Berry Burcher Memorial / Hog Island Audubon Camp Scholarship

The Berry Burcher Memorial Hog Island Scholarship Fund is offering a full scholarship to Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens at Hog Island in Maine. This program is designed for teens aged 14-17 (applicants must be in this age range at the time of camp). 

This scholarship is available for one Pennsylvania teen who is a resident of Lackawanna, Wayne, Susquehanna, or northern Pike counties in PA or Sullivan County, NY.

The scholarship covers the cost of programs, lodging, and meals. Scholarship recipients must arrange transportation to and from the Audubon Dock in Bremen, Maine at the start and finish of camp.

Applications will be accepted until March 13th. Late applications cannot be accepted. Recipients will be notified by the end of March.

About the program:

Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens is designed for youth aged 14-17 who want to be a part of a community of passionate, caring, and curious young people with an interest in birding. If you are a young birder who wants to further develop your skills, adventure to birding hot spots in coastal Maine, learn about coastal ecology and conservation, make new friends, and have fun doing it then this session is for you! 

Throughout the week you will immerse yourself in the bounties of summertime on the Maine coast through activities like boat trips, field trips to mainland birding spots, tide pooling, spruce forest hikes, nature journaling and more! You will experience the diversity of birds that summer in coastal Maine and gain a deep understanding of their habitat, food sources, ecology, and conservation. This session has the VERY special privilege of landing on Eastern Egg Rock to experience a day in the life of a seabird researcher (weather and seas permitting).  

Please be aware that CMBS is not your average bird camp! Our focus is not about getting the highest number of species on our list, but on appreciating birds, observing the natural world around us, learning about bird conservation, and building a supportive community where we can all grow as birders and as individuals. The Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens programs run concurrently with the adult sessions Joy of Birding and Field Ornithology and share many instructors. This is a wonderful opportunity for teens to learn from many different highly skilled instructors throughout the week.  

For additional information about the camp experience visit http://hogisland.audubon.org

The Berry Burcher Memorial Audubon Hog Island Scholarship was created to help keep the memory of Berry Burcher alive. This is a camp Berry attend as a scholarship awardee when he was 12 years old. Berry loved nature and thought birds were one of the most exciting and inspiring aspects of the natural world. By continuing to offer this scholarship to a local youth in Berry's community, it is our hope to honor Berry's memory and also help other young people experience nature as he did.

This year's camp program will run from June 14th to June 19th.

If you have any questions or need help, please contact Connor at csimon@waynefoundation.org

Click here to apply!

Hog Island’s Family Camp provides a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy nature together. The pristine environment on Hog Island offers a wide variety of habitats for nature study. Campers cruise Muscongus Bay in search of seabirds and seals. They examine aquatic insects and amphibians in a freshwater pond, look for mushrooms and wildflowers in the forest, and search for fish and marine invertebrates along the intertidal zone. Evening programs include night hikes and stargazing. Each day begins with an optional early morning bird walk and ends with a family campfire program filled with songs, stories, and skits. We invite you to experience an educational family adventure you will never forget. For additional information about the camp experience visit http://hogisland.audubon.org 

This scholarship will be awarded based on the information provided on the application. Application deadline is March 1st, 2025. For more information about the scholarship or application process please contact The Wayne County Community Foundation at (570) 251-9993 or info@waynefoundation.org