Into The Woods

The last time I pitched my yellow, Eureka tent I was in Moab, Utah. It's amazing to think that in a few short years I have gone from never owning a pair of hiking boots to saying that I've slept under the stars and hiked the La Sal Mountains out west. Simultaneously, after some time at The Country School, it doesn't surprise me that I've become more comfortable in the outdoors than ever before.

At TCS, outdoor and affective education are staples to the curriculum. Kids are academically challenged inside the classroom, but taught to learn about themselves outside of it as well. For our Middle Schoolers, this means the opportunity to spend some time in the great outdoors at both the beginning and end of the year. This year, my hiking boots took me to New York with the Seventh Grade.

We first arrived to Mountain Lakes Camp and were greeted by Mountain Workshop guides. At the lake, students were given directions about their morning activity: raft building. In order to get all of their supplies, students participated in a variety of collaborative activities. Once their supplies were collected, they assembled a float which they would race out to a buoy. The students presented a commercial for their raft, then paddled out into the chilly water, quickly finding who sank, who floated, and who was left ashore.

After drying off, we traveled to Ward Pound Ridge where we set camp, ate lunch and prepared for an afternoon of orienteering. Alongside a Mountain Workshop Guide, students learned how to use a compass, read a map, and set out on an adventure to find various markers. Day 1 proved to be challenging for many, as orienteering requires concentration, listening skills and leadership. Upon returning to the campground, the students played various field games, enjoyed a taco dinner and ate s'mores by the campfire.

The following morning we all awoke to damp tents, wet from the previous night's rain. We packed up camp, ate breakfast, and set out for day two of orienteering. Day two proved more successful for all groups. The students' newfound confidence in their orienteering abilities helped them work more collaboratively than the previous day. As one student said, "It combines my two favorite things: hiking and treasure hunts!"

After the tents have been packed up, the trail mix has been eaten and the hiking boots have been newly caked with mud, I hope the Seventh Grade remembers to embrace their inner wild, and never stop exploring. At TCS that's what we do: we let kids be kids, but remind them to stop and take in the moment every now and again.