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January 16, 2021

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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News News Notes

What’s Up With Sultana? A Virtual Event

December 2, 2020 by Sultana Education Foundation Leave a Comment

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The Sultana Education Foundation is pleased to be hosting “What’s Up With Sultana,” a Virtual Event, December 3, 2020 at 7:00 PM. The purpose of the event is to share with the community, supporters, members, and friends, all of the work the organization has been doing since Covid-19 limitations changed the landscape of experiential education.

The 30-minute presentation is free to the public and will cover the many facets of the Foundation’s projects including: Virtual Classroom programming and the development of the Lawrence Wetland Preserve. Videos will be combined with live moments from Foundation President Drew McMullen and Vice President Chris Cerino.

“We want to show our supporters all of the exciting things the organization has been up to,” said McMullen, “Covid has certainly presented challenges, but we’ve been able to pivot and create meaningful programming that will be used even after the pandemic is history.”

The final moments of the presentation will also include an opportunity for live questions and answers from the public.

To learn more about the Virtual Event, visit www.sultanaeducation.org, or bookmark the event’s livestream page at: https://givebutter.com/youzOv.

The Sultana Education Foundation’s mission is to provide transformative educational experiences in which students investigate the natural and human history of the Chesapeake Bay while exploring solutions for a more sustainable ecosystem. This new programming allows them to do just that from the comfort of their own home.

Filed Under: News Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, local news, Sultana

Sultana Announces Revised Public Paddles Schedule

July 1, 2020 by Sultana Education Foundation Leave a Comment

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As the state of Maryland enters Phase 2 of its COVID-19 recovery plan and as cases trend downward state-wide, the Sultana Education Foundation (SEF) is announcing a revised schedule of kayak trips to be enjoyed by the general public this summer on some of Kent County’s most scenic waterways.  These programs, known as Public Paddles, feature guided tours of remote tributaries that are lightly developed and contain pristine wetlands full of plant and animal life.  Each Public Paddle follows a specific theme highlighting habitats and organisms found at that particular launch site.

“We are thrilled to be able to provide in-person, water-based programming to the general public this summer,” said SEF’s Director of Paddling Programs, Brad Hirsh.  “We’ve scheduled these paddles on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to avoid crowds, and we’ve also limited the number of participants to eight paddlers to make social distancing as easy as possible.  Otherwise, once we’re on the water, these trips will be just like any other Public Paddles the Foundation has conducted in previous years.”

Between July 7th and August 20th, SEF is conducting fourteen separate paddles that are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  Participants will have an opportunity to visit a blue heron rookery on the upper Sassafras River, observe bald eagle nests at Turner’s Creek, explore the salt marshes of Eastern Neck Island, investigate remnants of Native American communities at Still Pond Creek, view the blooming American lotus flowers of the lower Sassafras, and navigate the headwaters of the mighty Chester River.  Each paddle takes place from 9:00 – 11:30 am.  Participants are encouraged to bring their own lifejackets, and SEF provides the kayaks, paddles, and guides.  The cost is $30 per person, with a minimum age requirement of twelve years old.

“We’re extremely excited to get people back on the water to explore some of the special places that make this area so unique,” stated SEF’s Vice President Chris Cerino.  “After being cooped up inside for much of the spring, these paddles are a welcome addition to SEF’s summer itinerary!”

To see the complete schedule of 2020 Summer Public Paddles, or to register for a trip, visit www.sultanaeducation.org.  

Filed Under: News Notes

Sultana Offers Launches Virtual Summer Programming

June 27, 2020 by Sultana Education Foundation Leave a Comment

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The Sultana Education Foundation is pleased to announce that it has developed alternate camp options to keep young children engaged and active all summer long, replacing live, in-person programming.
SEF is offering two programs for children ages 3-7, featuring several themes and led by our professional staff. Participation is limited to 15 children per session and programs will run weekly from July 13 through August 28. Registration is available online at https://sultanaeducation.org/summer-programs/.

