EARTH CONNECTIONS CAMP 2023: CONNECTING CULTURES AND BRIDGING WORLDS THROUGH NATURE

Earth Connections Camp welcomed students in Utah with the theme of connecting cultures and bridging worlds by intertwining Western science with traditional cultural wisdom. This three-day camp fosters relationships and resilience through STEM and Native culture. The camp is an indoor/outdoor classroom for American Indian youth (1^st-12^th grade) to connect with their natural and cultural heritage, as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Students learn about STEM which is combined with cultural traditions taught by Tribal members, state/federal agency experts and American Indian college students from across the Country. The students visited learning stations featuring entomology, medicinal sciences, mapping, flute-playing, ethnobotanical health, nature walks, mapping, and many other activities.

This educational camp provides opportunities for youth to connect with nature, learn more about the world around them, and explore potential career pathways in the outdoors.

“The base of the preparation for these students is to have these kids fit within the society to which they are a part of. I think a lot of these kids often times feel left out. I think one of the largest areas that we have of this camp is to instill that they belong in this society, and they have a lot of contributions, and their ancestors had a lot of contributions. That’s one area. The other part is that when they leave this camp, sometimes it’s difficult. They’re going back into a culture, they are going back into a society where they are straddling two worlds, two cultures, two of everything in terms of how they live. Hopefully, we can have these kids adjust to those lifestyles.” Dr. Chuck Foster, Utah State Office of Education.

At lunch, students eagerly gathered to listen to traditional American Indian music and dance. Guest speakers came in to talk with the students as they ate. At the end of the day, the students gathered around in a “Talking Circle” and shared how they enjoyed connecting with each other throughout the day and what memories they enjoyed the most. These experiences are a beautiful example of how music and dance can bridge cultures and bring people together.

A special thank you to our partners for helping make the Earth Connections Camp a great success:  

• Utah State Board of Education 
• Urban Indian Center of Salt Lake 
• Nebo/Alpine School Districts 
• Red Butte Garden 
• Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) 
• Thanksgiving Point Institute 
• University of Utah - Native American Research Internship (NARI)  
• University of Utah - American Indian Resource Center 
• Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)  
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 
• USDA Forest Service  
• Utah Division of Water Resources (UDWR) 

View more pictures of the 2023 Earth Connections Camp on our Flickr page.