Wild Spies: Case of the Lost Skull | St. John's Spring Eco Camp 2024

When Mother Nature is in trouble, she calls upon the Wild Spies - a group of kids that fight to keep the ecosystem in balance. Enter this world of mystery and role-playing to defeat Henriette Herbicide and protect the forest. Learn real-life skills like code breaking, forensics, animal ID, microscopy, and more as you complete each daily mission.

Campers will:

• Create a secret spy identity
• Go on hikes to make discoveries in the forest
• Work in teams for animal ID, forensics, and code breaking
• Use real tools like microscopes, chemical analysis, plaster casting, fingerprint lifting, and more (gloves & goggles included!)
• Get creative with world-building and role play

Daily Schedule:

~Arrival & Debrief

~Spy School - Learn the secrets and tricks to being an Wild Spy using science, ecology, forensics, and more

~Snack

~Wild Spy Mission - Use what you learned to complete your mission with your team, each day getting closer to defeating Henriette Herbicide!

~Lunch & Free Play

~Skill Training - Fun games to train like a Wild Spy; can you camouflage? identify with only smell? avoid the traps?

~Review of the day

Wild Spies will solve the following Top Secret Mission: Henriette Herbicide is a misguided chemist who is poisoning the ecosystem! Her identity has been a secret, which has made stopping her almost impossible - until now. Henriette slipped up and left behind a skull stuffed with money at the scene of the crime. Between the five arrested suspects figure out which one is Henriette using hair and blood samples, animal tracks, foot prints, and other evidence left behind.

Day 1 : Crime Scene Analysis

The Wild Spies are on the scene! Mother Nature HQ has summoned her greatest detectives - YOU! Analyze the crime scene, bag the evidence, and interview the suspects. Get your official Wild Spy kit and learn the key skills to use it.

Day 2: Fingerprinting & Blood Sampling

Learn how to lift fingerprints and blood samples from the evidence. Analyze the results and compare it to your own fingerprints. (Synthetic blood will be used only).

Day 3: Skull & Footprint ID

Use your scientific knowledge to identify what animal the skull came from. Match the footprints at the crime scene by visiting the 'shoe store'. Take a cast of the prints with plaster.

Day 4: Hair & Fiber Analysis and Chromatography

Take a closer look at the hair and fiber samples you have acquired. What was the suspect wearing? Do they have a mystery pet? Use chromatography to separate the components of ink from their note and match it to the writing utensil.

Day 5: Identify the Suspect

Compile all of your evidence to create a case for your suspect. Once you identify your suspect, don't let them get away!

(Possible guest appearance)

What Spy Parents Need to Know

Please send your camper with a backpack that includes the following:

• Bug Spray/Sunscreen (we also have some available)
• Water bottle
• Lunch & Snack
• Optional: Change of clothes (we will be getting messy/muddy almost daily)

Drop-off: Drop off will be at 9am at the rear pavilion. Follow the directions given to the pavilion to sign in your child.

Pick-up: Pickup begins at 2:00 pm. You MUST pick up your child before 2:30 pm. There is a late fee of $1/minute for children not picked up by 2:30, due at time of arrival.

Allergies/Medications: Please inform JDA in writing of any allergies or medications that your child needs during the camp. Your child must be able to administer medication to themselves. JDA staff are not able to provide or administer any medication to your child. All medication, including anti-histamines, pain relievers, etc. must be labeled with your child's name in a plastic bag and checked in with a JDA staff member upon arrival.

Special Circumstances: Parents and guardians are required to inform the Jax Dragonfly Academy in writing of any special circumstances which may affect the child’s ability to participate fully and within the guidelines of acceptable behavior, including, but not limited to, any serious behavioral problems or special circumstances regarding psychological, medical, or physical conditions.

Behavior: Participants are expected to honor the Dragonfly Academy’s Code of Conduct. We reserve the right to dismiss a participant whose behavior is out of line with this Code of Conduct in a way that puts themselves or others at risk. No refund will be issued for dismissals.

Cancellations: Jax Dragonfly Academy designs and implements programs based on enrollment. We invest in program planning, site licenses, equipment and other costs before the program begins. These expenses cannot be recovered in the event of a cancellation. When considering a cancellation, please be aware and respectful of our policies and commitment to facilitating quality programs.

Weather: Programs run rain or shine. We don’t provide refunds for days missed due to weather. All participants should come to programs with weather-appropriate clothing and related gear. In the event that extreme weather jeopardizes the health and safety of participants and staff, the Dragonfly Academy may choose to cancel or reschedule the session.

Park access: Jax Dragonfly Academy operates in public parks. In very rare circumstances where access to the park has been restricted without notice, programs may be canceled if an alternative location can not be secured. Credits will be issued.

Low enrollment: Jax Dragonfly Academy reserves the right to cancel a program due to low enrollment.  A full refund will be issued.

Circumstances beyond our control: The Dragonfly Academy will determine whether a refund is warranted.

Other refunds and credits: We can provide a 100% refund, minus a $25 cancellation fee for requests made prior to February 1. Refund requests made prior to March 1 will receive a 50% refund. After this time, no refunds will be provided.

All cancellations must be requested in writing by emailing info@jaxdragonfly.org.

We reserve the right to cancel a program or change a program’s duration, price or location. You will be notified via email of any changes to programs you are registered for.

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Special Needs: We do our very best to provide a positive environment for all our participants. If a participant requires special accommodations, please elaborate on these as much as possible in their application. Our team will be in touch to further discuss how we can best provide support. If participants with special needs require more support than we are able to provide and this information is not a part of the application process, participation in the program may not be possible.

*After registration you will be given a full list of what to bring, and what to expect. Email will be sent out in February. Parents are welcome to stop by at any time during the camp, but please let a camp leader know in case we are out in the woods. If you are a parent and wish to be a chaperone/volunteer, please contact us for further details.