Junior Ranger Adventure Squad is a creative partnership between Urban Adventure Squad and Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens with the goal to create meaningful connections to local National Parks and foster a lifelong love of environmental stewardship in students here in Washington, DC. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, a historic National Park Service site located along the Anacostia River, is where we will spend our days hiking, exploring, learning, picnicking, and playing.
Urban Adventure Squad/Urban Learning and Teaching Center (“Urban Adventure Squad') is a Washington, DC-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that supports schools and school communities with outdoors-focused, hands-on learning programs that use the city as the classroom. If you have any questions after reading through this page, please email us at info@urbanadventuresquad.org.
Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens connects neighbors and visitors to the park all year long through stewardship, engagement and educational activities. To learn more and get involved as a family or school, visit kenaqgardens.org or on social media @kenaqgardens
Spring Break Program: April 11-15
WHO: 1st-8th grade students
WHEN: 9:00am-3:00pm
WHERE: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE
COST: FREE for neighborhood students (Ward 7)
Summer Program: June 27-July 1
WHO: rising 2nd-rising 8th grade students
WHEN: 9:00am-3:00pm
WHERE: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE
COST: FREE for neighborhood students (Ward 7)
These are fully masked, small group, outdoor programs.
We're only opening space for 21 Squad members in this program. We open a certain number of spaces for each age group--if a session fills up, you can add your child to the wait list (more info on that if you scroll down). We will give preference to siblings when we're able to. Each UAS educator--called Squad leaders--will have 6 or 7 Squad members in their group. The groups will remain separate for almost the entirety of the programs, but these are not cohorts and there will be some mixing of groups at certain points during the day and the week. Our priorities are masking and distance, and we will continue to follow evolving local and federal guidance. You can read through our COVID-19 Precautions and Protocol webpage, and if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to email us, info@urbanadventuresquad.org.
Consistent with the DC vaccine requirement for students, which begins on March 1, 2022, UAS will require proof of full vaccination for students in our spring break and summer programs.
Urban Adventure Squad/Urban Learning and Teaching Center (“Urban Adventure Squad') is a Washington, DC-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit education organization that supports schools and school communities with outdoors-focused, hands-on learning programs that use the city as the classroom. If you have any questions after reading through this page, please email us at info@urbanadventuresquad.org.
Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens connects neighbors and visitors to the park all year long through stewardship, engagement and educational activities. To learn more and get involved as a family or school, visit kenaqgardens.org or on social media @kenaqgardens
Spring Break Program: April 11-15
WHO: 1st-8th grade students
WHEN: 9:00am-3:00pm
WHERE: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE
COST: FREE for neighborhood students (Ward 7)
Summer Program: June 27-July 1
WHO: rising 2nd-rising 8th grade students
WHEN: 9:00am-3:00pm
WHERE: Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, 1550 Anacostia Ave NE
COST: FREE for neighborhood students (Ward 7)
These are fully masked, small group, outdoor programs.
We're only opening space for 21 Squad members in this program. We open a certain number of spaces for each age group--if a session fills up, you can add your child to the wait list (more info on that if you scroll down). We will give preference to siblings when we're able to. Each UAS educator--called Squad leaders--will have 6 or 7 Squad members in their group. The groups will remain separate for almost the entirety of the programs, but these are not cohorts and there will be some mixing of groups at certain points during the day and the week. Our priorities are masking and distance, and we will continue to follow evolving local and federal guidance. You can read through our COVID-19 Precautions and Protocol webpage, and if you still have questions, please do not hesitate to email us, info@urbanadventuresquad.org.
Consistent with the DC vaccine requirement for students, which begins on March 1, 2022, UAS will require proof of full vaccination for students in our spring break and summer programs.
WHAT WILL MY CHILD BE DOING EACH DAY?
