Chestnut Ridge

What is SSA?

Slip Slidin’ Away (SSA) is for high school students interested in hands-on ecological fieldwork, exploring the hardwood forest around Chestnut Ridge Camp and Retreat Center, and making a little money on the side!

Participants will collect, process and analyze scientific data. Through partnerships with other high school students, field biologists and herpetologists, they will learn more about their careers and related scientific enterprises.

• An all expenses paid week-long residential summer herpetology camp experience for selected High School students. The dates for 2008 are June 15-20.
• Open to students entering grades 9 through 12 for the 2008-09 school year.
• 6 Follow-up Field Days during the academic year with lunch provided
• A book stipend
• Paid membership fees to join the NC Herpetological Association
• A $200 stipend after successful completion of the camp week and 6 follow-up days

Interested in Participating in 2008?

Download and complete the 2008 application available here.

Recommendation forms are available here. 

SSA is a hands-on science research program sponsored jointly between Chestnut Ridge and UNCG and funded through a generous grant from Burroughs-Wellcome.

Detailed information on the SSA program can be found here.

Slip Slidin' Away September Field Day Success

On Friday, September 20th, SSA participants from local high schools gathered at camp to go in search of the elusive herp. Drift fences were checked, cover boards flipped, and aquatic turtle traps set. At the end of the morning session, a plethora of fauna were found. One box turtle was found, marked and added in the ongoing study of box turtles. Three aquatic turtles (two yellow-bellied sliders and one musk turtle) were caught, marked and released. The drift fences yielded two marbled salamanders, one bullfrog, one pickerel frog, one Fowler's toad, and one American toad. All specimens were weighed, measured, and released. Of special note, one vole found its way into a drift net bucket but because of our animal safety protocols, was safe and sound on a large sponge when we arrived; we quickly released the vole, unharmed. This is citizen science at its best!

Additional SSA field days are scheduled for:

• Saturday, February 9
• Monday, April 7
• Saturday, May 3

Photos from Summer 2007 

Photos from 2007 Instructor Gathering