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Arunah Hill Outreach Program
Program Overview


Community outreach has been part of the AHNC's plans since early on.   We have always tried to spread the word about the natural beauty of Arunah Hill and the surrounding area, as well as the fantastic dark skies available at the summit.  Local Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts have all visited "The Hill", as well as have many area elementary through college students.

Boy Scout Troop 550 has been camping here since 1991, and has improved the site considerably with the addition of Scout Heaven and Raven's Perch.  We have also delivered programs to Scout organizations and schools, supported local events such as the Cummington Fair, and would love to help your group.

Do you have a group of children or adults interested in exploring nature on earth or in the heavens?  What can Arunah Hill do for your group?  We have members with many years of experience in the natural sciences who would love to put a program together with you.  We have a diverse group of members with many different capabilities, allowing us to implement such activities as:

  • Evening Observing Sessions -- See the moon, the planets, star clusters, galaxies and nebulae up close.  Look through an assortment of telescopes and learn about how stars are formed and how our solar system works.  We can come to you, or your group can visit Arunah Hill.  Recent sessions included visits to Arunah Hill by Girl Scouts from Williamsburg and students from Holyoke Community College, and a visit by Arunah Hill members to the Berkshire Trails Elementary School in Cummington.
  • Solar Observing -- Safely view the sun to see sunspots and prominences through special solar devices and telescopes.  Learn about the structure of the sun and how it effects Earth when we visit your school or organization some afternoon.  Solar sessions have been held at the Anne T. Dunphy School in Williamsburg, and the Berkshire Trails Elementary School in Cummington.
  • Class Visits -- Arunah Hill educators can come to your class or meeting room and teach your group about the natural sciences in interactive, activity-based sessions.  We have presented on such subjects as space travel and constellation identification to a group of middle school students and camping and identifying animal tracks to Cub Scouts.

Have we forgotten anything?  Maybe you have an idea for a good school program as we certainly have only scratched the surface so far.  Some day we hope to reach a much wider audience with a broad range of classes and planetarium shows held in our Vistor's Center.  Until then, you can help us by asking us to help you with a program.  Arunah Hill is your place as well, and we hope everyone in the greater Western Massachusetts area will be able to take advantage of our services in some way.  Please contact Jim Downing or Steve Pielock if you would like to schedule an event.

Note that many other groups are involved with outreach in surrounding areas including the Amherst Area Astronomers, The Springfield Stars, the Bryant Homestead and the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Inc., to name but a few.

 


Picture Albums

Town of Cummington
Berkshire Trails Elementary School  (06/01/2002)
Berkshire Trails Elementary School  (04/30/2004)

Town of Williamsburg
Williamsburg Science Fair  (04/26/2002)
Williamsburg Science Fair (05/02/2003)

Town of Windsor
Public Observing at Windsor Town Park

Scouting
Boy Scouts Winter Camping (March 3, 2000)
Boy Scouts Winter Camping (January 27, 2001)
Girl Scouts at Arunah Hill (October 13, 2001)

 

 

3/10/2007
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