Wilderness School Comes To Newtown

By Nancy K. Crevier

Two Coyotes Wilderness School, a nature-oriented mentoring organization based in Connecticut, will offer a variety of outdoor survival and environmental programs this summer, for children and teenagers, as well as some directed at adults and families, at Sticks and Stones Farm, 197 Huntingtown Road. The programs “instill a deep connection with nature, connection to community, and personal empowerment,” according to a recent Two Coyotes press release.

Classes, which begin in mid-June, will include harvesting wild edible plants and fire-making skills. Other classes include Nature and the Arts, a Wilderness Survival Camp, Bow-Making for Teens, a Teen Adventure Camp, and the Wildwood Rangers Camp where kids take on the parts of fantasy characters and utilize newly learned outdoor skills under the direction of Two Coyotes Executive Director Justin Pegnataro, lead educator Karianna Rosenberg, and additional staff. Special weekend and overnight programs will also be offered.

Mr Pegnataro has been teaching environmental education for 11 years, and has been director of the wilderness school since 2008. He first recognized his great love of nature, he said, while a biology student at Southern Connecticut State University.

“That led me to explore outdoor survival, wildlife tracking, and plant identification,” he said, and that in turn ignited his desire to pass on that knowledge to young people.

Two Coyotes Wilderness School has led programs at Ansonia Nature Center and at the Holcomb Farm in West Granby, and has facilitated many home school programs, where the long-term interaction with students amplifies the core mission of the organization.

Monthly weekend programs and monthly overnight programs that build on year after year of involvement allow staff to become a constant piece in the lives of the children they teach, said Mr Pegnataro. “For us, it’s as much about  mentoring as it is about the nature side of it,” he said. “I believe that mentoring is something everyone can benefit from,” he added.

But even day programs can stimulate a love of nature, said Ms Rosenberg. “It awakens awareness on a lot of levels,” she said, “and that depth always amazes me. We are thrilled to be working with kids, and thrilled to be offering classes at Sticks and Stones this summer. It’s rewarding not only for the participants,” she said, “but for the staff, as well. Seeing [the students’] bright eyes and big smiles as they discover their gifts and bond with nature, is a huge reward.”

For a full list of programs being offered at Sticks and Stones Farm, or to register for classes, visit www.TwoCoyotes.org.