The programs include a program for Toddlers as well as a program for slightly older children. Virtual Toddler Time lets children explore the natural world through stories, songs, games, crafts, and other hands-on activities. Each session is one week-long with online Zoom meetings held M, W, F from 10:30-11:00 AM. Before camp, participants will receive a package in the mail filled with crafts and activities to last the session. The program price is set at $15/child/session.

Online Discovery Camp is filled with exciting experiences introducing children to the Chesapeake Bay. Before camp, participants receive a Discovery Box in the mail filled with craft supplies and materials designed to encourage exploration. Sessions will be 45 minutes in the morning (9:00 AM – 9:45 AM) and afternoon (4:00 PM – 4:45 PM) via Zoom in which participants read stories, play games, make crafts, and meet critters from the Holt Center’s Wet Lab. This program will run $50/child/session.

“Virtual Toddler Time and Online Discovery Camp will provide children with exciting opportunities to learn about the natural world in a way that is fun and engaging,” stated SEF’s Director of Science, Beth Lenker. “While the face to face interactions will take place online, sending materials directly to students in the mail prior to the start of each session makes the instruction as interactive as possible. We look forward to pioneering this new form of summer programming with our campers!”

The Sultana Education Foundation’s mission is to provide transformative educational experiences in which students investigate the natural and human history of the Chesapeake Bay while exploring solutions to create a more sustainable ecosystem.

 

Filed Under: Ed Notes

Sultana’s Virtual Classroom LIVE! Programs Reach 900+ Students

June 18, 2020 by Sultana Education Foundation Leave a Comment

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On March 1, 2020, the Sultana Education Foundation’s (SEF) spring programming season was fully booked with scheduled field experiences for students on the Chesapeake Bay. “This was going to be one of the Foundation’s busiest spring seasons in our history, with thousands of students lined up to explore the Bay and its tidal tributaries aboard the schooner Sultana, paddling on canoes or kayaks, and visiting the Holt Education Center in Chestertown,” said SEF’s Vice President, Chris Cerino. “Unfortunately, that all changed over the course of two weeks in mid-March due to the advent of the COVID-19 health crisis in Maryland.”

The spread of coronavirus led to school closures nationwide and a sudden and radical shift to distance learning. This also led to the cancellation of all SEF’s spring field programs. In response to this unprecedented situation, SEF staff members quickly pivoted to create an entirely new web site where a plethora of online resources for classroom teachers were posted. This included over 60 videos with topics ranging from the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay to the history of the Schooner SULTANA, and the rich culture of Native Americans in the region. The resulting web site, www.sultanaclassroom.org, now offers teachers with unprecedented access to quality, classroom-ready instructional materials that will be available for years to come.

Beth Lenker reads a book about turtles to a class before diving into a full lesson involving live critters, manipulatives, crafts and a written activity.

In addition to the site, SEF launched an online field trip initiative known as “Virtual Classroom, LIVE!”, proving to be exceedingly popular with students and teachers alike. SEF’s talented teaching staff made virtual lessons come to life using historic artifacts, primary documents, and even live critters from the Education Center’s Wet Lab. In May and early June, SEF conducted over 50 live sessions, reaching approximately 1,000 students from throughout Maryland and Delaware.

For teachers coping with the new reality of teaching their students entirely over the internet, SEF’s live programs were a welcome addition to their repertoire. “Sultana took a very difficult situation for my students and made it a positive experience that they will never forget,” stated Justin Crew, 4th grade teacher at Kennard Elementary School. “Our local students are blessed to have an organization that is solely focused on the educational betterment of every student that they encounter, whether it be face to face or virtually.”

“Wow! I can’t say enough positive things about our grade level class meeting this morning!” said Tiffany Kennedy, a third grade teacher at Galena Elementary School. “Thanks to the Sultana team we learned about a Secchi disc, oxygen levels in the water, SAVs, and much more. We even saw animals from the Chesapeake Bay! It couldn’t have been any better. The kids were so engaged, and we love how interactive you made our hour together.”

John Man displays an oyster shell fossil and their importance to the region after completing a watershed runoff exercise, shown sitting on the lab table.

