Bay Studies

As a school located on a river leading into the Chesapeake Bay, we are deeply connected to the Bay region, and there is probably no program more distinctive at Gunston than our Bay Studies program.  We have just finalized this year's offerings, and from May 16^th to May 20th, our students spread out across the region to pursue a series of extraordinary experiential learning opportunities:

The Bay and its History – The Chesapeake Bay is heart to most of early American history.  We will explore colonial times by visiting cities and plantations examining culture, slavery, and military strategy and then explore the Civil War with visits to Gettysburg, Antietam, and Harper’s Ferry. 
                   
Bike Trails of the Chesapeake - For the hale and hearty who have a good mountain bike, we will bike some of the great locations on the Bay.  These include White Clay Creek State Park, Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Schaeffer Farm Trail, Cosca Regional Park, and Tuckahoe State Park.  Come prepared for a real workout and see some of the wonderful natural sites of the area.
                                                
Canoeing River Habitats – What is the diversity of habitats and species in and along the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay?  How does the ever changing physical environment impact what lives and grows in the region?  Students will explore and identify different habitats of the Bay region mostly by canoe, including trips on rivers such as the Gunpowder Falls, Tuckahoe, Pocomoke, and Sinepuxent Bay.
Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Canoeing – Are you ready to explore the backcountry as an early settler might have without modern conveniences? Your course will begin and end in Leakin Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks located in Baltimore, and then you will quickly journey out into the wilderness where the real magic takes place. You will be taught everything you will need to know.  You should come to your course emotionally prepared for and excited about devoting all of your time and energy to your expedition, your group, and your Outward Bound experience.  Rugged and challenging, this popular course will canoe in the backcountry of Maryland with a day for rock climbing.  This program is part of Outward Bound’s Peer Leadership Program and has been successfully offered every year since Gunston started its modern Bay Studies program fifteen years ago. 
                                                         
Chesapeake Bay Pastimes –Rich in heritage and cultural activities, the Chesapeake area has many venues for cultural enrichment. We will sample some of these including an Orioles game, the theatre, Ladew Topiary Gardens, and a few art museums.

Chesapeake Treasures:  Sea Glass, Shore Life, Shorebirds, and Service – During the week we will explore area beaches and wildlife refuges to gain a deeper understanding of their role in the protection and sustainability of the Chesapeake watershed.  We will investigate habitats and species of shore life and seabirds, and along the way we will uncover the beauty and secrets of sea glass.  Some of our time will be given to the refuges cleaning beaches and repairing pathways.  Our final day will be spent aboard a skipjack hearing tales of yore.    
                                          
Exploring the Upper Chesapeake on the Buy Boat Annie D. and the Skipjack Elsworth –What is the state of the Chester River watershed and its environs?  How were these old boats used to travel and fish the bay?  With the past as perspective, students will explore Chesapeake’s natural history, human history, lore and culture and determine the future of the Chesapeake as a valuable resource.  Echo Hill Outdoor School offers Gunston a special program using the “buy” boat Annie D. and the skipjack Elsworth for a five-day overnight experience.       
                                                 
Fox Island and Bay Seafood - We will travel to Crisfield, formerly the world center for crabs, and go by boat six miles out to stay at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation lodge on Fox Island to study the environment of the Chesapeake Bay for three days with a focus on seafood. When we return we will learn about advanced seafood preparation techniques.                               
Islands of the Bay – Travel to places that have a connection with the past. We will visit the most famous islands including Smith, Hooper’s, and Tilghman to take photos and also explore the culture of a world a part. We will then develop short You Tube type videos, a DVD of still photos, and a display of still photos, using Friday as needed to complete the total projects.  Some start and end times may be altered to get the best photos. 
  
Karen Noonan Center – From the Marshes and Islands of Tangier Bay to the City –This is an overview of the Chesapeake Bay, beginning with a stay at Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s premier center at Bishop’s Head on Monday through Wednesday to study the environment and then a trip to Baltimore to visit the aquarium and harbor and explore the changes that occurred when man moved in.                        
Mission to Planet Earth - This program will focus on the study of the Chesapeake Bay environment from space.  This will include field trips to Goddard Space Center and the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.  Students will spend at least two days building and launching rockets, first from kits, and later from their own designs.  They will also learn how images taken from satellites are used to monitor the health of the Bay.                                                                   
Potomac Odyssey – This is the fifth year of this successful offering which will involve exploration of “the nation’s river” and the area around Harper’s Ferry using bikes and rafts.  Students will bike the C&O Canal trail, whitewater raft the Youghiogheny River, taking in the rich history of the area, and explore places like Berkley Spring State Park, Fort Frederick State Park, and the Paw Paw Tunnel.  You will camp along the banks of the Potomac in some beautiful and surprisingly wild campsites, visit Cushwa Basin, and participate in a presentation on otters.  With the outfitting help of Wilderness Voyageurs of Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, all gear, bikes and camping equipment will be provided along with an interesting and enlightening background into the human and natural history of the area.       

YSOP  - Youth Service Opportunities Project is a weeklong work camp where students help the homeless and hungry in Washington, D.C.  This is the best of Bay Studies. Volunteers will prepare and serve meals at soup kitchens, distribute food and supplies at food pantries, and help elderly tenants who no longer can do for themselves.  A Quaker-founded non-profit organization established in 1983, YSOP is well organized and safe.  Their website is http://www.ysop.org/.