Discovering Our Backyard – Orientation Expeditions
This week students left their comfy beds, technology, and ready access to snacks behind as they set out to explore and discover their surroundings during our orientation expeditions. The groups will summit the mountains that are the backdrop to our campus, and paddle the river that is our school’s western border. More importantly, they will get to know their peers and teachers, laying the foundation for the community that will form the Fall 2017 semester.
After all the commotion of the first few days of the semester, it is wonderful for things to slow down a bit and have the group follow the rhythm of the natural world. From sunrise to sunset, this expedition allows for the powerful moments to arise from laughing with your math teacher on the trail and giggling with your tent mates under a star filled sky. Students will certainly work on “hard skills” this trip as they begin to navigate 
whitewater kayaks, and organize their own packs, but the Alzar School has larger goals for the expedition. Here are three goals from the expedition plans our teachers wrote:
whitewater kayaks, and organize their own packs, but the Alzar School has larger goals for the expedition. Here are three goals from the expedition plans our teachers wrote:- Students begin to forge relationships with peers and staff.
- Students begin to build a sense of place (specifically our “backyard” in Cascade, Idaho) and their connection to it.
- Students build a foundation for Leadership development through the introduction to procedures and new skills.
We look forward to hearing the trail stories when the group returns.