(jazz music)
- Welcome to Arlington Echo's
50th anniversary celebration!
(audience cheers and applauds)
I am so excited to see
everybody that has come out.
It's really exciting to have
old friends, new friends,
students, adults, everybody.
It's been really neat to see
everybody coming off the buses.
This is what Arlington Echo's about,
it's about celebrating, it's
about being close to nature,
and it's about connecting.
First, I do want to think the All County
High School Big Band.
(audience cheers and applauds)
I don't know if they can hear
ya, but they were nice enough
to come out and practice first.
They have a performance
they're doing tonight,
and if you didn't know, we
used to have music camps
out here on a regular basis,
so it was very fitting
to have them out there, out here playing
for us today.
So in 1968, 50 years ago,
the outdoor programming
pretty much started.
They did, rented the facility,
they did it at other places,
but that's kinda when it began.
In 1971, the county, don't
as me why, but they did,
had the good notion of
buying this property,
24 acres, for $175,000.
- Wow.
- Wow.
- So they purchased it from
Arlington Presbyterian Church.
That's where the
Arlington name comes from,
and in that first year,
they had 7,000 students.
Today, we see over
25,000 students each year
here and at our other programs
throughout the county.
(audience cheers and applauds)
I forgot to mention who I was.
(audience laughs)
I have my notes, but I
didn't have that on there.
I'm Melanie Parker, I'm
the current coordinator
of Environmental Literacy and Outdoor Ed
and basically, the principal
here at Arlington Echo.
- Whoo!
- Whoo!
- Whoo-hoo!
(audience cheers and applauds)
- So in the past 50 years,
I was trying to figure out
all the numbers, was trying
to figure out how many people
have actually been out
here, and I came up with
about 750,000 students over the 50 years
engaging in authentic hands-on learning,
encouraging environmental stewardship.
That does not include
though, all of the parents
assisting with our
lessons, the chaperones,
the teachers, the adult learners
that are with our Watershed
Stewards Academy Program,
bee keeping, ground
department, natural resources,
hosting the environmental
education workshops,
and countless other county
department meetings here,
as well as superintendent retreats.
I think I can probably really say
that we've had over a million served here
at Arlington Echo.
Many of you are here
today and I'd like folks
to raise their hands, okay?
If this is something that you relate to.
How many of you came here as a child?
How many have attended
summer camp (laughing)?
Some of the same hands.
(audience chatters)
How many came as teachers
to bring their students
or to participate in a
professional development?
(audience chatters)
And then how many have
worked here before today?
Not (mumbles)?
(laughing)
(audience chatters and laughs)
I do want to recognize our current staff.
You might notice them.
They have the black jackets
on and the blue shirts.
They're an amazing group of
people that tirelessly work
all the time to provide
an amazing experience
for our students and around the county.
I especially want to
recognize Steve Pickens
and Cathy Valerin, where are you?
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Hi Steve!
(audience applauds)
- Where's Cathy?
Who have been here or over 40 years
- Whoo!
(audience chatters)
- Nice!
- Wow, (mumbles) Lord.
(audience applauds)
- Thank you, (mumbles).
(audience cheers and applauds)
But thank you to them for
their dedication and service,
and making the programs that we have here.
(faint speaking)
I also want to recognize
our superintendent
and the executive team that have come out
to support our programs
and continue to support
our programs over the years,
so I'm gonna introduce
Dr. Arlotto, if he could come on up.
(audience cheers and applauds)
(faint speaking)
- Good afternoon.
This is really, this is really fabulous.
We dialed up a very special day.
Weather is something on my
mind as a superintendent
(audience laughs)
all the time,
so this is delightful.
So we're here to celebrate
50 years of just awesomeness.
And so somebody had the
forethought, it wasn't me
'cause I was in elementary
school at the time,
but when they bought the
property for $175,000,
it was an investment at that time
and it was an investment in the future,
and it's an investment
today, 50 years later
and it's amazing.
And so we are here to honor
and celebrate this space,
these 24 acres, but really we
need to celebrate the people,
and the programs, and
the access that have made
the difference for children and adults
all these 50 years because
the space is awesome,
but it's the people,
this staff over the years
and you're gonna hear from
the two former directors,
prior to now that have built
this place and they built it
out of love and commitment
to children, and we spent
a lot of time, my executive team and I,
talking about how you
create programs that engage
children outside the
classroom that contribute
to the excellence inside the classroom,
and this is a key part of it, and we are,
if you haven't had a
chance to look through
this program guide about the work we do
in Anne Arundel County, this
is, we are state leaders,
we are national leaders,
and have been recognized
internationally for the work we do,
and it's at this place
that's at the hub of it,
but it's this staff that
Melanie has introduced
that's out there working not just here,
but they're working
with our kindergartners
at Camp Woodlands, they're
working with the fourth
graders here in that
experience, they're working
with the fifth graders in drown proofing.
