Over 350 Sixth Grade Students Discover Nature Stewardship and Connection

October 27, 2022

When our over 350 sixth-grade middle school students began their Fall Outdoor Adventure (OA) experience with us this school year, we asked them all a question, “What are you bringing with you today?” Some middle schoolers responded literally, mentioning their attire or things in their pockets or their water bottles. Others responded with feelings, such as interest in the day and curiosity about what they’ll be doing. During our two fall programs: PS & Friends Boundary Waters (BWCA) Adventure Day, in partnership with Friends of the Boundary Waters and Minneapolis Parks, and River Adventure Day, in partnership with Wilderness Inquiry, students got to build upon that question, both literally and figuratively, within the beautiful bounds of nature.  

When students have a relationship with nature, it reflects in their overall well-being and understanding of the world around them and their part within it. In Project Success OA’s, sixth graders, and their teachers from Olson, Anwatin, Ella Baker, and Northeast middle school, participated in our Project Success Outdoor Adventure programs to do just that. These specific program days were a Project Success introduction for students and showcased just what PS is all about as they gained knowledge and understanding of nature around them. At Project Success, we’re eager to provide opportunities for students where they are “ inspired to think big.” Starting the day with a land acknowledgment and group introductions, students then participate in the activities that give them new applicable skills.  

 

 

 

For PS BWCA Adventure Days, students learn the significance of the BWCA, why it’s protected by the federal government, and how we protect it from human impact, as well as the animals that inhabitant the land. Students also learn about portaging (how to safely pick up a canoe and carry it on your shoulders), tent set up, BWCA map reading, fire building and survival skills, and orienteering, to name a few activities. For River Adventure Days, students paddle canoes, participate in fire and shelter building, test water quality, and learn about macroinvertebrates and orienteering. These activities provide lessons that can be applied in students’ everyday lives. For example, paddling canoes focuses on teamwork, and shelter and fire building can make students inquire, “What resources do I need to reach my goals? What is a good foundation for me to achieve my dreams?” 

When we ask students at the end of their experience, “What are you taking away, and what are you leaving behind?” Their responses are brimming with emotions of pride in overcoming perceived obstacles or acknowledging a mosquito bite or two. Whatever students take away from this experience, they will be able to apply it inside the classroom and within their everyday lives as they speculate the nature around them on a daily basis.   

One teacher had this to say about their experience during this programing: “This was a true introduction to our inner-city youth of what the outdoors has to offer, from a perspective different than their own. This may/will spark that desire to learn more on how to enjoy nature and all its glory.”