New Okefenokee Programs Article and Photos by Katie Antczak Environmental Science Education Coordinator Okefenokee Swamp Park
W
here do you go to spark your imagination and wonder? For many people across the world, that place is the Okefenokee Swamp. Where else in the Southeastern United States can one take a leisurely stroll down a wooden boardwalk and listen to the “tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet” song of a Prothonotary warbler, the “clacking marbles” call of a Southern cricket frog, or the deep rumbling bellow of an American alligator? Where else can you take a guided boat tour, put in your own kayak or canoe, or take a train ride and see an 11-foot-long alligator basking on the bank of a blackwater creek? At Okefenokee Swamp Park (OSP) in Waycross, Georgia, you can hear, see, and do all of that and much more! Our mission is “to provide visitor access and interpretive education that inspires conservation advocacy for the Okefenokee Swamp.” My personal goal as the environmental science education coordinator at OSP is not just to give our visitors a good show and things to see, but to provide an immersive experience that allows visitors to build a personal connection to the Okefenokee Swamp. My first day on the job, I asked myself, “How do I get children who have been stuck in their phones and video games to appreciate this spectacular land? How do I inspire them to want to protect this unique place?” The answer I uncovered was immersive and fun educational programming experiences. As an educator and a naturalist, I have always followed the adage “show me, I forget; teach me, I learn; involve me, I understand.” I did not want the programs that I developed to be a “show and tell” that visitors of any age would quickly forget. I wanted the OSP visitors to walk away with an understanding of the swamp they could not get just by reading about it or watching videos. I wanted them to build a connection to this fascinating land, have the experience of a lifetime, and leave with a sense of awe and wonder. I wanted to encourage them to investigate, explore, and learn more, and thus in turn inspire them to be conservation advocates for the Okefenokee Swamp. With this goal in mind, I created the brand new “I wonder…” monthly Wednesday Homeschool Program and am continuing the very successful monthly Junior Naturalist Program. Both of these engaging educational programs involve children in immersive activities in the swamp. We discuss the culture and history of the swamp as well as its ecology. The goal of each of these programs is not just to teach about the Okefenokee Swamp, but to give the May 2021
Southern Tides Magazine
Above, a wood-lined boardwalk; below wild iris in bloom.
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