March 20, 2008 – The V.I. Resource Conservation & Development Council Inc. is seeking eight Virgin Islands' high school students between the ages of 15-18 to attend the 2008 Natural Resources Conservation Workshop. The workshop will be held June 8-12, at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) in Tifton, Georgia. The summer camp is usually only open to Georgia students; however, 22 students from the USVI have participated in this unique learning opportunity since 2003 through the sponsorship of the V.I. RC&D Council and the V.I. Urban Forestry Council.
The program is looking for students who are mature and interested in the natural sciences and/or agriculture. If selected to participate, they will be exposed to various natural resources: soil, water, air, plants, minerals and animals. In addition they will get a taste of college life while spending an entire week on the ABAC campus.
The camp utilizes field trips, class instruction and recreational activities to help students learn about the basic principles and wise use of natural resources. Students will be able to gain insight into careers through their counselors and instructors, who are professionals from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, USDA-NRCS, Georgia Forestry Commission, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and many private industries and organizations.
Applicants must be between 15 and 18 years of age, but not a graduating senior at the time of the camp. They must fill out a registration and medical application form, provide copies of valid insurance and a passport, and submit a one-page essay describing their interest in natural resources and/or agriculture and why they wish to participate in the conservation summer camp.
Information on the summer camp and application packages are available from the V.I. RC&D Office, located in the Merrill Lynch Building in Gallows Bay, or by calling the office at 692-9632, ext. 5. Application packages can also be downloaded from the V.I. RC&D Web site at www.usvircd.org. Additional information on the Georgia Natural Resources Conservation Workshop and the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is available at www.abac.edu/psba/nrcw/.
This project is funded by a grant from the V.I. Department of Agriculture Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program.