Our Outdoor Literacy and
Environmental Stewardship
Program begins in pre-K and
runs right through 12th grade,
and it's this staff and
this hub on this campus
that are out in 126 schools supporting
environmental literacy
and education, pre-K to 12
and that's amazing.
This is also a staff that's
growing sea bay grasses
and nurturing terrapins.
I don't know how they find the time,
but they do it out of love
and commitment to the kids,
so we're celebrating.
We're delighted your here, but
we're celebrating this space,
but it's about the people and the programs
that we give our children
access to, and the impact
those people and programs have
on kids each and every day
that I thank you.
You are amazing.
We're delighted you're here.
Enjoy this beautiful day.
(audience cheers and applauds)
So we've got two Magothy
River Middle School students,
Jordan and Kate, that want
to come up and talk with you.
Come on up.
(audience applauds)
There you go.
Awesome.
- Hi, my name is Kate
Pierce and I'm a six grader
at Magothy River Middle School.
I believe Arlington Echo
has a fantastic outdoor
learning atmosphere.
Arlington Echo is important
to any kid's education
to see what is really happening
around the Chesapeake Bay.
If they didn't get to
go on these interactive
field trips, kids wouldn't
be able to get the idea
on how we could help the Chesapeake Bay.
Our generation has a lot to offer to help
restore the bay, so why don't we,
so why don't we start getting
kids aware of the problem
and help Arlington Echo, with
the help of Arlington Echo.
Arlington Echo is a way
to get out of school
for some kids, but I feel a different way.
I believe that Arlington
Echo is a place to teach kids
about the Chesapeake Bay by making it fun.
In my past experiences, me
and my friend, Wendy Lott,
and laughed a ton.
In fourth grade, we went
canoeing, but my friend and I
got stuck on a sandbar.
(audience laughs)
We got to see a couple
fish and a lot of trash.
It shows kids that people are littering
and it's getting everywhere.
I think that we should keep
it funded because it's helping
many people become aware
and making a better learning
environment for all types of learners.
(audience applauds)
- Hi, my name is Jordan
Vineyard and I'm a sixth grader
at Magothy River Middle School.
Arlington Echo is important
because it allows children
to learn about erosion and other problems,
and how to stop, and how to stop,
then using hands-on experiences.
It also teaches them about the
health of the Chesapeake Bay
and how we can help
improve the environment.
In my experiences at Arlington Echo,
in my community I explore
and investigate the forest
and woods to see what erosion has done
to the water's edge.
In some location, erosion is really bad.
Exploring it over and
over has helped me learn
about the outdoors.
Knowing this, I can
understand why stopping
erosion is so important.
I have passed this onto my little brother.
He loves the outdoors,
so he took my advice
and now he notices things
that look out of place
in the environment.
I believe that Arlington
Echo is important for anyone
to go out and see what is
really happening around the bay
and the learning can be
passed onto friends and family
so they can tell others as well.
Isn't that what we're supposed to do
when we learn important stuff?
Thank you.
(audience applauds)
- Thank you for those thoughts.
That's great.
Russ, if you could come on up.
This is Russell Heyde,
the formal coordinator.
(audience applauds)
Got it?
- Ah yeah, I'm okay.
Getting old is tough.
(audience laughs)
And then Melanie, you
stole half of my talk
or I stole half of yours.
(audience laughs)
- [Melanie] Say it again!
- But old age makes my
numbers slightly different.
- Okay.
(audience laughs)
- Well first of all, I wish to
thank the Planning Committee
and the coordinator of outdoor education,
environmental education for inviting me
to the 50th anniversary of
the Outdoor Education Center.
It is my privilege to share today with you
the first 32 years of
this camp after the Board
of Education purchased the property.
My comments will include
some little known information
about these 23 acres
of beautiful woodlands
on the northern tip of the Severn River.
Now she already asked you
how many came to camp,
came to West River and
Woodlands, so I will skip
over that part.
(audience laughs)
Ah, page two.
It pleases me to see so
many hands in the air.
Having lived in Severna Park for 45 years,
it always made me smile
when neighbor children
shared with me their experiences
in the many different programs.
During the first seven
years after Arlington Echo
was acquired by the Board of Education,
there was one person in
charge of the program
when teachers and students were
scheduled to visit the site.
That was soon to be changed.
On February 1975, my name
was approved by the Board
of Education as the first coordinator
of outdoor education,
to develop a year-round
instructional program
for teachers and students
in the school system.
My diverse background
included having taught
elementary, high school
sciences, courses in outdoor
education, and various sciences
at Frostburg State College
and the University of
Maryland College Park,
and I had spent five
years in school curriculum
and administration in two
different school systems.
These experience caused me to envision
all that could be experienced
by students on this site.
To begin with, to forge
plans in making the vision
for students and teachers a reality.
