For many young people, summer camp is a cherished tradition filled with adventure, discovery, and lifelong memories. Through Carver’s New England Ecology Camp Initiative, that experience becomes much more than a summer getaway—it becomes a multi-year journey of growth, confidence, leadership, and academic success.
Each summer, Carver students entering grades 6 through 9 (this summer we are adding rising 10th graders) travel to Maine to spend a week at The Ecology School at River Bend Farm, a historic 105-acre campus nestled along a scenic bend of the Saco River just minutes from the coast. There, students explore forests, fields, rivers, and working farmland while participating in hands-on environmental science, outdoor education, team-building activities, and personal development experiences.
What makes this program unique is its long-term design. Each year, a new cohort of rising sixth graders attends camp for the first time. They are joined by returning students from previous years, creating a continuous pathway that allows participants to return summer after summer until their final experience as rising ninth graders. This rolling-cohort model helps students build lasting friendships, deepen their connection to nature, and strengthen their confidence as they progress through the critical middle school years.
The impact extends far beyond the week students spend in Maine.
A recent longitudinal analysis of Carver’s New England Ecology Camp participants found that students who attended the program consistently outperformed their peers in mathematics growth. Over three years, the percentage of camp participants meeting their NWEA MAP math growth goals increased from 59% to 67%, while the gap between camp participants and non-participants widened from 5 percentage points to 9 percentage points. Researchers concluded that the program appears to have a meaningful and cumulative impact on academic growth over time.
The study also found that camp participants maintained reading growth comparable to their peers, demonstrating that a nature-based, experiential learning environment supports academic development without sacrificing literacy outcomes.
Since launching in 2022, the program has grown rapidly. What began with just 17 students has expanded to serve 89 unique participants, with students returning for multiple summers. This steady growth reflects the trust families place in the experience and the profound impact students bring home.
At The Ecology School, students learn to paddle rivers, investigate ecosystems, work collaboratively, solve problems, and challenge themselves in new ways. For many, it is their first experience living away from home, sharing responsibilities with peers, and seeing a different part of New England. These moments build independence, resilience, curiosity, and leadership—qualities that support success both inside and outside the classroom.
Carver believes that education happens everywhere. Through the New England Ecology Camp Initiative, students gain not only unforgettable summer memories, but also the confidence, skills, and experiences that help prepare them for a bright future.
Because sometimes the most important classroom has no walls at all.
