Training The Trainers at Camp Orkila

Thousands of fifth-graders will cycle through Camp Orkila on Orcas Island this summer to engage with our marine ecosystem. As we round the corner into Spring, the counselors who will guide those kids (5,800 total!) are deep in preparation and training. 

Last week, our team was honored to lead a low-tide beach walk at Camp Orkila to train this year’s Orkila staff. All of the counselors received a signed copy of our best-selling (and award-winning!) book for fifth graders, Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids

The event focused on teaching Orkila staff about coastal ecosystems and marine conservation. SeaDoc’s Joe Gaydos, Cat Lo, and Leigh Ann Gilmer walked the West shoreline of Orcas Island sharing their knowledge and passion for Salish Sea marine science and the wonders of intertidal life.

Over the years, SeaDoc Society has gifted thousands of copies of Explore the Salish Sea to students at Camp Orkila and other institutions throughout Salish Sea, including underprivileged Title 1 schools. That’s all thanks to donor support! 

These books are tools that can help the counselors instill a lifelong connection to our ecosystem–giving their time at Camp Orkila a lasting impact. 

Big thanks to Orkila staff for having us! It’s a privilege to train the amazing educators who will be guiding the Salish Sea’s next generation through camp!