The story of Arlington Echo
begins more than 50 years ago,
more than 50 years ago.
Close your eyes a moment
and forget that you can see
the field lab, the marsh
trail, the dining hall,
the old chapel, instructional
buildings, provisions,
pavilions, the swimming
pool, and six cabins.
50-plus years ago, you
could see beautiful tall oak
and tulip poplar trees,
hear songbirds of all kinds,
see water foul fishing
in the river and marsh
along with cattails and formities.
You could hear the
rat-tat-tat of woodpeckers
drilling in the trees
in searches for insects
and the all of bullfrogs
calling to one another.
Woops.
As you walk to the bluff overlooking,
you would have found a small wooden cabin
with a double stone fireplace.
That double stone fireplace is
now part of the dining hall.
Look out into the river
and you would see an island
with 10 foot tall trees,
shrubs, and a sand
beach around it.
When I was here 18 years ago, that island
was slowly shrinking, and there
were no more trees, shrub.
What is it now, the island?
- Sand.
- The old sand.
- Yeah.
- Very small.
- Does that tell you something?
Now open your eyes if you've not done so.
This is what the landscape
and the rich diversity
of plants and wildlife
were like in the 1930s.
The lodge was owned by a
family from Baltimore City.
They used it on weekends
as a summer retreat.
The family were members of
the Arlington Presbyterian
Church in Baltimore City.
In the late '40s, the
family gave the property
and lodge to the church
to develop a summer camp
for youth of the church.
Over the next several years,
four cabins, a swimming pool,
chapel, in addition to the lodge was added
for a kitchen and a
small indoor dining room
and they named it Camp Arlington Echo.
We now forward to the
mid-'60s and the church
moves further north, to Baltimore County.
A committee on the church
approached a friend
who was on the Anne
Arundel County School Board
at the time and asked if the school board
would be interested in
purchasing the property.
The superintendent of schools at that time
was Dr. Edward Anderson.
His previous position was in California,
where outdoor education was way ahead
of the rest of the country.
He was impressed by the
experiences his students
had in his school district.
The school board said yes,
so Anne Arundel County
became the pride owner of a camp in 1968,
50 years ago.
Nationally, during the '60s,
there started a movement
on school camping programs
after Rachel Carlson
published her book called Silent Spring.
The book was about the loss
of animal and plant species
due to the use of
chemicals and the practices
of poor farming practices
and land development.
In the mid-'50s, systems
in Maryland and around
the country were purchasing
land to build programs
that they called Science
Camp, Outdoor School,
School Camping, and that
was Frederick County,
Washington County, Garrett
County, Montgomery County,
and Prince George's County.
These programs were strong,
emphasizing the including
of science, math, the
arts, physical education,
all taught in the natural environment.
Some people and parents had
the idea that the term camp
meant the more traditional
summer camp, which meant play,
hiking, swimming, and games.
After I came to the board
as, one of the first things
I did after coming to the
board, my first action
was to request to the Board
of Education to change
the name of the facility
from Camp Arlington Echo
to Camp Arlington Echo
Outdoor Education Center
to put the emphasis on the environment.
It was now time to develop
a plan to integrate outdoor
Arlington Echo into the total curriculum
of the school system.
There are several people
that should be recognized
for their work during the
early years that made a lasting
mark on the program.
First, Steve Barry, our
first teacher specialist
in the program.
Mrs. Cathy Belleran, Mr. Paul DeRue,
Mr. Scott Wyble, and Mr. Larry Zolar.
These individuals were
the work bees that led
the curriculum writing teams,
taught the many Teacher
in Service programs, planned
lessons with classroom
teachers, and trained the
hundreds of parent volunteers
that taught lessons
and slept in the cabins
with the children.
(audience applauds)
they provided the students the
absolutely best instruction
at Arlington Echo.
It was the teachers and parents
who supported the program
when requests were made for
it, expanding the facility
and staffing at budget time.
They showed up, they
let board members know
that they liked the program.
I also had some experience
with county executives
that would meet with me up
here and we wouldn't really
talk about budget at all
because the first thing
they would say, well, my
wife slept in the cabin
and taught a lesson.
She said I ought to fund the
program when it comes to it.
(audience laughs)
Okay, the board approved $1
million capital improvement
in 1980, request building
the new dining hall
and six cabins.
It was also during that time that students
from CAT-North, the
vocational education program,
worked with me to build
pavilions, lay sidewalks
between buildings so our
special needs students
could have total access to
the facilities, our own,
our maintenance department
in Pasadena provided funds
for all the special projects,
including the marsh walkway.
The largest capital
project was the building
of the field lab behind me.
It took two years of
planning to completion.
It became the jewel of the facility.
That project would never
have been so without the help
and direction of Mr. Steve
Pickens and Mrs. Donna Belcher
of our site maintenance department.
(audience cheers and applauds)
Operations and maintenance
provided the funds
for the building materials.
