JOIN US FOR SUMMER CAMP 2027

 Spending time outdoors helps keep people happy and healthy—and our summer camp is built around that idea. During the last  full week of June, the Mary Scott Community Orchard offers a summer camp experience. Located in Mary Scott Park, the orchard is a peaceful, fully ADA-accessible outdoor classroom featuring pollinator plants, dwarf apple trees, and accessible facilities for all learners. 

We are united by a belief in the power of inclusion and hands-on learning. All set against the beauty of outdoor spaces that welcome everyone. Together, we grow a stronger and more inclusive community through shared experiences in nature. There are several summer camps across the community, but ours is focused on students with special with disabilities, ages 8-16.

We envision a space where all students—regardless of ability level—better understand and connect with nature, build meaningful relationships, and grow with confidence. In this space, learning is not solitary; it is shared. Students work side by side, ask questions together under open skies, and celebrate discoveries as a community. Collaboration becomes as essential as cultivation. By engaging in collective stewardship, students experience trust, empathy, and mutual respect.  

Over the course of one week, we will hold five half-day sessions based on a common theme and can accommodate up to 30 campers. Through hands-on stewardship projects, students learn their actions have lasting community impact.  

 Each day begins with a morning group activity and stroll through the orchard. Campers engage in sensory-rich science activities, story-based environmental science lessons, gardening, and art. Off-site visits to other orchards provide broader context and inspiration. 

 We teach more than how to plant a tree—we teach the stewardship of community.  They engage in real stewardship projects such as planting, mulching, watering, and pollinator support, learning that their actions have a lasting impact on the environment and others. 

We will host a one week half-day long summer camp during the last full week of June. Summer camp attendees will learn about the orchard and contribute their efforts to further develop this space as a part of the community. 

 The MSCO summer camp promotes meaningful outdoor learning experiences that connect environmental science, art, and literacy with discovery in nature. We are presenting a camp experience in inclusivity and peer-based interactions.

 As part of the registration and intake interview, we communicate and communicate with parents, so as to provide continuity when needed. We review and become informed of the student's unique needs and offer support and transparency. 

 The MSCO will take its place as part of the RAM's annual Secret Garden Tour in 2028! This will be one of the amazing stops on this local community tour and will proudly be presented by the MSCO campers.