“One of the best experiences during Church Hill Elementary School’s two months of online learning was our Virtual Classroom Live experience with the Sultana Education Foundation,” added Paul Taylor, a 4th grade teacher at the school. “The Sultana staff customized the program to my curriculum needs and engaged my students with artifacts and questions during our program. I tried virtual trips with other organizations, but those did not have nearly the level of interactive learning and excitement as the SEF’s Virtual Classroom Live program.”

Moving forward, SEF will continue developing the website and live programs ensuring the organization is poised to offer unique assistance to regional teachers during the 2020-21 school year. “Right now, nobody really knows what school is going to look like this fall,”said Cerino. “But whatever the format, SEF will be ready to assist and continue delivering our unique programs and resources to area students and teachers.”

About the Sultana Education Foundation

Founded in 1997, the Sultana Education Foundation is a private nonprofit dedicated to providing unique, hands-on educational opportunities that promote stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay’s historic, cultural, and environmental legacies. The Foundation is a two-time recipient of the National Maritime Historical Foundation’s Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education.

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here

Filed Under: News Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Education, local news, Sultana

Sultana Announces Discounts for Residential Summer Programs

March 3, 2020 by Sultana Education Foundation Leave a Comment

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SEF Announces 40% Discounts on Residential Summer Programs for Rising 7th, 8th, and 9th Grade Students in Kent County

As an extension of its highly successful Watershed Watch program for 7th grade students, the Sultana Education Foundation is offering 40% discounts on five-day residential summer programs for rising 7th, 8th and 9th graders who attend Kent County schools. Established in 2017, Watershed Watch is a comprehensive field program that uses the Radcliffe Creek watershed in Chestertown as a case study to introduce students to broader ecological concepts related to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. At the end of the program, students implement Action Projects that play a role in improving the health of the stream. This innovative initiative is conducted in partnership with Kent County Middle School, Radcliffe Creek School, Kent School, and the Chestertown Christian Academy

“We see a great benefit for Watershed Watch students to participate in these extended summer programs,” commented Chris Cerino, Vice President of the Sultana Education Foundation. “Our five-day residential trips are an incredible opportunity for these students to have a more in depth experience on the Chesapeake, and furthers the Foundation’s mission to create future stewards of the Bay.”

The Watershed Watch Summer Program Discount applies to five-day residential trips onboard the schooner SULTANA, as well as five-day kayak camping trips on the Sassafras and Nanticoke Rivers. The discount is made possible by generous funding provided by grants from the Indian Point Foundation, the John Ben Snow Memorial Trust, and the Veverka Family Foundation.

For additional information about the Sultana Education Foundation’s Summer Programs, visit www.sultanaeducation.org or call 410-778-5954.

 

Filed Under: Ed Notes Tagged With: Sultana

Sultana Summer Programs Almost 20% Booked!

December 19, 2019 by Sultana Education Foundation

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You may be starting to pile on the layers but the Sultana Education Foundation is already gearing up for summer!  With completely new camps and additional dates to offer, Sultana is packing even more fun educational experiences into your child or loved one’s summer. For children ages 5-18, Sultana offers a variety of programs, from exploring local waters and land through a day camp, or discovering unique and unknown parts of the bay through an overnight program. Filled with exciting and hands-on activities like crafts, games, fishing, paddling, sailing, beach combing and more, Sultana’s programs have something to offer to every child.  Let Sultana create a life-long appreciation for the outdoors, along with memories and friendships they won’t ever forget.

If you or know someone interested in these programs, please visit Sultana’s webpage, sultanaeducation.org/summer-programs/ or call Liza Brocker at (410)-778-5954 ext 201; lbrocker@sultanaeducation.org. Register today!

Don’t miss the latest! You can subscribe to The Chestertown Spy‘s free Daily Intelligence Report here.

Filed Under: Ed Notes Tagged With: Chestertown Spy, Education, local news

October’s First Friday with Sultana Education Foundation

September 29, 2019 by Sultana Education Foundation

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Polkadelphia

Join Sultana Education Foundation at the Holt Center for another fun (and German-themed) filled evening this coming First Friday on October 4th, 2019 from 5-8pm featuring the Philly based band, “Polkadelphia”. Playing German and Polish favorites and modern covers by artists like the Beatles, Radiohead, the White Stirpes, and Metallica, Polkadelphia will bring a smile to your face, a tap to your toes, and create a magical evening on this Wizarding Weekend in Chestertown, MD. In addition to music, Sultana is serving pretzels, German beer by Spaten, and a Spiced Harvest Ale by Fordham Brewing Co.

