Schubot Center Inspires Young Bird Enthusiasts at Girl Scouts Summer Camp

The Schubot Center was happy to participate in “Alchemy Academy – Nature is Magic,” the 2026 summer program organized by the Girl Scouts of Bryan/College Station. The program took place at Camp Howdy, a beautiful 64-acre primitive camp near Bryan, Texas that has welcomed thousands of Girl Scouts since 1956.

Every summer, Camp Howdy offers a fun outdoor experience for girls from kindergarten through 6th grade. The camp is completely volunteer-run and provides a wonderful opportunity for girls to learn new skills, make friends, and explore nature.

On June 1, Dr. Donald Brightsmith and Dr. Gabriela Vigo-Trauco led a series of hands-on activities to introduce the girls to the amazing world of birds. The activities included four interactive stations where participants learned how to use a spotting scope, find birds with binoculars, identify birds using smartphone technology, and use a compass while learning about bird tracking. Each participant also received a bird band as a souvenir of the day.

The girls were very enthusiastic and enjoyed discovering the birds that live in our local communities. It was exciting to see them practicing new observation skills and using tools that many bird researchers use in the field.

We are very grateful to Courtney DeVries for inviting the Schubot Center to be part of this wonderful summer program. It was a pleasure to share our knowledge and passion for birds with such an enthusiastic group of young nature lovers. We hope this experience inspired many future birdwatchers, scientists, and conservationists.

** All picture were obtained with parents authorization.