By: David Kappelhoff, Mississippi Park Connection, Engagement Coordinator

Every summer the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area’s education team partners with the YMCA of the North to help offer outdoor educational and enrichment activities as part of two day camp programs. These programs are the Junior Ranger Day Camp as part of the Camp Streefland experience, and the Adventure in the Neighborhood Day Camp.

All Photo Courtesy: Kurt and Edwige Moses | NPS

Just like all YMCA of the North programming, these camps strive to build upon the Y's core values and community commitment, whereby participants are able to be part of transformative experiences in nature through inclusive and accessible spaces. Along with these camps being phone and tech-free, campers get to connect with special places near the Mississippi River like Uŋčí Makhá Park, Crosby Farm Regional Park, and Hidden Falls Regional Park.

The partnership is the result of a grant from the National Park Service (NPS). Parks from all over the country are cooperating with their local YMCAs to introduce kids to the outdoors and the natural, cultural, and historical resources of the national park system.

JUNIOR RANGER DAY CAMP

YMCA Camp Streefland is located on 65 acres along beautiful Lake Kingsley in Lakeville, Minnesota, and is run by Ellie Christopherson, the camp director. She explained the camp hosted their Junior Ranger Day Camps for three weeks in July, where up to 400 kids a week were in attendance. These kids came from Minneapolis, Bloomington, Apple Valley, Lakeville, and other parts of the south metro area.

Christopherson explained that camp participants are broken into groups of about 10 kids each and are partnered with a counselor. Campers then engage in small-group structured activities with other participants in their age group. Throughout the sessions, campers learned about the Y’s five values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, and equity. They also learned new skills and built self-esteem by participating in activities like archery, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, rock climbing, gaga ball, nature hikes, outdoor games, arts and crafts, field trips, and more. Before dispersing to activities, the YMCA day began each morning in the amphitheater where the kids sang songs and learned about the YMCA values. Christopherson says the Y motto for the camps is to send kids home tired, dirty, and full of camp songs.

Christopherson also explained what’s special about the Junior Ranger Day Camps is that campers do all the regular activities, but with an added bonus of being with an NPS ranger. Abby Olson is a national park ranger with Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), and is in charge of the in-person experiences with YMCA campers. She has been working on the Junior Ranger partnership with the YMCA of the North since 2016, and was joined this year by seasonal rangers, Rachel Small and Stephen Walker.

Ranger Abby explains that kids attending the YMCA’s Junior Ranger Camp met with the national park rangers from MNRRA twice over the course of their week. The first meeting was at Camp Streefland where they learned more about the Junior Ranger program and how they can earn badges at every national park site across the country. The rangers led them through hands-on activities like creating fossils from molds. Then on the last day of their day camp the kids took a field trip to the Mississippi River and met the NPS rangers for a day in the field at Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul, which is also located within national park boundaries. They went on a hunt for real fossils from millions of years ago. The pinnacle of the week is earning the Junior Ranger badge and taking the pledge to explore, learn about, and protect the Mississippi River.

Ranger Abby says she hopes the campers leave with pride in their new knowledge of their surroundings. She explains, “I am continuously surprised by these campers. I taught them to identify fossils and they never stopped looking for and finding them, even in places I had not seen them before! The limestone stairs down to Hidden Falls – fossils! The rocks they find in the Mississippi River – fossils! They were so ready to show off their new, exciting skills.”
When asked about the benefit of having an NPS ranger on site for these camps, Ranger Abby responds, “Without question, a uniformed ranger adds a layer of excitement to the program because kids can learn something from an expert and ask as many questions as they want during the field trip day. There is also the added benefit of showing them what opportunities they have for careers in the future, if not as a ranger with the National Park Service, maybe they could study plants or be a paleontologist!”

All YMCA campers gain a sense of comradery, some incredible memories, and a sense of comfort being outdoors for long periods of time. But those who go through the Junior Ranger day camps get the added bonus of learning about their connection to the mighty Mississippi River, along with an understanding of the National Park system.

ADVENTURE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

The Adventure in the Neighborhood program is another way for kids to get connected to the Y’s core values while staying closer to home. Similar to Camp Streefland, these day camps also offer outdoor education and enrichment activities with participants enjoying outdoor activities, including canoeing, fishing, archery, arts and crafts, and teambuilding. Campers also learn about their local public park ecosystem and natural resources through STEM programming led by community partners.

We know families are looking for high quality and fun opportunities for their kids, close to home,” said Betsy Grams, vice president of Y Adventure. “Adventure in the Neighborhood brings the best of the Y’s outdoor learning expertise to local outdoor spaces in a way that helps young people and their families grow in confidence and community.

Camps are held in St. Paul, Maple Lake, Apple Valley, and Otsego. Adventure in the Neighborhood partners with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area’s education team for their St. Paul camp at Hidden Falls. Here, in addition to regular camp activities, campers were also able to make seedballs and throw them in land that helps restore prairie.

Other partners for Adventure in the Neighborhood include the City of Saint Paul, Wright County Park and Recreation, Dakota County Park and Recreation, YUSA, Wilderness Inquiry, Urban Roots,, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and the U.S. Forest Service.

YMCA DAY CAMP DETAILS

For more information about these camps, please visit their websites. Parents can sign their kid up for the week-long Junior Ranger Day Camp at Camp Streefland in Lakeville by heading to the YMCA of the North website. Those who would like to stay closer to the Twin Cities metro can register for Adventure in the Neighborhood. Registration through the websites open in early spring.

Websites

Age Ranges

Jr. Ranger Camp, Grades 4-6
Adventure in Neighborhood, Grades 1-5

Camp Dates

Junior Ranger Day Camp runs five days a week for three weeks in July
Adventure in Neighborhood Camp runs four days a week for two weeks at the end of July and the beginning of August

Getting To Know The River with Rangers And THE YMCA