Admission is free and completely open to the public. Beer is $5 per and available to attendees 21 and older. Bring your friends, family, and little wizards and help Sultana bring down the haus!

Filed Under: News Notes, News Portal Highlights

Spring Fling at Sultana Featuring the High and Wides

May 3, 2019 by Sultana Education Foundation

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The High and Wides

Embrace the spring season and jumpstart your weekend by joining the Sultana Education Foundation this Friday, May 3rd, for their Spring Fling Event from 5-8pm. The event will feature the beloved hometown string quartet, “The High and Wides”, and a craft beer truck in the parking lot of the Holt Education Center Building. Praised by both the Washington Post and Baltimore Magazine, the High and Wides are “apostles of hillbilly boogie”, and “a breath of fresh country air”. The band flawlessly blends traditional mountain music with bluegrass, country, boogie, rockabilly and western swing through vocals, guitar, bass, fiddle, banjo and mandolin.

Admission is free and completely open to the public. Beer is $4 per and available to attendees 21 and older. So, bring a friend, or several, kick back, and enjoy a cold one with Sultana as we celebrate another amazing opening season of educational programming and warm weather!

Filed Under: News Notes

Sultana Education Foundation Welcomes New Senior Staff

April 14, 2019 by Sultana Education Foundation

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The Sultana Education Foundation (SEF) has announced the addition Madison Beres and Aaron Thal as new members of its senior staff.  Thal and Beres join SEF as the Foundation enters the final stages of its Vision 2020 initiative, a six-year effort to double the organization’s program capacity.

Madison Beres

A Kent County native, Madison Beres joins SEF as the Foundation’s new Development Associate. Introduced to SEF’s programs at a young age sailing aboard the schooner SULTANA with her elementary school classmates, Beres went on to graduate from St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, DE and Hamilton College in New York, where she received a Bachelor’s of Science in Geological and Environmental Sciences.  Beres was active in and outside of school, collecting numerous student-athlete and service awards including the Headmaster’s and Violet Richardson Award. Beres returned to Maryland in 2017 to pursue a path in conservation, serving as a Deckhand Educator onboard the SULTANA in 2018.

Aaron Thal

A former Chief Mate on the schooner SULTANA, Aaron Thal returns to SEF in 2019 as the organization’s first-ever Second Captain, sharing captaining duties with SEF’s Senior Captain, Michael Fiorentino.  Thal received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, and quickly jumped into the world of traditional sailing, working on multiple vessels including the schooners Quinnipiack, Sultana, Virginia, and Pride of Baltimore II.  Most recently, Thal worked for Echo Hill Outdoor School where he captained multiple vessels in Echo Hill’s fleet of historic Chesapeake Bay workboats.  Thal holds a United States Coast Guard Master License for Vessels up to 100 tons on Inland Waters, as well as Auxiliary Sail and Commercial Towing endorsements.

Filed Under: News Notes

Sultana Will Host Camper’s Preview this First Friday

April 3, 2019 by Sultana Education Foundation

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Spring has just begun, but Sultana Education Foundation’s summer programs are currently 84% full, with a few spots left on board the schooner Sultana and within the kayak and canoe adventures.  These programs provide kids ages 5-18 with extraordinary opportunities to experience the Chesapeake Bay in creative and unique ways that most can only imagine, encouraging participants to engage socially, learn new skills and develop confidence in a rage of activities.

On April 5th at 5pm, during Chestertown’s First Friday monthly event, Sultana Education Foundation will open its doors at the the Holt Education Center to host a camper’s summer preview.  Current enrollees and interested applicants can play within a campsite village, watch a video and photo montage of prior trips, roast smores on the fire, and engage in other example activities.

Sign up your child, a family member, a friend or yourself for one of these epic adventures today while you still can. http://sultanaeducation.org/summer-programs/

Filed Under: News Notes

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