I remember very well the
day we built that half
one year, and then we built
the big room the second year,
but we didn't put a roof on it.
When we came with a crane
to lift the trusses up,
it was a learning
experience for the students
from the tech center and
for the teacher in charge
of the program 'cause
some of those trusses
are 50 feet in length.
I need to thank the five superintendents
and their staff that I had for the support
during my 25 years.
After 25 years as coordinator
of outdoor education
for Arlington Echo, Camp
Woodlands, and the Drown
Proofing program, it is
now time for me to retire.
I had a total of 39 years
in public education.
Time for the young
leaders to take the reins
with new ideas to expand the program.
Steve Barry provided the
leadership with a new middle school
component, project
reforestation, stream improvement
in the school communities.
The court coordinator, Melanie
Parker, stepped right in
when Steve retired and has brought fresh,
new ideas to the program.
At this time, I'd also
like to thank my wife,
Dr. Theresa Flack, for
the advice and guidance
she gave me over the
dinner table each evening.
(audience laughs)
(audience applauds)
And continues to do so.
(audience laughs)
We have enjoyed our
retirement with traveling
around the world.
During the first 12
years of our retirement,
we spent time in 38 countries.
- Oh, wow!
- And one summer,
or two summers, we
lived in Shanghai, China
where she taught at a university there.
It is my honor to be
invited back after 18 years
of retirement to see the program flourish
with many programs throughout the country
have ended due to budget issues.
Thank you for continuing
to support the program.
The staff, classroom,
teachers, and parents,
thank you for all your
support for one of the best
outdoor education,
environmental education programs
in the country.
Thank you.
(audience applauds)
(faint speaking)
- I'll just turn this over to Ted.
- Come on, come on.
All right, so when you
go to Arlington Echo,
sometimes there's certain
things that happen
and you just, you just,
you change a little bit.
So how do you know when your kids
have been to Arlington Echo?
That's what we're talking about.
These guys have a skit.
They're gonna go over that.
You're gonna stand over here
so they can see you, okay?
All right, there you go, all right.
And then I'm gonna.
- Here.
- Suzie, who's gonna take
this or do I give it to you?
- Okay, give us one second.
(audience laughs)
- We're gonna get.
- Come on up here.
They didn't know there'd
be an actual stage.
Step up on the stage.
Do you want to stand there or stand here?
Do you want to step up
when it's your part?
Is that what you want
to do?
- Get up there.
- Yeah.
- Let's all stand
to the side.
(laughing)
We'll stand right here.
- They're so creative.
Okay, come on over here, buddy.
- Come over, come on over.
All right.
- Here, what do you
need first?
(children chatter)
Who needs this?
We have some props.
(children chatter)
These are Arlington
Echo props, okay.
- That's her.
- [Woman] Good.
We have this.
Looks so tasty.
Put that on there.
You need your (mumbles) apron.
Here, come over here.
Mr. Ted's gonna put it on ya.
Right now we're so cute and we need these,
we have foods here.
There's the tray, okay.
What goes on the plate?
Where's the plate?
That's enough.
You want to just keep that?
Go for it.
- [Ted] Oh well.
- All right, hold on.
Okay, you've got to make
sure people can see you.
No hiding.
(laughing) Okay, come over
here, come up in here.
You guys just move down a little bit.
Here, be loud.
You can use this.
Okay, are we ready?
- And you're the narrator.
- Yes, ma'am!
- Yeah, but are you guys
ready for this?
- Ready!
(audience cheers and applauds)
- [Woman] Okay, all right!
You want to stand over here?
You're good here, you look good.
Look, there's your little friend.
Okay, all right.
(faint speaking)
Go!
- You know when your kids have
been to Arlington Echo when.
- They lecture you on eating
everything on your plate.
(audience laughs)
Oh, oh, oh.
- Remember, no waste!
- Come on, you gotta eat that thing.
Go and say, go up there and say remember,
no waste.
- You know your kids
have been.
- Oh wait, he didn't
get his line.
- Come over here, buddy.
Come over here.
Now tell 'em, remember, no waste.
Say it.
- Remember, no waste!
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Nice!
Okay.
(audience applauds)
Go ahead.
- So.
- You know your kids have been
to Arlington Echo when.
- Someone says they have an announcement.
- Announcement, announcement!
- They chant.
- [Children] Announcements.
- They know it!
- What a terrible
death tonight.
(rhythmic clapping)
- Oh my goodness!
- [Children] What a
terrible death tonight.
What a terrible death, we talked of death,
what a terrible death tonight.
(rhythmic clapping)
- Wait!
I can't hear you.
(audience laughs)
- [Children] Announcements,
announcements, announcements.
What a terrible death tonight.
(rhythmic clapping)
what a terrible death tonight.
What a terrible death, we talked to death.
What a terrible death tonight.
