Bernasconi Center celebrates 50th ainniversary

The Sierra Adventure Center at the Bernasconi Education Center, which is operated by the Inyo County Superintendent of Schools, celebrated the facility’s 50th Anniversary last Saturday with over 150 local County residents enjoying a variety of fun family activities, music, and free food.

Although advertised as the 50th Anniversary, the facility actually hosted its first summer camp for local middle school students some fifty-three years ago in 1962. A former apple orchard and trout farm, the site boasted relocated old mining bunkhouses and a closed restaurant, along with old Caltrans buildings, to be used as dormitories and cabins. Eventually the Palisade Glacier High School was also built on the approximately 100-acre property, which is on a long-term lease for $100 a month in perpetuity from the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).

In a letter dated July 30, 1997 to then-Superintendent George Lozito, former County Schools Superintendent Melvin Bernasconi (elected in 1958) explained the history and purpose behind the Education Center when he wrote:

“As superintendent, one of my burning desires was to do something of lasting importance to every child and family in our school system. This self-study for students would be a week-long outdoor experience with the student at the center of studies with Nature as the textbook.”

He went on to explain that “The land had been long-used by the owner for apple orchards and trout ponds. As the owner aged, the property and water rights were sold to the City of Los Angeles because there were no local bidders.”

Bernasconi had a conversation with Mr. Robert Phillips, LADWP Northern District Engineer, whose office was in Independence. Phillips said, “The paper on my desk is for the property above Big Pine that we have discussed. Today DWP is canceling the lease on that approximately 100 acres because the leaseholder is using it as a junkyard for broken-down cars. If you are really serious about wanting to use the property for the education of children, we would be interested in leasing it to you.”

“The apple storage building and several smaller buildings were the only structures on our land. Lawson Wright, Superintendent of Union Carbide Mine, was closing Shelite restaurant and bunkhouses at the mine and was eager to give and transport and install buildings and equipment at Bernasconi Education Center.”

Explaining why the site was perfect as a place for students to study nature, Bernasconi wrote: “At this study site for children and youth are many outdoor textbook materials—water, grasses, trees, swamp, desert, meadow, mountains, soils, volcanic mountain, glacial rocks, active glacier above us, signs of ancient ocean, the DWP power plant, Indian sunrise circles, birds, animals, and most precious, we were there as part of it all with our curiosity and appreciation and wonder and excitement about miracles in us and all around us.”

The Sierra Adventure Center (a.k.a. Bernasconi Education Center) has hiking trails, ponds, stream, Great Basin plant communities, and breathtaking views of the Eastern Sierra. Under Inyo County School Superintendent Dr. Terry McAteer, the facility has been greatly improved, with remodeled cabins and heated dormitories with bunk beds that can accommodate up to 125 people. There are showers, staff housing, a restaurant-style kitchen and dining hall, outdoor amphitheater, classroom, and nature trails. It’s a truly remarkable and beautiful facility.

Bernasconi’s vision is clearly shared by Dr. McAteer, who is also an avid outdoorsman. Activities and programs at last Saturday’s celebration included live music by Sandy and the High Country Band, a bouncy house for young children, an obstacle course, face painting, arts and crafts for children, water color instruction for adults, archery, a planting table, and a water coloring art class. Everyone working the event—including ICOE employees that all volunteered to work the event—were excited to be a part of the celebration. Dr. McAteer cheerfully cooked the hotdogs and Lis McAteer had great fun helping children with arts and crafts projects inside the hall.

On a table was a reprint of an August 25, 1962 article titled “Outdoor School for 6th Graders Rated Big Success by Parents” in the Inyo Register.  The article was published in the Inyo Register (Bishop, Calif.); Inyo Independent (Independence); Progress-Citizen (Lone Pine) and Chronicle-Union (Bridgeport).The center was used by 45 students, 15 from each school district, and they lived at the outdoor center for one week, following a schedule of study periods in classrooms and on field trips, with periods of relaxation and fun activities to soften the regimen, interspersed throughout the day.

Fifty-three years later, Bernasconi’s burning desire to do something of lasting importance to every child and family in our school system has been fulfilled.

There will be two Sierra Adventure Summer Camps open to all Inyo County students entering the 7th Grade. The summer camp for 7th Grade Boys is June 20 – July 3. Summer Camp for 7th Grade Girls is scheduled July 6 – July 10. Activities such as archery, hiking, nature art, survival skills, songs, outdoor cooking, crafts, starwatching, birding, and nature study will be offered. The cost is only $20.

For more information, contact Hillary Behr at the Inyo County Superintendent of Schools Office in Bishop at 769.873.3262, extension 431, or send an email to hillary_behr@inyo.k12.ca.us.