Kendall Battle first came to NorthBay as a student. This past year, she returned as a teacher with students of her own. That story has stayed with me. Of all the things we hope young people take home from NorthBay, the desire to give someone else that same opportunity means a lot.
As we welcome students for another school year, I’ve been thinking about how much has happened since the fall of 2025. We changed the way we schedule Outdoor School and how we bring its lessons to the stage. We welcomed thousands of summer guests and marked twenty years of serving more than 300,000 students. It was a busy year, and our team put a lot of care into making those experiences worthwhile.
Making the most of every day
One of our biggest changes was moving Outdoor School from a five-day, four-night experience to a three-day, two-night program. The five-day program had been highly successful, but a full week away has become harder for many schools and families to manage. Transportation, staffing, and time away all play a part. We wanted more students to be able to come while keeping the experiences that make NorthBay meaningful.
That took a lot of work on the schedule and curriculum. Our team had to think carefully about how students would spend each day and how the lessons would connect across a shorter stay.
Hearing students talk about their experiences encouraged me. Their reflections sounded familiar: the excitement about something they had tried, the connections they had made, the ways they were beginning to see themselves differently. Those conversations helped me appreciate how much could still happen in three days.
Across the Bay, Forest, and Farm, students explored how their choices affect the world around them. They investigated water quality and spent time aboard Miss Nancy, our floating classroom, learning about the Chesapeake Bay right where they could see it. At Rising Tide Farm, planting and harvesting helped them understand where food comes from and how our decisions affect the environment. Team challenges and high adventure asked something different of them: to trust someone, offer encouragement, or give an unfamiliar activity a try.
Helping students see themselves in the story
NorthBay Live remains a part of this work that is especially close to me. Our evening show uses live music, film, and student participation to help students make sense of what they’re learning and connect it to their own lives. This year, our media team adjusted the show for different grade levels and the new program schedule.
Our original films reach roughly 10,000 students each year, and students’ continued response to Toobie reminds me why we spend so much time getting these stories right. Sometimes a character gives a student a way to talk about something they haven’t been able to put into words. The conversation might start with the film and lead to something much more personal: where they fit in, a decision they’re facing, or what they hope their future could look like.
A full summer and the people behind it
Once the school year ended, we welcomed approximately 7,000 guests for summer camps and retreats. Music Camp, youth groups, and the Ripken Foundation’s camp kept campus busy. We also hosted teams and organizations, including Fulton Bank, whose team-building visit came from a silent auction experience at our first gala. It was good to see that connection continue beyond the event itself.
None of this happens without the people working across NorthBay. Meals need to be ready, cabins cleaned, and grounds cared for. Activities take preparation, and someone has to make sure the sound and lights work when it’s time for the show. I’m grateful for how much our staff give to this place, including the work a guest may never notice but would certainly miss.
We also found ways to share more of what happens here through program videos, parent updates, and new website pages. On our podcast, Josh Kurtz and Stephanie Tuckfield from Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources joined the conversation about outdoor education. For families, these updates offer a closer look at what their children experience. For someone who has never visited, they can be a first introduction to NorthBay.
Join us at Beyond the Bay
At last year’s twentieth anniversary gala, we heard from former students and supporters about what NorthBay has meant to them. Those stories have stayed with us as we prepare for our second annual fundraiser, Beyond the Bay: Experience the Mission. Shape the Future.
Please join us Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. You’ll get to try interactive NorthBay experiences, hear stories of impact, and enjoy dinner, a silent auction, and music from DJ 5Starr. We’re also looking forward to welcoming Maryland State Senator Cory McCray as our featured speaker.
So much competes for young people’s attention. Time outdoors, a real conversation with a classmate, or the chance to try something without knowing whether they’ll succeed can be hard to come by. At NorthBay, we make room for those experiences. Your support helps us keep offering them, and Beyond the Bay is a chance to get a feel for that work yourself.
I think about Kendall bringing her students back to NorthBay and wonder what they’ll remember years from now. We don’t always get to find out. When someone like Kendall returns, though, we get a glimpse of how much a visit can mean.
Another school year is underway, and more students are getting their turn. I hope you’ll join us on October 6 and help make that possibl