(rhythmic clapping)
- You know your kids have
been to Arlington Echo when.
- They ask for a compost
bin for Christmas.
(audience laughs)
- Ho, ho, ho!
And what do you want for Christmas?
- Hold it.
- A compost bin!
The kind with a really cool
handle that turns the compost
and has proper ventilation holes
in the winter control
for proper composition.
(audience laughs)
- Here it is!
- [Children] In green, please!
- [Woman] Oh, we have an orange one.
(laughing) Oh well.
Oh, you're back here.
- You know your kids
have been to Arlington Echo when.
- You tell your kids, okay
kids, it's time to play
a game and the name of the game is?
- [Children] Wheel of Echo!
(audience laughs)
- No, Monopoly.
(audience laughs)
- Darn.
- You know you kids have
been to Arlington Echo when.
- Whenever they tell a scary
story, it always has to do
with Lady Echo.
- So a long time ago, before this property
was owned by Anne Arundel
County Public School System,
there was, the Echo family
owned it and the dining hall
used to be the main building
where they all lived,
and one night there was a huge fire
and Lady Echo died trying to claw her way
up the chimney.
- And that is why there's
scratch marks on the fireplace.
Boo!
(audience laughs)
- You know your kids have
been to Arlington Echo when.
- You take them out for
dinner and they ask?
- When is the hopper
going to take our order?
- There you go, sir.
(audience laughs)
- Head out there, go ahead.
- Mm, mm, mm.
- There he comes (laughing)!
(audience laughs)
Just go running (mumbles).
- You know your kids have
been to Arlington Echo when.
- Your whole family takes a step
to becoming environmental stewards.
- Who can?
- We can!
- Who can?
- We can!
- That's it!
- Thank you.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- [Woman] Nice job, you guys!
You're so good.
(audience applauds)
That's it, Echo.
(audience applauds)
Oops, you're outside
in all this.
(audience chatters)
- [Melanie] Who's got the
microphone (laughing)?
- [Woman] We got this one.
- [Melanie] That was awesome.
Thank you, guys.
- That was very good.
- Mr. Pruski if you want
to come on up.
- [Female] All right, we've
got a microphone on somewhere.
There we go.
- Good afternoon.
- Good afternoon!
- I'm Councilman Andrew
Pruski, I represent this district.
I'm also a former school
board member and president
of the school board.
I want to talk a little
bit about personal impact
upon Arlington Echo and first of all,
let's give these students
a round of applause.
(audience cheers and applauds)
What a great example of what sets the tone
in the memories that people have.
It's interesting that we opened up talking
about all the staff, but if
you think about the students,
it has a lasting impact.
And I can tell you 'cause
my son just recently
came through the program,
and I get yelled at
every day to make sure the recycling bin
is correct versus the regular trash,
(audience cheers and applauds)
so certainly,
you're doing your job.
(audience cheers and applauds)
But personally, I want
to talk a little bit
about the Water Stewardship Academy,
tat certainly churches and
many people in the area,
thank you, have been involved with.
And I can tell you that
we're not only teaching
students, we're teaching
adults and I can tell you
that that impact is having a large impact
upon our future and also what we're doing
to protect our environment,
and every dollar
that goes in from the County Council,
from the School Board is worth it.
I can tell you that I'm
an advocate for you.
We need to continue that.
I know Dr. Arlotto's
leadership and his team
have pushed for that, but
also, we need to make sure
that we continue to expand those programs
'cause there's so much
more that we can be doing,
but I want to take a
moment though to thank
certainly Russell, Steve
Barry, and the staff.
Let's give them a round of applause.
(audience cheers and applauds)
You are all the ones
that make a difference
and I know certainly with your
salary and all the debates,
whatever else, you put in
a lot of time and effort
and we appreciate you.
And again, you deserve
another round of applause
for your work.
Thank you.
(audience applauds)
Melanie, if you come
forward, I have something
I want to present.
This is behalf on the Anne
Arundel County Council,
signed by all the members.
I want to read it to you.
The County Council would
like to congratulate
Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center.
50 years, 50 years to
congratulate you and we thank you
for your commitment to
providing unique environmental
education to all children
in Anne Arundel County
and we know there's gonna be
50 more and way beyond that
and thank you so much
for all your support.
- Thank you.
(faint speaking)
- You want a picture?
- Yep.
(audience applauds)
- I don't know anybody said any pictures,
but there we go (laughing).
- Great, thank you
so much.
- All right, thank you.
- Appreciate it.
- Thanks, thank you.
Steve, you want to come on up?
- Russ, I got instructions
too from my wife this morning.
She said, "You're not gonna
do too much kumbaya, are you?"
(audience laughs)
And I responded, "It's
all kumbaya, sorry."
(audience laughs)
In 1973, my first year of
teaching in Anne Arundel County
and I was called to
the principal's office.
