Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center

A school day can look like this.

At Wildcraft, homeschool students gather each Thursday for hands-on learning, outdoor exploration, creative projects, and time with friends.

Ferncliff has been a national leader in outdoor education for more than a decade. Wildcraft brings that experience to a weekly homeschool program designed to help children build a meaningful, lasting connection with nature.

After a wonderful first year with our 1st and 2nd grade class, Wildcraft is expanding for the upcoming school year. The younger class is now full, but enrollment is still open for 3rd and 4th grade students.

Wildcraft meets Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Ferncliff, September through May.

Learn more and register: https://conta.cc/4vhKKkU

Emily and Boxanne are heading home to Ferncliff with quite a haul!

Emily Ho**er, Ferncliff’s Director of Mission and Outreach, spent the week at Synod School in Iowa, where 650 participants helped assemble and collect 933 hygiene kits, 623 period packs, 544 kids’ kits, 82 school bags and 12 boxes of extra supplies.

Emily shared that Synod School felt “like walking into a family reunion,” and the community’s generosity will have an impact far beyond the week. Once back at Ferncliff, the kits will be inspected and prepared for distribution through our Disaster Assistance Center. Having these supplies ready means we can respond quickly when disaster strikes.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Synod School who filled kits, packed Boxanne and donated nearly $8,500 toward supplies. Thank you for welcoming Emily so warmly and helping Ferncliff care for our neighbors when they need it most.

Read the full story from Presbyterian News Service: https://conta.cc/4g3TntM

Now loaded with disaster kits, Boxanne heads home to Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center STORM LAKE, Iowa — When Boxanne returns from Synod School to its home at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center in Little Rock, Arkansas, later this week, it’ll be loaded with kits to serve the needs of people impacted by disaster or who have other ongoing needs.

🌿 **Now Hiring: After School Care Assistant** 🌿

Looking for a rewarding part-time job that gets you outdoors and makes a difference?

Ferncliff Nature School is hiring an **After School Care Assistant** to help create a safe, fun, and engaging environment for children at the end of their school day.

🍃 Approximately **15 hours per week**
🕝 Monday–Friday, **2:30–5:30 p.m.**
🌳 Spend your afternoons outdoors with amazing children in a nature-based learning environment.

This position is perfect for:
• College students
• Responsible high school students
• Retirees
• Aspiring teachers
• Anyone who loves working with children and being outside

If you're dependable, caring, energetic, and excited to help children learn through outdoor play and exploration, we'd love to hear from you!

📧 Contact **Nature School Director Rachel Parker** at **[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])** to learn more.

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share this post!

Building beds. Building character. Building community. 💙🔨

Members of the , Young Men's Service League Little Rock Chapter, recently came to Ferncliff for a hands-on day of service, helping build beds for children in need through Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Despite the summer heat, mothers and their high school sons worked together to sand and stain bed components that will become safe, comfortable beds for local children.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that builds and delivers handmade, fully furnished beds to children who do not have one of their own. Ferncliff is proud to be home to the recently organized Little Rock SHP chapter. With an estimated 15,000 children in the Little Rock area experiencing bedlessness, this work meets an enormous need close to home.

Amy Rypkema helped organize the service day. For Amy and her family, service has always been important. She wants her children to understand the needs beyond their own lives and to see giving back not as a requirement or a chore, but as a privilege.

“It’s a privilege to serve your community,” Amy said.

YMSL brings mothers and their high school sons together to serve nonprofits throughout the community. Through projects like this one, families spend meaningful time together while young people learn more about the needs in their own city.

Betsy Smith reflected on the experience:

“Participating in a service project to build beds was not only incredibly rewarding but also so much fun! We are so grateful to Ferncliff and the team that made this project possible.”

Thank you to Amy and all the YMSL mothers and sons who showed up with energy, compassion, and a willingness to work hard. We are grateful for your service and excited to welcome another YMSL group for a bed build in September!

Learn more about Ferncliff’s outreach programs and ways to serve:
https://ferncliff.org/outreach/

🐿️ **Join the Scorchin’ Squirrel crew!**

We need awesome volunteers to help make the 2026 Ferncliff Scorchin’ Squirrel Trail Run a success on **Saturday, August 15**!

Spend a fun morning outdoors cheering on runners, helping along the course, and keeping things running smoothly as participants take on the trails at Ferncliff. No running required, and volunteers receive a **free event T-shirt**!

Learn more and volunteer:
https://conta.cc/44S1of9

🌿 **We're Hiring! Join the Ferncliff Nature School Team.** 🌿

If you believe childhood is best spent exploring creeks, climbing trees, catching insects, making mud pies, and discovering the wonders of the natural world, we'd love to meet you.

Ferncliff Nature School is looking for caring, enthusiastic people to join our team in three unique roles:

🌱 **Nature Preschool Residential Volunteer**
Serve alongside our Nature School team while living in community at Ferncliff. This unique service opportunity includes **housing, a monthly living stipend, food allowance, professional development, certifications, and the chance to make a lasting impact in the lives of young children.**

🍃 **Floating Teaching Assistant**
Support our preschool classrooms by helping create engaging outdoor learning experiences for children ages 3–5. **Starting pay is $14+/hour**, based on education and experience, and includes a **50% childcare benefit when available.**

🌲 **WILDCraft Homeschool Program Lead Guide**
Lead our one-day-per-week homeschool enrichment program, inspiring elementary-aged students through hands-on, nature-based learning and outdoor exploration.

Whether you're an experienced educator, looking for a meaningful gap year, or simply passionate about helping children grow through nature, we'd love to hear from you.

📧 Contact **Nature School Director Rachel Parker** at **[[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])** to learn more.

Please share this post with someone who would be a great fit!

Ferncliff Camp & Conference Center Expressing God’s love, we welcome people into a life of caring for Creation, others & themselves

Ferncliff is honored to help connect generous donations with organizations serving our community.

Recently, through Sharing the Goods, Ferncliff provided six twin-sized Tempur-Pedic mattresses to . The mattresses were donated by through .org, a national nonprofit that connects corporate donations with organizations serving people in need.

As a Good360 distribution hub, Ferncliff's Sharing the Goods program helps redistribute truckloads of donated products to dozens of local nonprofits, extending the impact of every donation and strengthening communities across Arkansas.

A special thank you to Tempur-Pedic, Good360, and Providence Park for the important work you do. Together, we're helping ensure our neighbors have a safe and comfortable place to rest.

From first bullseyes to cannonballs in the pool, Day Camp has been full of adventure this week. 🏹

Campers have been climbing, creating, exploring the woods, roasting marshmallows over the fire, making new friends, and discovering just how much they can do.

Here's a look at some of the fun happening around Ferncliff this week! ☀️🌲