News

Change is Coming To Camp Cooper

Wow, do we have something BIG to share at the end of next week! This monumental announcement will change the future of Camp Cooper in a major way, and it’s all good news!

We will broadcast the news on Facebook live at 1pm on Friday, December 4th!

October 2020 Newsletter

We’ve been piloting new virtual programs since early September, and last Monday, we met with 4 classes and worked with over 100 middle school students in one day... And, we were very excited to see our four-part nature journal workshop fill in only 2 days!   And Cooper releases our DEI Mission - the purpose of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Mission being to identify how placing emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion can support our overall mission - with the intent of helping us become better at doing what we do.

Cooper Center Surpasses Crowdfunding Goal

Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's crowdfunding campaign our most successful ever! We surged past our goal with 24 hours left to go, and you just kept giving - helping us hit $32,601 - 108% of our $30,000 goal, with over 170 donors.

Fall 2020 Virtual Field Trip Registration!

The Cooper Center for Environmental Learning, known to many as "Camp Cooper," is offering free virtual field trip experiences for students in grades Pre-K - 8. These experiences are grade-specific and tied to Arizona Science Standards. Our virtual field trips are designed to supplement classroom science instruction with interactive and engaging lessons and activities for students.

Cooper Center Raises $10,000 During 1st Annual Camp Cooper Happy Hour

On September 18th, 2020, The Cooper Center hosted its first Live Stream Happy Hour event as part of their annual Crowdfunding Campaign, in an effort to showcase the work of Cooper Center, celebrate the vibrant and talented Tucson community, and to help raise $30,000 in the month of September.

Crowdfunding Week 1 Update

Thanks to the support of our community, we have been able to continue our important work during these challenging times. This summer, for the first time ever, we offered a virtual summer camp, connecting children with the wonders of our Sonoran Desert. This program was enthusiastically received by more than 400 families, and it would not have been possible without the investment of people in our community like you. 

Help Us Raise $30,000 in September

There has never been a more important time to give what you can to keep the Cooper Center strong, building upon the successes of the recent past, and helping to extend our impact to more students in the years to come.

September 2020 Newsletter

In 2018-2019, the Cooper Center served over 3000 students with day and overnight trips at Camp Cooper, making it our biggest year since we started our annual crowdfunding campaigns. While 2019-2020 was on track to surpass these numbers, we saw our numbers drop as we adapted to the pandemic. Our education team quickly pivoted to providing online content about science, ecology - uniquely suited to our audience and our geography - connecting with hundreds of kids in the Tucson area over the summer. There has never been a more important time to give what you can to keep the Cooper Center strong, building upon the successes of the recent past, and helping to extend our impact to more students in the years to come.

Cooper Receives CFSA Event Relief Grant

Many nonprofit organizations in Southern Arizona organizations were forced to cancel fundraising events and programming as a result of COVID-19 and the impact of that lost revenue was significant. Cooper Center is grateful to have received a CFSA Event Relief Grant.

Byrd Baylor & Camp Cooper

"The messages that Camp Cooper brings to so many kids is so incredibly valuable and important." -Byrd Baylor

Camp Cooper Online featured in Arizona Association for Environmental Education Journal

University of Arizona College of Education PhD student Kelly Jay Smith looks at the important work environmental education organizations are doing during the pandemic, including Camp Cooper Online.

August 2020 Newsletter

On August 6th at 3pm, you are invited to join us for Camp Cooper Live - our first interactive event happening safely over Zoom - designed to allow your student to engage with our instructors while learning about science, ecology and sustainability. Our first event will highlight a classic Camp Cooper activity - Dissecting Owl Pellets.  Learn about owls by seeing exactly what they had for lunch.  While some of us adults might find this activity a little gross, kids find it fascinating.