction Clinic is returning for its 30th year! This 5½-day clinic offers a unique opportunity for outdoor educators, camp instructors, and nature-focused program staff to gain hands-on experience and improve their teaching skills. Whether you’re an instructor at day camps, resident camps, nature centers, or parks, this clinic is designed to enhance your ability to teach, inspire, and connect with nature.
Dates: Sunday, June 14 – Friday, June 19, 2026
Location: Wentworth, New Hampshire
This year’s clinic provides a comprehensive curriculum to help participants build or enhance their skills in nature instruction. From hands-on learning to lesson planning and utilizing local resources, participants will leave equipped to lead unforgettable nature experiences for campers and visitors.
What Participants Will Learn:
- Teaching Techniques & Lesson Planning: Practical instruction and curriculum materials to guide nature education programs.
- Use of Local Resources: Learn to tap into local environments to enhance lessons.
- Experiential Learning & Exploration: Skills to teach through direct experience and observation in the field.
- Field Trip Experiences: Plan and implement successful nature-focused field trips.
- Nature Center Management: Learn how to start or maintain a nature center, including curriculum planning and resource management.
Activities and Skills Participants Will Be Ready to Teach:
- Birding
- Insect Ecology, Collection & Preparation
- Natural Dyes
- Cooking with Wild Foods
- Rocks & Geology
- Stargazing
- Nature Drawing & Journals
- Pond and Stream Ecology
- Environmental Sculpture
- Nature Experiences for Large Groups
Scholarship Opportunity
In addition, a $385 full scholarship is available for a participant from a not-for-profit organization in New Hampshire or elsewhere, with preference given to organizations serving low-income or at-need children.
Testimonial from 2023 Participant: Megan Dixon, Engagement Manager for Outdoor Experience at The Trustees of Reservations (Boston), said: “It was the highlight of my year. And no, I’m not being dramatic. I never went to camp growing up, so it was extra special to be away for an entire week with like-minded people. I was also blown away by the organization and thought behind all of the training. Everything fit together, and one of the biggest take-aways for me was that I completely revamped my own staff training and cannot wait to implement it this year. Truly, I felt so welcomed & inspired.”
Additionally, here’s what some of the kids had to say from last year:
- “I can’t eat lunch!!! I love nature too much!!”
- “I thought hiking would be boring!”
- “Wow. Rocks. Who knew.”
Testimonial from 2024 Participant: Charlie Feliciano, University of New Haven graduate student recently appointed as Lead Educator and Camp Director role at the Hungerford Nature Center in Connecticut said: “My path into environmental education really began at Camp Pemigewasset, starting with the Nature Clinic and the lesson writing workshop. That emphasis on intentional, well-structured lesson planning became one of the central focuses of my interview [at Hungerford]. I was asked repeatedly about how I design programs, adapt lessons for different age groups, and balance structure with curiosity. The prepared lesson plan I presented, and much of the discussion around it, drew directly from what I learned through your guidance.”
Apply Today!
Those looking to improve their nature instruction skills and share the wonders of the natural world with kids will not want to miss this clinic!
For more details or to apply for the scholarship, please contact Larry Davis at rldavis@newhaven.edu.
For further information about the clinic, check out articles from Camping Magazine by the American Camp Association:
Share with your network:
Please spread the word. It’s an amazing opportunity to grow and improve nature instruction, and Camp Pemi wants as many people as possible to benefit from this experience!
Download the 2026 Nature Clinic brochure.
Don’t miss out on this 30th year of Camp Pemi’s Nature Instruction Clinic! 🌿