I wasn't in trouble, but I
was about to be volunteered
to lead the student group
going on an overnight trip
to the West River Camp.
I was a second year teacher, I had no idea
what outdoor ed was
about, but I said okay,
I'll try that.
It was truly a watershed
experience for me,
something that flowed
through my experiences
for the next 50 years.
When I had that first
experience of teaching
in the outdoors, I just
realized how real it was,
how experiential learning
and how important it was,
how you could teach about
the excitement of being
in the outdoors and how
you could learn to relate
to each other in ways that
you can't do in the classroom,
in ways that you can take
back to the classroom.
Every year since then, I continue to teach
in the outdoors.
I was the lead teacher
for another four years
at Shady Side, then was a lead teacher
at Old Mill Middle South.
During the summers, I
was assistant director
for the Youth Conservation Corps,
and then director of the
Youth Conservation Corps,
a federally-funded program that Russ
brought to Arlington Echo.
We spent six weeks, residential,
living in the cabins
that are not what they
are today, right Russ?
(audience laughs)
Sandy floors, the bathrooms,
what was that over there?
- Spiders!
(faint speaking)
- Spiders!
- Spiders!
- Spiders, oh yes.
Spiders all over and well,
the spiders were there
to catch the mosquitoes.
(audience laughs)
And when you needed to take
a shower, you had to go
from the cabins to the pool house
in order to find the shower.
- With no hot water.
- With no hot water.
- Cold water.
- Air conditioning?
- No!
- Heat?
Oh my gosh, and Russ, they
were the hottest summers ever.
Unbelievable.
After that, I came out as
the first teacher here.
I remember Paul Rusco was the coordinator
of Physical Education and
he asked me what I wanted
to do in the future and I
said, "Well, I'd like to go
"be a teacher's specialist
at Arlington Echo."
You know, Paul told me,
"Russ, it'll never happen.
"Russ will never get that
position," and that following year
I came out as the first teacher.
In staff development,
I taught every workshop
that was taught out here,
and then after leaving Echo,
going to the central office for 13 years,
and then five years serving
on the superintendent staff,
excuse me George, but I refer
to that as my dark years, but.
(audience laughs)
You weren't there, okay?
- Uh-huh.
- But after that,
then I came back as the coordinator
and really lived a dream.
During that time, I was able to serve
on the Governor's Commission
on Children and Nature,
where we started this whole
new idea about environmental
literacy and a plan that
Arlington Echo has taken
the lead in the state,
in the nation, and again,
we've even been called on internationally
to share our ideas.
We also started, I was one of the founders
for the Watershed Stewards Academy,
an adult stewardship
program that's going on.
Throughout all these experiences,
I most value my role as a
teacher, and even last week
in my grandson's preschool,
I did a bee lesson
with 30 little ones all
sitting down in front of me.
Scariest experiences I've had in,
(audience laughs)
in a while, and for some
reason, it was spontaneous.
I was sitting there.
It was so crowded, I said,
"This is a great time
"to demonstrate bee communication,"
and I did a bee dance in
and out through the kids.
I had to take my grandson
home and we had to stop
and get a treat, and he
said, "Pop pop, you know
"what the best part was?
"When you did that bee dance."
(audience laughs)
- Let's see it!
(audience laughs)
(audience chatters)
(audience laughs)
- Dance, dance, dance, dance!
- He did it this morning
when he was in the kitchen.
I delayed getting here.
I had to make him breakfast
and he was shaking
his rear end.
(audience laughs)
(audience member cheers)
And he said,
"Shake you booty."
That's what all those kids will remember
about the bee dance.
(audience laughs)
To say that Arlington Echo
made a difference in my life
and the difference in the lives of many
is it is an understatement.
Really, what happens here at
Arlington Echo was magical.
- Whoo!
(audience applauds)
- Yeah, I'll share with you some magic.
Magic, how many of you worn?
You're on the staff, or if
you're not on the staff,
I see so many people in gear today.
If you stop some place, go to the Wah-Wah,
go to the supermarket and someone says,
"You, Arlington Echo.
"I went there.
"It was the greatest experience I had."
Right?
They're all shaking their head.
Russ, you remember that
when you used to wear it
and go out in Anne Arundel County.
Do they do that in Frederick County now?
- No.
- When you go out?
(audience chatters)
- (mumbles) program.
- Okay.
(audience laughs)
It's magical when a student from Mary Moss
told his teacher that
Arlington Echo was the best day
of school that I ever head.
Now I had a show of hands before
for students, for teachers.
Well, how many of you was Arlington Echo
your best day of school?
It should be everybody.
(woman laughing)
- Caroline's (mumbles).
Come on, guys.
- It was magical too when
we had a group of students
from Crocheren Middle out
here, which made my worst day
(laughing) of school.
It was a really tough
group, not only for me,
but we brought in our best instructors,
Cathy Belerine, Webster
Dorsey, and Carl Berenger,
and boy, they were tough.
