Budding Experts is our student-led interview series highlighting young people and the fun things they learn about during our programs. At Camp Fire, students learn about outdoor activities, art, STEM, and the environment from trained specialists and instructors.
This month, we’ll learn from Amiyah, Isabella, Santi, and Walter, four students who participate in Afterschool Explorers, our out-of-school time program! Through this program, students develop outdoor learning skills while exploring green spaces in their community through a combination of school-based activities and nature field trips.
Afterschool Explorers is run in partnership with Minneapolis Community Education and the Twin Cities Beacons Network. We currently serve 10 sites in Minneapolis. To learn more, see our Afterschool Explorers page.
I: Hi! I’m Isabella, and this is…
A: Amiyah!
I: Today, we’re gonna be asking some questions about ice fishing, and the people will answer them.
A: What was the first thing you did when the instructions were done?
W: I went ice–I, um, got the hook ready and all of that stuff, and I practiced it a little, and yeah.
I: So, um, my question is, how did you guys–what kind of animal did you use to use as baits?
S: I used a worm.
I: My question is, how did you–how did you guys make a hole in the ice with?
W: We made it with-so, this is basically how you call it. I kinda forgot, but it’s something like this. If you think of Shrek, think… what kind of thing he is. He’s a troll, right?
A: He’s not a troll!
W: Well, uh… He’s a ogre! He’s a ogre, I guess. So, but then… That would make him… It would be called… a og… something. What is it? The oh-gu-UH? No…
Everyone laughs, including Walter. 
As Walter helps us remember, students used an auger to drill a hole into more than a foot of solid ice!
Shoutout to our programs staff for setting up these exciting outings, and to our partners at Baztec MN for teaching our staff about ice fishing safety!
Did you know that our environmental education curriculum is based on the Minnesota Department of Education STEM standards and social emotional learning (SEL) competencies? That means that at Camp Fire, youth strengthen their knowledge of the objectives they learn at school, becoming budding experts.
Check out our education page to explore all the learning opportunities Camp Fire offers year-round.