at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center and Audubon Acres

This summer we’ll play and work together building wilderness skills, identifying plants & animals, creating nature crafts, foraging, looking for animal tracks, and more! Campers will be immersed in nature - no matter the weather - to help build resilience, physical strength, creativity, and respect for themselves, others, and the world around them.

Nature is our greatest teacher and spending the summer climbing trees, splashing in creeks, and learning about our native flora and fauna build a child’s confidence, resilience, sense of place, and a strong connection to nature!

Junior Forest Explorers Camp | Ages 3-5

Your child will be immersed in nature while engaging in various art projects, stories, tree climbing, critter finding, and nature walks! They will be up close and personal with natural habitats as they explore the forest, creeks, and meadows of Reflection Riding. Join us as we adventure into the forest, inspiring creativity, fostering determination and resilience, promoting well-being, and enhancing connection to nature. Children must be fully potty trained to attend camp (no pull ups).

• Time: Monday - Friday | 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m.

• Cost: $275 per week (+one time $50 registration fee)

• Locations:

  • Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center, 403 Garden Road, Chattanooga, TN 37419

  • Audubon Acres, 900 N. Sanctuary Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421

AUDUBON ACRES SUMMER CAMP SESSIONS

Week 1. June 2-6

Week 2. June 9-13

REFLECTION RIDING summer camp Sessions

Week 1. June 2-6

Week 2. June 9-13

Week 3. 16-18, 20*

Week 4. June 23-27

*No camp on Thursday, June 19th for Juneteenth. Four day week, discounted upon registration.

REGISTRATION DETAILS:

• Enrollment opens March 14, with payment due upon enrollment.

• All registrants will receive a Wauhatchie Summer Camp T-shirt

• 10% discount for enrolling in all 4 sessions.

• 50% refundable before April 15.

• Non-refundable after April 15.

• Discount applied Juneteenth Week (June 17-21) ($220).

• Once capacity is met for each session, your child will be placed on the waiting list.

• Openings will be filled in the order in which applications are received.

• If you need to change sessions, please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate; however, there are no guarantees that this will be possible.

• If you have any questions, feel free to email us at admissions@wauhatchie.org or call the school phone at (423) 242-3099.

KYLE HOLCOMB - FOREST PRESCHOOL TEACHER

Kyle was raised in south Florida where his love of nature and the outdoors bloomed very early on, from learning how to swim at the beach, to trail riding in the swamps in Okeechobee. He moved to Chattanooga in 2005, fell in love with Appalachia, and is happy to call this place home. Kyle enjoys sharing his love of the outdoors with everyone, including his 17 nieces and nephews. He has shared lessons in kayaking, rock climbing, disc golf, and creek hopping for the last 10 years. As a child, Kyle remembers teachers fondly as inspirational adults that helped him foster his own love of learning. He hopes to contribute to the next generation by creating a space that allows the whole child to develop that same love of learning by following their natural curiosity. Kyle’s approach to education is all about supporting learners by being a safe, energetic, and thoughtful role model. During his free time Kyle enjoys spending time outside with his wife and pup, playing music, or working on his hobby of the month.

TORI VAUGHN - Forest preschool teacher

Tori is a native to the woods and waters of the East Coast, where spent the first half of her life on a small homestead outside of Charleston, SC. Early on she was instilled with a passion for community care and reciprocity with nature. As a young adult she traveled abroad, studying various forms of land-based living and alternative education. She now resides in the rollings hills of Wildwood, GA with her husband and daughter. As a family they enjoy hiking, camping, kayaking, and any kind of outdoor adventure life has to offer. As a former children’s yoga teacher, Tori is grateful for the opportunity to serve her community in a new way, as a member of the Wauhatchie School.

grace kinene katende - Forest preschool + Jr. kindergarten Teacher

Grace has spent the last few years traveling the world, but she was raised in Chattanooga, her favorite place to call home. Her childhood was filled with outdoor play and adventures, with some of her fondest memories being of hiking and camping with her family. Grace has a deep curiosity about nature, finding great peace in it, and looks forward to sharing that with her students this year. In her free time, she really enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and son.

ALLISON MELLAS - Forest preschool + JR. KINDERGARTEN Teacher

Allison lives by the motto "outside is my best side" and is excited to help foster a love for the outdoors and learning in the next generation. She graduated with her Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Western Governor's University. Allison grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and then moved to Orlando for a couple of years before relocating to Chattanooga for the opportunity to fulfill her dream of working at a forest school. Her favorite childhood memories were spent outside camping or roaming the woods and ponds looking for critters, and she wants kids to experience the beauty of the outdoors as well. She spends most of her free time riding bikes, camping, hiking, and reading. 

JESS KROGH - FOREST preschool TEACHER

Jess is a native of Southern Utah and is a recent transplant to the Chattanooga area. She studied Family Communications at Utah Tech University and transitioned to a degree in Early Childhood Education after working in a district-based early childhood intervention program supporting at-risk, special education and low-income families. In her 6 years working for the program, her love of childhood wonder deepened and her desire to provide a holistic and natural learning experience was born. She is delighted to begin her first year at the Wauhatchie Forest School and cannot wait to learn from and with her students. In her free time she can be found hiking, camping and soaking up time with her husband, Nathan and her dog, Rudy.