Outdoor Ed Trips in the Era of Climate Change

For many Upper School students, Outdoor Education is an opportunity to reconnect with peers and adults after a period with limited in-person contact. During the trip, students also take a break from electronic devices that have been ever-present in their lives. Just before students were slated to leave for their trips, the Director of Outdoor Education, Laura Marion, had to make alternative arrangements for areas that were affected by wildfires. Despite the challenges, one teacher chaperone said, “The trip rejuvenated my spirits” and one student shared how they got to know everyone on the trip more deeply. PolyNews chatted with Laura about the evolving nature of these trips and what we can expect in the future.

How has climate change affected the trips? Global warming is here now, so we can no longer run the program the way we have. We are still looking to find great places to send kids, but in a time of perpetual fires and floods, we can’t predict what places will be affected. It’s the terrifying progression we’ve always worried about.

What can we expect from Outdoor Ed trips in the future? I’m spending this year looking into what needs to be changed and rethinking the program. We can’t continue like it’s business as usual in an environment that isn’t stable. But our program is too important to the life of the Poly community to not figure this out.

What makes Outdoor Ed a meaningful experience?
Part of it is that it’s a community of teachers and students being together and not having to talk about grades. In our increasingly digital lives, it is the only week kids are away from technology, looking at each other and the world instead of devices. The memories they make on trips will stay with them for many years to come.
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