Mr. Geyer’s Travel Science Camp Takes Off For Day One

Yesterday children from across the county and other areas packed their lunches and zipped up their backpacks for the first day of Mr. Geyer’s Travel Science Camp. The week-long camp, run by Edward Geyer and his wife, Della, gives children the unique opportunity to travel to and explore various environmental, historic, and active sites each day.

Geyer, who has taught science at Felix Festa Middle School for 21 years, created the camp three years ago after a trip he and his wife had taken traveling around the Hudson Valley through the Cornell Cooperative Extension. 

“We started taking our own kids to some of those sites,” said Della.  “And then we decided it would be a good idea to do a camp.”

Although the trip’s main focus is science, history also plays a huge role in a lot of the sites. “It’s a little bit of geology, ecology, and biology,” said Geyer. “This area is full of history. A lot of it goes back to the Native Americans and the way they used the land. So every trip we go on relates a little to the history of the Native Americans.”

Each morning, the Geyers meet the campers at the entrance of South High School around 9:30 and return to the same spot close to 4:30 in the afternoon. The camp is open to children five through nine years old and, this year, 13 children are enrolled, including four who took part in the program last summer. 

“This seemed to be the age where they were most interested,” explained Della. “If they love science they are going to love this camp.”

“These kids are a little younger than the kids I teach,” added Geyer. “I end up getting to see them in school and I get to see them grow up, so it’s fun.”

Each year the Geyers choose diverse and fascinating sites, which feature rich history, educational experiences, and exhilarating activities. The itinerary for the trips this year is as follows:

Monday: NJ State Fair in Sussex (pigs races, chick hatching, bee keeping, farming techniques)

Tuesday: Norrie Point Research Facility (Seining, fishing, hiking, Hudson River Estuary)

Wednesday: Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island (history, touring)

Thursday: Hudson River Museum (River ecology, explore Hudson on kayaks, building rockets, planetarium show)

Friday: Mohonk Preserve (hiking, nature, wildlife, geology)

The trips are chosen based on research and reading that the Geyers do throughout the year. “We ask the kids what they like every year,” said Della. “If I see articles I’ll pull them for future trips. I just keep my eyes open on anything I can get my hands on to see what is happening in the Hudson Valley.”

Around February each year, Della calls places they are interested in traveling to and begins booking trips and making necessary arrangements. She pointed out that a lot of the activities they do are things that families wouldn’t be able to enjoy.

“You can’t get behind the scenes at some of these places; you have to go as a group and book them in advance,” she explained.

Georgann Gelsi-Piccirillo travels all the way from New Jersey each morning so that her son can take part in this unusual experience.

“We came last year,” she says.  “We were the newbies from New Jersey, but everyone made us feel really welcome.”

She explained how accommodating the Geyers are and how Della contacts her whenever the group is off schedule to keep the parents updated.

After Monday’s trip to the NJ Fair, the kids came back excited and enthused.

“I find that they enjoy hands on activities and when they can explore at their own pace,” said Della. 

The day was filled with educational activities and the children were able to learn about antique farming techniques and equipment. Their favorite parts were watching the pig races, the chicks hatching, and the honeybees. They all expressed their excitement around Tuesday’s trip to the Norrie Point Research Facility, where they will be able to do a lot of fishing—a favorite of last year’s camp.

“We do it for the kids,” said Della. “I think my favorite part is the enthusiasm that the kids have and how much they really enjoy learning.  It’s just a great age.”

The camp is publicized on Clarkstown Central School District’s Community Learning Center website and through pamphlets sent to schools in various areas.