Poetics of Place Newsletter - Spring 2010

Questing continues to spread across the country and around the world! Steve Glazer & Poetics of Place will offer eight programs during the Spring/Summer 2010 season. Below, learn how Quest programs are helping children, families, organizations and communities in more than a dozen geographic regions. You'll also find links to other wonderful place-based programs.

Looking ahead, 2011-2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. In partnership with The Flow of History and support from a U.S. Teaching American History grant, we've developed an exciting place-based social studies curriculum: The Civil War Quest. Contact me about bringing a Civil War Quest training to your community.

Best wishes & happy trails!

Steve

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Two Day Early Settlement Quest Workshop
Upper Valley 250
Windsor, VT
5/7-8

Two Day Natural Communities Quest Workshop
Concord, MA
5/21-22

Project Preservation
Dartmouth College
Krakow, Poland
6/14-24

Three Day Agricultural Quest Workshop
Baltow, Poland
6/25-27

Two Day Quest Workshop
Vojvodina, Serbia
6/29-30

Four Day Civil War Quest
Antioch New England Institute
Keene, NH
7/6-9

Wellborn Ecology Fund Retreat
Whole Communities
Fayston, VT
7/24-3010/27-28

Whole Thinking Retreat
Whole Communities
Fayston, VT
8/20-26

REGIONAL QUEST PROGRAM UPDATES

1. Arizona

After receiving training from Steve Glazer and Poetics of Place, Be Outdoors Arizona, the Arizona Alliance for Environmental Education, and Arizona Audubon are collaborating on a state wide Nature Quest program.

Three workshops have been held this year, with more than 50 participating teachers. The most recent workshop was held at Willow Bend Environmental Education Center on April 17th. A half dozen Quests are underway, with three posted on the new Arizona Nature Quest website:http://www.beoutdoorsarizona.org/

For more about Arizona Nature Quests contact:
Cathy Wise, Education Director, Audubon Arizona,Cwise@audubon.org
Lisa Herrmann, Education Coordinator, AAEE,lherrmann@cox.net

2. California

This spring, Steve continued to mentor partners on California's north coast. Alison Poklemba of the Coastal Region Environmental Education Community (CREEC) reports that there are now more than a bakers dozen Quests in No Cal! Read about questing in the news.

If you’d like to test the brand new SCS Water Quest in Occidental - developed during a 2-day workshop with Steve - contact David Berman at Westminster Woods:david5@sonic.net

You can check out the new Kokte Quest at the Jacoby Creek Land Trust by visitingwww.jclandtrust.org or emailing jclandtrusst@yahoo.com

If you’d like to help test the Muir Beach Quest, developed in a program that had Steve working with children, families, volunteers and staff, contact Lucy_Scott@nps.gov

3. Kentucky

Thanks to the Greensburg, Kentucky Arts Council, there are now Quests in Greensburg, KY! Millie Pickett writes “This Quest is presented in honor of my 8th generation Grandfathers John Brents and Thomas Marshall, early settlers of Green County in 1793. “ The Quest explores 19th century historic sites including the Greensburg Courthouse (1802-4), the Hobson House (c. 1820), the Siloam Meeting House, Elijah Creel’s home (c.1820), and Allen’s Inn (c. 1810), among many others.

4. Maine

Quebec Labrador Foundation (QLF) continues to develop the Midcoast Maine Questprogram. In early Spring, Steve traveled to Maine for two days to help sixteen participating teachers plan their units. Read about sixth graders making a Quest on the Medomak River here.

Jen Atkinson of QLF writes: "We’ve applied to Americorps for an 11-month position supporting our school-based Questing Program and helping launch our community-focused recreational Questing program. If our application is successful, we will start recruiting in June for a position that begins in August and based in Waldoboro, ME. It's a one-year stint with an option for a 2nd year. " Since it’s funded through Americorps the compensation is "Peace Corp-esque". If you (or someone you know) is interested in the position, email Jen: jatkinson@qlf.org

5. Massachusetts

South Shore Quests - the 2nd U.S. community to adopt Questing - celebrated the opening of their 10th season on April 15th. The 2010 Quest season runs through November 15th. There are seven new quests this year, and the new South Shore Quests book is available for $6.00 at:
Fuzion Sports Club, 288 Wood Road, Braintree, 781-849-0444
Holly Hill Farm, 230 Jerusalem Road, Cohasset, 781-383-1455
Hingham Public Library, 66 Leavitt Street, Hingham, 781-741-1405
South Shore Audubon Society, 2000 Main Street , Marshfield, 781-837-9400
For more information: admin@southshorequests.org

Mass Audubon Quests help families, youth groups, and friends explore and learn the special stories of Mass Audubon sanctuaries. After a workshop with Steve in 2008, there are now Quests at more than a dozen sanctuaries. Find Quests at participating Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries. Approximate completion time for each Quest is 1 hour or less.

Individual quests are available for download, at Quest sanctuaries, or through the Mass Audubon Education Department. The Mass Audubon Quest Pack, a collection of all the Quests, is available from the Mass Audubon Education Department.

