Middle School Outdoor Education Excitement

Middle School Outdoor Education Excitement

Emerald Mountain School kicked-off a new monthly outdoor education program for Middle School students this year. It all began with a day of dog-sledding and survival skills. Students built snow shelters and started fires in adverse conditions in the Flattops. They worked in teams and expanded their abilities to cooperate and learn from each other. Our second trip of the year focused on safety in the back country in winter, especially in avalanche conditions. Beacon training, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing figured prominently, and the students were treated to a surprise visit from a rescue helicopter. Each month, Emerald’s Middle School students have the opportunity to learn about the outdoors IN the outdoors. Aside from just being plain fun, these outdoor expeditions provide learning opportunities related to science, social-emotional development, survival skills, the environment, situational awareness, mindfulness, and working in teams. These monthly outdoor education experiences augment the intensive winter skills training that Emerald Middle School students will engage in during mid-February. For three days, students will camp in rustic conditions and learn to be self-reliant even in the most challenging conditions. The culminating event for our eighth grade students includes a six-hour solo wilderness experience where each student employs the winter survival skills (s)he has learned, practices mindfulness, and builds confidence. Through Emerald’s outdoor education program, students learn about themselves as they learn about the world around them and as each student pushes his or her limits.