We had to recruit.
Well, what we did learn,
Webster can you come up?
I got something for you.
(woman laughing)
We still get together,
Webster, and Carl and I once a month
and we have breakfast.
(audience applauds)
And they talk about
this toolbox with the
full value of content
and it has all the tools in there to teach
relationship skills and I
want you to take that home
and explain it to your wife and.
(audience laughs)
And explain it to Carl.
That's why I called you up, so that you
could explain it to Carl.
- We all know it.
- Thank you, Webster.
We also spent three years
(audience applauds)
when Russ was here,
that the three of us were called to teach
many times together.
It was a great time.
It's also magical when
a second grade student
from Bodkin and releasing their terrapins
at Poplar Island said, "I
wonder where they'll be tonight.
"I wonder where the
terrapins will be tomorrow."
Of course, the students had
learned in the classroom
all about what terrapins need to live
and where they need to live,
but it brought it to life
by raising 'em and then releasing 'em.
It was also magical when
one morning Steve Pickens
called me up at 6:45
and called on the radio
and said, "There's some
guy down on the dock."
It was Will Meyers, one
of George's principals.
For many of you now Will,
he's on permanent principal schedule.
He gets up every morning
at about five o'clock
and goes to work.
Well, once a month he gets
to come to Arlington Echo
to go to work and he would
use that time to go down
to the peer and defuse,
and he shared with me
how important that was.
It was magical.
Is Marlon Barnes here?
- No.
- No.
- Okay.
Marlon Barnes came to us
from Old Mill High School,
and when he came to us, he could hardly
have a conversation.
About the only thing he
would say was I don't know
and would stop in his tracks.
10 years later, he's still
here and now our problem
is we can't stop Marlon from talking
(audience laughs)
and he's our ambassador
in the kitchen every day
for breakfast and lunch
and one of our hardest workers still here
at Arlington Echo.
Truly magical.
It was also magical in that
I was surrounded by the best
educators, not only on the
staff, but the teachers
that came out.
One of the ingredients that we had here
is teachers came because
they wanted to come,
teachers came because they
wanted to do something extra,
something extra that was
important to students
and that was really unique.
Last bit of kumbaya.
Suzanne, where is Suzanne?
Is she still around (mumbles)?
Suzanne told me that any
great gathering of friends
or family should end with a
toast and maybe a Guinness
or two, but at least
(audience laughs)
end with a toast.
And she always has me do a toast
with her Watershed Academy.
So my heart beats to an Irish song.
So I'm gonna share with you my version
of the Irish blessing as a toast.
May your children rise up to meet you,
may the river breezes
guide you downstream,
may the sunshine warm upon your face,
and the rain be delayed to another day
and until we meet again,
may we all experience
the magic of teaching in a peaceful
and in the serenity of our
precious in natural world.
Hear, hear.
- Hear, hear.
(audience applauds)
- Thank you.
When we planned the, Melanie
and I a couple times,
we got together, talked
about this occasion
and about making a difference, and I said,
"Oh, I only wish we could
get Tom Woosner here."
Tom was a dear friend of Arlington Echo,
of mine, and particularly Will Williams,
who you'll get to meet shortly,
and Tom spent some great
time out here with our
teachers and staff development,
and he was here.
Actually, Russ introduced
me to Tom Woosner
many years ago.
Tom passed away a few years ago.
His music still lives on,
and the best thing we can do
to Tom Woosner is Joe
Thompson, who was a teacher
in Ann Arundel County, has now retired,
and he's gonna be doing
(faint speaking) radio,
part of the school system, and he's gonna
do Chesapeake Born.
We need everybody to participate.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Here.
- Are you really?
- I just want to say really quickly
that my wife Suzy worked
here for a number of years
and she thought that, where did he go?
- He's right there.
- Mm, you know what?
I can't see him.
Anyway, there he is.
- There he is.
- That you were one of
the bosses she ever had
in her entire life, so.
- Aw!
- Aw!
(audience applauds)
- Magical.
- Magic, magical, magical.
Okay!
So the mic-ing situation's kind of weird,
but if I make any mistakes,
it's because the connection
between Tom and I, you
might get, you know,
such a beautiful day.
He's probably off doing
something a lot more fun
than helping me.
(acoustic guitar music)
(tuning acoustic guitar)
And there's nothing
better than (mumbles) no.
(tuning acoustic guitar)
Sorry, that's part of the process.
(acoustic guitar music)
Some fancy finger picking's gonna go out
the window here, but.
It's a callback song.