Every day of our Junior Ranger Adventure Squad programs include hiking, playing, exploring, and creating at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Your student will learn about local plants and animals, explore the energy cycle and food webs, work on art projects inspired by the former owner of the gardens, practice wilderness survival skills, and become an environmental steward of the park!
At Urban Adventure Squad, we strongly believe that outdoor learning is an essential part of a child’s physical, social, mental, and emotional growth. Squad members--who come from over 80 schools in the Washington area--explore the natural world, build confidence in themselves, make new friends, discover new passions, become environmental advocates, and connect with their communities. See examples of what we've been doing in our weekday programs all schoolyear by checking us out on instagram, facebook, and twitter @UrbanAdvSquad, or visiting our Outdoor Programs webpage.
Every day of our Junior Ranger Adventure Squad programs include hiking, playing, exploring, and creating at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Your student will learn about local plants and animals, explore the energy cycle and food webs, work on art projects inspired by the former owner of the gardens, practice wilderness survival skills, and become an environmental steward of the park!
At Urban Adventure Squad, we strongly believe that outdoor learning is an essential part of a child’s physical, social, mental, and emotional growth. Squad members--who come from over 80 schools in the Washington area--explore the natural world, build confidence in themselves, make new friends, discover new passions, become environmental advocates, and connect with their communities. See examples of what we've been doing in our weekday programs all schoolyear by checking us out on instagram, facebook, and twitter @UrbanAdvSquad, or visiting our Outdoor Programs webpage.
HOW TO REGISTER
Registration is currently password-protected so Ward 7 families can have priority registration.
PASSWORD: ADVENTURE2022
1. CREATE AN ACCOUNT
If you are new to UAS, you should prepare ahead of time by creating a new account in our registration system,
which is powered by UltraCamp.
Please note: Now that we're in a new calendar year, our registration system asks for your student's grade "in fall of 2022." Summer registration generally goes by the "rising" grade, or the student's grade in fall of the next school year. When asked for your child's grade in fall of 2022, you would (for example) select 4th grade for your current 3rd grade student. This would let the system know they are currently in 3rd grade and UltraCamp will automatically graduate them in June to 4th grade.
2. CLICK MAKE A RESERVATION
3. SCROLL DOWN AND SELECT THE "Junior Ranger Adventure Squad" SESSION OF YOUR CHOICE
WAITING LISTS. We are opening space for 21 students in each program, so we can split students by age into smaller groups of 6-7 per educator. If a session you're interested in is full, there is an option to add your student to the waiting list. You'll find programs for which you can add your Squad member to the waiting list by scrolling to the bottom of the list of available programs. If space becomes available, you'll receive an email offering you a spot, which will be held for just 48 hours. Please be sure to check your spam filters. Emails often land in them, and we can't be responsible for emails that land in spam folders.
PREFERRED PAIRINGS. We will do our best to place siblings and friends in the same group whenever possible. If you'd like to request a pairing, please email us when you register to notify us of your request. Click here to email us.
WEATHER CANCELLATIONS. If there is relentless rain and lightning throughout all or part of the day, we may have to shorten or cancel that day's program. We will only use Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens' emergency shelter (classroom and tents) for brief periods during the day. We will not spend an entire day indoors.
WHAT TO BRING. We will send an email with program details about a week ahead of each program. Most important is a well-fitting mask. The mask should cover your Squad member's nose and mouth and fit the contours of their face. Squad leaders will carry kid-sized disposable medical masks if needed in a pinch.
Squad members should bring a comfortable backpack packed with a lunch and snacks, as well as a large water bottle to keep your Squad member hydrated. We do not recommend drawstring backpacks--the strings can create rope burn on exposed shoulders and even through t-shirts. We provide morning and afternoon snacks.
