Meet Your Camp Directors & FAQ
FAQ's
Drop Off & Pick Up Details
Dirt Camp is proud to be hosted by Vermont Forest Cemetery (VFC.) VFC is a remote location up a well maintained Class 3 dirt road. We recommend having all good all weather tires. GPS and Google Maps are not always accurate. fairly steep hill. Please familiarize yourself with the following directions set of visiting criteria before dropping your camper off!
It is our recommendation that parents drive up Tracy hill road, to connect to Beaver Meadow road, when dropping off and picking up campers from the cemetery. Upon arrival, a camp director will be waiting to greet you at the cemetery entrance to coordinate the exchange of kids and gear. To exit after drop off or pick up please continue to follow Beaver Meadow road until you meet its intersection with Cram Hill road. Take a right on Cram Hill and follow it down to the bottom where it rejoins 12A. DO NOT TRY AND EXIT VIA SULLIVAN HILL ROAD!!!!!
Camper Expectations
It is expected that campers will arrive with the materials & attitude needed to have a safe, fun, and enriching day in the forest. We will educate the children in safe camp and outdoor conduct, including but not limited to: safe interactions with plants & wildlife, use of tools, and how to navigate their surroundings with awareness. Campers are encouraged to show up as their authentic selves. AND, we do At Dirt Camp, we have baseline expectations that our campers: kids can:
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Understand the meaning of "no," "pause," and "stop" & follow basic directions and respect boundaries.
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Be responsible for taking care of their fundamental needs (e.g. fueling their body with water and food, dressing themselves for the weather, etc.).,
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Operate in a group setting with other kids.
Dirt Camp adults reserve the right to dismiss children from camp if they infringe on the safety and/or wellbeing of themselves and others.
Safety Measures & Procedures
Dirt Camp is located in an area of Roxbury, VT that does not receive great cell service. Please note that campers will not have access to call and text at VFC. In the event of an emergency there is satellite wifi and a ZOLEO satellite communicator with 911 compatibility. Satellite wifi will not be available to connect to for nonemergency purposes. Camp directors Bailey and Clarissa are both CPR/First Aid/Stop the Bleed certified & the nearest medical center is Gifford Hospital in Randolph (which is approx. 30 min drive.)
A bit about weather…Dirt Camp is taking place in the forested landscape of Vermont, and in the central valley. The weather can be temperamental. We will never expose kids to unsafe weather conditions (such as thunderstorms.) In the event that a storm sets on suddenly, know that we have temporary (albeit sturdy) shelter available in the form of a small cabin. If we see ahead of time that the weather is looking bad for a scheduled day of camp, we will coordinate with one of our local community partners to move programming inside for the day (or a portion of.) Always keep an eye on your email before and during camp days!
Meet Your Camp Directors
Clarissa Gold
They/Them
Having grown up in the swampy south, Clarissa spent most of their adolescence romping through wetlands, sandhills, and river deltas while trying to avoid alligators and cottonmouths. It was amongst this backyard wilderness that Clarissa cultivated their inexhaustible fascination with the natural world (and their love of lizard-like critters.) Clarissa is STOKED to be a part of Dirt Camp as it will allow them to continue inspiring young people by sharing their deep reverence for learning, especially in such a unique and special location. “Science allows us to explore the humbling and awe inspiring intricacies of life (and death) but it is certainly not the only way! That is why I love Vermont Forest Cemetery so much, this backdrop allows us to combine all manner of human data. That which is empirical and that which is feeling and experienced based. It all has value in knowing this place, knowing ourselves, and knowing each other. We are here to observe and connect!” With a B.S. in Chemistry, Master of Arts in Teaching, and as a practicing high school biology & earth science teacher, Clarissa has the pedagogical knowledge and professional acumen necessary to craft meaningful learning experiences for children across the full spectrum of need and ability. Science is for everyone!
Bailey McLaughlin
She/Her
Bailey McLaughlin is a Natural Burial Cemeterian at Vermont Forest Cemetery and former educator. She is so incredibly excited to donate her time and bring her two passions - teaching and the natural world - together! She is a member of the Vermont Educator & Environment Network, Vermont Woodlands Association, as well as a Forest Cooperator in Training through Vermont Coverts. One of her roles at the Vermont Forest Cemetery is creating a forest stewardship and conservation plan in order to heal our beautiful patch of forest and inspire children and adults alike to become citizen scientists. During her time as an educator, Bailey established the first Fine Arts based student leadership program in her district which quickly swelled to over 100 students. This program was adopted by her middle school and high school program. She was also an active member of the Equity Task Force where she took on advocacy opportunities on behalf of families across her district. With a B.A. in Education and a year as a deathworker, Bailey is excited to weave forest life and death together with care and intention.
802-234-1454