From January 13-17, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School 5th graders made their monumental rite of passage: Harford Glen! In two groups the students went, attending for two nights and three days total – unless they chose not to stay the night.
Of the eleven counselors attending Harford Glen for the two sessions of students, four were Fallston students. Nate Barczak, a first-time Harford Glen counselor, reflected on the significance of his visit: “I felt fortunate that it was the week of YBES so that I was working with teachers that had both my sister and me in class.”
Harford Glen is a program that hosts overnight endeavors for 5th grade students during the week and opens to the public on weekends for a variety of nature walks. From offering classes like binocular lessons, bird watching, planting microgreens, and even removing invasive plants, Harford Glen is at no short of educational opportunities. “I love seeing the wonder and awe on kids’ faces when they see something beautiful they’ve never seen before,” Kristie Smith, the environmental science teacher informally known as Ms. Kristie, writes warmly. “Harford Glen provides the opportunity to take a break from our busy lives, to pause, and appreciate nature.”
While the teachers and staff maintain a tight ship, they maintain an environmentally friendly one as well. Breakfasts, dinners, and lunches consist of teaching students the importance of properly recycling and composting to reduce waste. “We strive to teach each child the importance of stewardship: taking care of the environment around them and taking care of each other,” Ms. Kristie reiterates. During the stay at Harford Glen, students are always maintaining some level of environmental protection to encourage the transfer of that behavior into their day-to-day life.
Teachers and counselors ensured the comfortability of students, going out of their way to make sure every student felt appreciated and included. “I found that it was extremely rewarding to talk and work with new people who share a love for volunteering and the outdoors,” Nate shared about the importance of working as a team with others.
Students enjoy a range of activities when they aren’t actively learning, from Uno, to snack time, recess, and the most loved: campfire. Every night the Harford Glen teachers and counselors get together under the pavilion – or in the dining hall if it’s too cold – to sing songs and perform a series of comedic skits to make the kids feel at ease. “[The students] also love the campier aspects like singing silly songs, laughing at skits, and getting to know their high school counselors,” Ms. Kristie noted.
With a range of songs and skits that got the students up and moving, shouting to hear their echoes through the valley, and giggling uncontrollably, the students were distracted from any remaining worries. “Campfire skits and songs have always been a major part of my life through Scouting,” Nate recalled about his Scouts days. “And being able to be a part of the campfire program at Harford Glen was almost nostalgic.”
The experience of Harford Glen is not only rewarding in terms of service hours but also rewarding in terms of experience. I made connections that mean the world to me and learned a fair share of things about handling stressful and overwhelming situations. The volunteer work at Harford Glen is one that no one should miss if there is time in the schedule for any students interested in the grades of 10-12!
