July 6–30: Monday–Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM
July 6–9: Art for Earth’s Sake
July 12–16: Natural Harmony
July 19–23: All the World’s a Stage
July 26–30: The Art of Food

Ed Bieber, founder and director of The Nature Place in Chestnut Ridge, NY, for the past 30 years, is collaborating with RCDS on the launch of Summer Studios. We have the artistic side of things well covered, thanks to our sterling reputation as a school where the arts are both cherished and advanced. Ed brings a fresh enthusiasm for the natural world — and the following thoughts:

Nature holds out her hands, brimming with gifts, yet we walk about, head down, wondering why it is so dark. AUTHOR UNKNOWN

This summer on the RCDS campus, heads will look up, and arms will open wide to nature’s gifts. “Head in the clouds, feet on the ground” might be the perfect image for the activity that the Summer Studios campers and counselors will be sharing this July.

Summer Studios represents a looking out and stretching beyond, imagining a new kind of day camp that celebrates the arts AND nature, together — including professional artists; caring, well-trained counselors; a collaborative, joyful environment; cooperative games; gardening; photography; singing; creative water play; storytelling; day trips; nature explorations of all kinds … and more.

Together with this pioneering excitement of a new venture, a reaching for the clouds if you will, is a solid foundation … a combined 90 years of working with children in innovative programs: 50 years for RCDS and 40 years for me as a naturalist/outdoor educator/camp director in Rockland County.

Even the planning and brainstorming sessions of the Summer Studios core group have been exciting, respectful, positive, fun, professional and caring. Clearly, modeling the kinds of attributes that we want for our fledgling summer program has been a pretty good way to start!

Ed Bieber