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ I'm the son of the rain
and a brother of the wind ♪
♪ I follow along the water,
got tobacco on my chin ♪
♪ I seen 40 years of
sunshine, wind, and rain ♪
♪ And if I had the chance,
I'd do it all again ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ For she's the mother of
the waters and the people ♪
♪ Of this land ♪
♪ 40 river children come and take her ♪
♪ By the hand and close to Maryland ♪
♪ To Virginia, to the sea ♪
♪ Atlantic born, Atlantic brave and free ♪
♪ One last time ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Chesapeake bound ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ Flowing with thee ♪
♪ I'm Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Chesapeake born ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Bound to thee ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ Indeed I am ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
♪ Chesapeake free ♪
(audience cheers and applauds)
And just a quick note,
if you get some time
around 1:30 or so, we're
playing some music down
on the amphitheater
and I wrote a few songs
for the day, so stop down, folks.
- Whoo!
- Yay!
- Awesome.
(audience applauds)
Thank you, Joe.
Okay, before we're
gonna do a tree planting
and I hope you get a moment to take a look
at the time capsule
we're putting together.
We wanted to make sure
that we got a newspaper
from today to put in there so
we're no burying that today,
we'll do that later on.
First, I do want to thank all of the folks
that have kind of helped
out and supported today,
one of those being the
21st Century Foundation,
who supported us with finances to help
pay for the tent and some other things.
Both the Annapolis and
Jubb's Bus Companies,
they donated the shuttles.
All of our partners
that you see here today,
make sure you go visit them.
They do such wonderful
work in the environment,
in our county, so make
sure you go see them.
We have the Harold Harbor EMTs here today,
just to provide support if we need it.
I want to thank Clear Shark
H2O, who donated some funds
to help us start our art gallery.
If you haven't seen it, please go in
an take a look at the great
work our students have done.
A couple other donations, I'm
just gonna run through 'em.
Chesapeake Roasting Company,
Milano's, Stone Store,
Got 2 Go, and of course,
all of our volunteers
that came out early to help out.
Skip was here yesterday
just sweating like crazy,
- Yeah!
- Helping us get
things together, and
especially our Watershed
student volunteers that came out too
and helped to get everything
looking nice out here.
Really do appreciate it.
I like to give them a
nice round of applause.
(audience applauds)
So again, I'd like to thank my staff.
They're great people.
We wouldn't be able to do
this without the amazing
people that we have here, so.
(audience cheers and applauds)
- We love you!
(audience cheers and applauds)
- Okay.
Hi Will (laughing).
Will, who retired from
us a couple years ago,
where are we?
- I'm here.
- A couple years down.
- [Will] Yeah, yeah.
- He's going to play some flute for us
while we plant our tree.
Do you want to talk about the tree
- Sure.
- A little bit?
We have a special tree we're planting.
- Okay.
- It is a special tree.
Thank you all and thank you
Mel for giving me the opportunity
to be back in this place.
It really is.
What a beautiful day and
what we're gonna plant today
is a liberty tree.
I can remember as an
elementary school student
taking a field trip to
Annapolis from southern Maryland
and we all marveled at
this gigantic yellow poplar
and heard the story of how it was planted
during the Revolutionary
War, and what it involved
and represented that
this colony of Maryland
was seeking liberty and
of course, the history
shows that throughout time,
we commemorate important
events by planting trees
and that's a really good
way to mark time.
It has been said that the
greatest civilizations
are those that plant
trees under whose shade
they will never sit.
It's a really good thing.
I have outlived that because I have sat
under the, in the shade
of trees that I planted,
including a few on this campus.
So it's a really significant tree.
I want to, more kumbaya.
So when Steve and I were here together
with Tom Woosner, it was
a, we did a lot of kumbaya.
(audience laughs)
We cried a lot, we ate a lot of cake,
we did a lot of bonding and things
and it's because we were deeply, deeply
connected to the land and I want to share
with you some flute music.
In fact, you're gonna
help me out a little bit.
From one old tree to another.
This is made from the wire
and if you ever wondered
what 460-year-old wood sounds like,
I'll play a little bit for ya,
but you're gonna help me out.
So we're gonna do this
kind from as a blessing
of this tree that will mark this occasion
and the fact that we lived
here, we worked here.
It was the best 10 years of my life.
I never worked harder in my life.
- Yeah!
- And I was,
really hard job, and I
was never so rewarding.
Professionally and personally.
So, I bring you greetings
fro outside the Chesapeake
Bay Watershed, I live
in Garrett County now.
At least it was all
downhill coming here today
(audience laughs)
and it's still winter
up there, by the way.
So here's what we're gonna do.
I'm gonna play a little
bit and I'm gonna play
a low note and I want all
the men to use their best
bass voices and sing the low note.
Just hum it, okay?
If you run out of breath, that's fine.
And here's your low note.
(flute music)
Hear that?
You got it?
(man hums)
(flute music)
Ladies.
(flute music)
(audience chatters)
Men.
(flute music)
Keep it up, you're doing great.
(woman laughs)
(flute music)
Very good, thank you.
(audience applauds)
That's it.
(horn music)