We recommend light, breathable layers in the spring and summer. Light color layers and tall socks help for tick prevention. For UAS tick protocol, click here. A hat and comfortable hiking shoes are a must! NO CROCS OR FLIP FLOPS. Please send your Squad member in the morning with a base layer or sunscreen and insect repellent. We'll remind Squad members to reapply throughout the day. If it's a rainy day, a waterproof layer or poncho is helpful. UAS educators are well stocked with supplies to keep Squad members safe, dry, and cool thanks to our wonderful Squad community who purchases these supplies from our amazon wish list and donates other items. This means we have things like disposable ponchos, disposable kid-sized medical masks, and extra socks.
To meet our team of educators, head over to our Staff Bios page. All UAS educators are fully vaccinated and boosted, and will wear masks during these programs.
For more information about Urban Adventure Squad, follow us on social media: @UrbanAdvSquad on twitter, instagram, and facebook, or email us at info@urbanadventuresquad.org.
Registration is currently password-protected so Ward 7 families can have priority registration.
PASSWORD: ADVENTURE2022
1. CREATE AN ACCOUNT
If you are new to UAS, you should prepare ahead of time by creating a new account in our registration system,
which is powered by UltraCamp.
Please note: Now that we're in a new calendar year, our registration system asks for your student's grade "in fall of 2022." Summer registration generally goes by the "rising" grade, or the student's grade in fall of the next school year. When asked for your child's grade in fall of 2022, you would (for example) select 4th grade for your current 3rd grade student. This would let the system know they are currently in 3rd grade and UltraCamp will automatically graduate them in June to 4th grade.
2. CLICK MAKE A RESERVATION
3. SCROLL DOWN AND SELECT THE "Junior Ranger Adventure Squad" SESSION OF YOUR CHOICE
WAITING LISTS. We are opening space for 21 students in each program, so we can split students by age into smaller groups of 6-7 per educator. If a session you're interested in is full, there is an option to add your student to the waiting list. You'll find programs for which you can add your Squad member to the waiting list by scrolling to the bottom of the list of available programs. If space becomes available, you'll receive an email offering you a spot, which will be held for just 48 hours. Please be sure to check your spam filters. Emails often land in them, and we can't be responsible for emails that land in spam folders.
PREFERRED PAIRINGS. We will do our best to place siblings and friends in the same group whenever possible. If you'd like to request a pairing, please email us when you register to notify us of your request. Click here to email us.
WEATHER CANCELLATIONS. If there is relentless rain and lightning throughout all or part of the day, we may have to shorten or cancel that day's program. We will only use Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens' emergency shelter (classroom and tents) for brief periods during the day. We will not spend an entire day indoors.
WHAT TO BRING. We will send an email with program details about a week ahead of each program. Most important is a well-fitting mask. The mask should cover your Squad member's nose and mouth and fit the contours of their face. Squad leaders will carry kid-sized disposable medical masks if needed in a pinch.
Squad members should bring a comfortable backpack packed with a lunch and snacks, as well as a large water bottle to keep your Squad member hydrated. We do not recommend drawstring backpacks--the strings can create rope burn on exposed shoulders and even through t-shirts. We provide morning and afternoon snacks.
We recommend light, breathable layers in the spring and summer. Light color layers and tall socks help for tick prevention. For UAS tick protocol, click here. A hat and comfortable hiking shoes are a must! NO CROCS OR FLIP FLOPS. Please send your Squad member in the morning with a base layer or sunscreen and insect repellent. We'll remind Squad members to reapply throughout the day. If it's a rainy day, a waterproof layer or poncho is helpful. UAS educators are well stocked with supplies to keep Squad members safe, dry, and cool thanks to our wonderful Squad community who purchases these supplies from our amazon wish list and donates other items. This means we have things like disposable ponchos, disposable kid-sized medical masks, and extra socks.
To meet our team of educators, head over to our Staff Bios page. All UAS educators are fully vaccinated and boosted, and will wear masks during these programs.
For more information about Urban Adventure Squad, follow us on social media: @UrbanAdvSquad on twitter, instagram, and facebook, or email us at info@urbanadventuresquad.org.