Camas, Wash. – A local high school student is turning his love of photography and birdwatching into a hands‑on learning opportunity for students throughout the region. Shaunak Deshpande, a senior at Camas High School, organized a loan program that supplies teachers with sets of binoculars, birding kits and field guides.
Equipment loan program for classrooms
Earlier this month Deshpande delivered the first batch of gear to teachers in several districts served by Educational Service District 112. Each loan package contains ten binoculars and a complete birding kit, which a teacher can request for a month and then share with their class.
“Being able to have these in your class and have something like this integrated in your learning could be useful for a lot of people,” Deshpande said. “The goal is to get real equipment into the hands of local students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it.”
Workshop with the Vancouver Audubon Society
Deshpande partnered with the Vancouver Audubon Society to host a workshop for teachers, demonstrating how to use the binoculars and what to look for while birding. “One of the great things about birding is patience. Patience and just getting out there,” he explained. “With birding, you have to wait. There is a lot of patience I’ve learned.”
He added that many young people spend too much time indoors. “I think a lot of youth aren’t outside as much as they should. It’s a good excuse to go outside, get some fresh air, see nature.”
Wings of Change and Cameraderie
The initiative grew out of Deshpande’s summer project, Wings of Change, a conservation fundraiser run through the Audubon Society’s youth program called Cameraderie. The program, a play on the word “camera,” organizes monthly walks for youth ages 8 to 18, where participants photograph birds and later share their images online for feedback.
Through Wings of Change, Deshpande and his partners raised $6,000 from more than 80 organizations, securing the equipment needed for the loan program. The effort also included a donation to the Center for Ecodynamic Restoration in recognition of volunteer work completed in the Columbia River Gorge, a prime bird‑watching location.
Impact on students
By providing affordable, high‑quality birding tools, the program aims to spark lifelong interest in nature and science. “All birds are good birds,” Deshpande said, emphasizing that any encounter with wildlife can be a valuable learning experience.
Teachers interested in borrowing a kit can contact the Camas High School student team or the Vancouver Audubon Society for more information.
Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.