The Trustees of Reservations, with Steve's guidance and support, have developed a Quest-based summer camp at the magical, seaside Crane Estate in Ipswich, MA.Summer Quest is an adventure for children entering grades 3-8. Through hands-on discovery, crafts, and games, children learn more about what makes their local environment such a special place. Working together, children become the guides for friends and family as they create their own adventure - or Quest - to share at the end of the week. Each day also includes swimming and kayak time at Crane beach!

Camp sessions run Monday through Friday, 9 AM – 4 PM, from July 5 through Aug 23. SummerQuest is a day camp of The Trustees of Reservations, and is open to children of all backgrounds; 30% of enrollment is reserved for children needing financial assistance. For more information click here.

6. New Hamphire

Keene Quests - the 3rd oldest Quest program - and lead partner Horatio Colony Museum hosted their annual season-opening Keene Quest Fest on May 1st. This free program began at 12:00 at the Horatio Colony House Museum, 199 Main Street, Keene, NH. For More Information about Questing in Keene, email Anita:colonymuseum@webryders.com

7. Ohio

In March, Steve traveled to Ohio to help launch a brand new Quest program along theOhio & Erie Canalway! Learn more about Questing in Ohio by contactingArrye_Rosser@nps.gov

8. Oregon

In Fall 2009, Steve and Cait Goodwin, the Coordinator of the Oregon Coast Questprogram, co-presented workshops at the NAAEE Conference and the 2009 Land Trust Alliance Rally. Cait just sent in this program update: “The Quest workshop we held last Saturday in Coos Bay went GREAT! The 11 participants made plans to get together to start making their first Quest together as a group. So far we’ve got 8 participants signed up for the upcoming May 12th workshop at OSU.” To learn more visit Questing in Oregon or contact cait.goodwin@oregonstate.edu.

9. Vermont

Valley Quest celebrated the opening of the 15th Upper Valley Questing season on May 1st and 2nd with two “season opener” events. Greeting the spring at The Fells in Newbury, NH, a beautiful retreat that reminded John Hay of his ancestral homeland in Scotland; and the 11th Annual Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival on Sunday, May 2nd. For more information about the wonderful world of Valley Quest, contactLaura@vitalcommunities.org or find a quest here.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science has also added Questing into their pre K to 6th grade summer programs! If you enjoy questing, VINS’ Natural History Mysteries campwas made for you! Through daily themes and quests, campers will become nature detectives and solve a “natural history mystery” everyday. By the end of the week campers will earn a certification as a VINS Nature Investigator! For more information visit, www.vinsweb.org.

Orleans County Quests - a collaboration among Steve, the Old Stone House Museum, the Orleans County Historical Society, and 16 elementary school classrooms - lead to thehidden treasures of Northern Vermont.

While snow was still on the ground, Nordic Quests - a program of the Vermont Ski Area Association - brought children and their parents to Nordic resorts across the state. This annual, state-wide program grew out of two workshops Steve held for participating VSAA members in northern and southern Vermont.

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Special thanks to Fred Bay and the Bay & Paul Foundations, for their steadfast belief in the Quest program model and support of the national dissemination of the Quest program model.

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DEEPEN YOUR SENSE OF PLACE IN THE UPPER VALLEY!

WINTER CENTER for INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS
P.O. Box 328 · Hanover, New Hampshire 03755 wcit@valley.net

Wednesday - Friday, May 5 - 7
“Traditions of the Ash Tree”
with Jesse Larocque, Jeanne Brink, Jesse Bruchac, Michael Hanitchak, & John Moody
Morning & Afternoon workshops on basket making, ash log pounding, splint making, Abenaki and Native history, culture, traditions, and language.
Dartmouth College Organic Farm & Campus, Hanover, NH

Saturday -Sunday, May 8 - 9
The Dartmouth College Powwow
Jeanne Brink, Jesse Larocque, and guests will be pounding ash, shaping splints, and making baskets; Jesse Bruchac and family will have a table of Native American storytelling, literature, language, and history books and CDs as well.
Dartmouth College Campus, Hanover, NH

Monday, May 17, 7 - 9 PM
“Abenaki and Sokwaki History in the Mascoma River Valley”
A talk by Donna Roberts Moody & John Moody Talk
Lebanon Public Library, Lebanon, New Hampshire

Saturday, June 5, 9 AM – 5 PM
Black ash basket making
With Jesse Larocque
AVA Galley and Art Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire
www.avagallery.org

Saturday, July 31, 9 AM – 5 PM
Black ash basket making
Jesse Larocque
AVA Galley and Art Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.
www.avagallery.org

Friends of the Arava Institute are pleased to announce...
THE TRANS-BOUNDARY ECO-TOUR
Visit key environmental sites and learn from environmental leaders in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian West Bank. Runs from December 26 - 31, 2010.
$1745 pp/do. For more info, call 866-312-7282 or email david@friendsofarava.org

Save the Redwoods League
invites K–12 teachers, environmental educators and interpretive naturalists to apply for grants to teach broad audiences about redwoods. Applications are due June 30. Learn more.

CommunityMatters’10®
October 5 - 8, in Denver, CO. CommunityMatters ’10 is a unique innovation-action experience—a coalition of leaders, thinkers and doers committed to building strong, vibrant communities from the ground up.

Copyright (C) 2010 Poetics of Place PO Box 357 Thetford Center, VT 05075 All rights reserved.

Steve Glazer
Poetics of Place
steve@poeticsofplace.com