Otter Creek Audubon Society (OCAS) will provide an $800 scholarship to help an Addison County educator or teen attend the renowned Hog Island Audubon Camp next summer. Located off the scenic coast of Maine, the camp is run by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Every summer they offer sessions, each lasting about five days. Every summer, that is, until this past summer, when camp was canceled due to COVID-19. 
The summer of 2021 still poses uncertainties and registration for next summer’s tentative session has been postponed to an unspecified date in early 2021. OCAS will still offer the scholarship, in hopes that Hog Island can safely reopen. Any local teacher or teen who wishes to apply for the scholarship should email Carol at [email protected] by Dec. 20. An application will be sent to all interested people as soon as the camp’s summer plans are confirmed. 
Educators will apply for the session entitled “Sharing Nature: an Educator’s Week” (hogisland.audubon.org/sharing-nature-educator-s-week) — a unique week for educators committed to engaging their students with nature. With a total cost of $1,145, the participant would be responsible for $345. Tentative dates are July 11-16.
For a teen (age 14-17) who is especially keen on birding, the session “Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens Session 2.” (hogisland.audubon.org/bird-studies-teens) would have a total cost of $1,395, with the participant responsible for $595. Tentative dates are June 20-25.
Successful applicants should plan to share their camp experiences through either a presentation to the OCAS board, an article in the Addison Independent or the OCAS newsletter or in some other public venue. Please include photos, so the audience gets a good sense of the Hog Island week.
Additional scholarships may be available from National Audubon Society; head online to hogisland.audubon.org/programs/scholarships for details.