BRYANT POND — Paris Elementary School students will be learning about milfoil harvesting, chipmunks, sleeping in bunkhouses, the energy of water and much more at the University of Maine 4-H Camp and Learning Center in Bryant Pond this week.

“I can’t say enough about how the 4-H people have really benefited our children and added to our curriculum. It’s just a great relationship with the whole district,” Principal Jane Fahey said of the three-day, 6th grade environmental trip that started Wednesday.  “The partnership is just incredible.”

One of the most popular activities was the milfoil harvesting where students in kayaks went on Bryant Pond with camp instructors and Fahey to spot milfoil in the lake.

“I’m very excited,” student Sebastian Evans said as he and a dozen or so other students gathered on the docks to load into single and dual-seated kayaks after learning how to paddle. Many of the students such as Kailyn Gould-Hodgkin and Kyera Burnham had never kayaked before, but after a sideways journey, they paddled forward like experts.

“I’m so excited. But I want to have fun without the fear of falling in,” said Burnham just before she got into the kayak.

Justin Leavitt, a field instructor at the Bryant Pond 4-H Camp, said the goal of the assignment was to spot milfoil, use a suction and harvest it.

Using an underwater camera and a wet suit to keep the 60-degree water temperature from affecting his dive, Leavitt was able to show the students, who were in kayaks, the milfoil as they spotted it using small television screens. Although some students have been allowed to go in the water in previous years, Leavitt said the temperature was too cold this year.

Although there is not a massive amount of milfoil infestation, the problem has hit the pond as it has many others throughout the state.

The students spent about two to three hours out on the lake harvesting the milfoil as other groups of students participated in activities such as learning about respect, the sources of energy and ropes.

Kate Wonch, another camp instructor, talked quietly to a group of students seated around a campfire about respect and the three things the students must respect at camp and other places.

“Respect nature and wildlife,” she said as she talked about her hunting experience. The students were also taught about respecting people and each other and to respect the property they were on as they spent the next three days camping in bunkhouses, eating in the mess hall and using the vast facilities of the camp.

Ropes, zip lines, both land and water, and many other activities were on tap for the students as they continued their three-day adventure.

The students will also complete their tech wizard projects from last year, when they designed robots to attack milfoil and start new community projects , she said.

This is the first time the students have gone for two nights, Fahey said.

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