Rationale

The Environmental and Adventure School’s purpose is to provide powerful educational experiences that support 6^th through 9^th grade students in becoming successful and contributing members of our society while engaging them in work and learning related to understanding, protecting, creating and sustaining healthy natural and socio-cultural environments.  

Why Environmental Theme, Adventure Education, and Community Stewardship? 

Research* indicates that children are more likely to succeed and become confident, contributing adults when they experience: 

• teamwork and a sense of purposeful belonging and contribution to their community
• academic, social, and physical challenge and achievement
• active involvement in their learning
•  relevant learning
• opportunities to develop and apply leadership skills
• partnerships with mentors in the larger community and opportunities to mentor others
• connections with their natural surroundings

* Howard Gardner; Ted Sizer; The SEARCH Institute; Foxfire; Service Learning; Parker Palmer (the Courage to Teach Program and Center for Teacher Formation); Johnathan Kozol; Deborah Meier; Tom Vander Ark (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation) 

These needs can be met through a curriculum and program that engages students in meaningful learning, real-world connections, and community involvement. The broad theme of the interdependent relationships among people and their environments (human and physical) allows integration of learning around significant ideas and issues and leads to rich opportunities for student involvement in stewardship projects and partnerships in their community.  

Our program delivers an environmentally focused, integrated, thematic, and standards-based curriculum. Teachers provide and encourage culturally responsive instruction and learning and work with community partners to expand the capacity to meet student needs. The program provides time and opportunities for community-building among students and staff, personal challenge, team-work, intensive classroom instruction, field research, service learning, and mentorship. This program emphasizes: 

Citizenship and Stewardship
Students participate in extensive research, hands-on learning, and environmental stewardship. They take part in projects to monitor, maintain, and restore habitats and biodiversity. Students have many opportunities to teach and guide others as well as opportunities to work in partnership with adult mentors and community organizations. 

Personal Challenge and Leadership
Students develop confidence and skills to work effectively as leaders, mentors, and team members through challenging activities and projects (e.g., challenge initiatives, ropes and climbing courses, community service, academic projects). 

Adventure Education
Adventure expeditions and field trips are related to school and academic goals. Adventure Education opportunities include activities such as: camping or travel excursions with an environmental science focus; diverse cultural experiences; and participation in local community events. Especially important for the middle school years, these kinds of opportunities promote: 

• Group culture, spirit, and camaraderie
• Cooperation, collaboration, and shared leadership
• Decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Responsibility to self and community
• Personal challenge, exploration, and growth
• Understanding of interrelationships within environments
• Communication and mentoring skills  

Community Stewardship Projects
Students select and participate in a series of environmental stewardship projects each school year. Curriculum goals are incorporated into these projects. Learning is highly interactive. All students participate in school-wide presentations to share their learning and accomplishments. Older students take on leadership roles in Community Stewardship Projects. They work with teachers and community leaders as projects are developed and they participate as assistant facilitators at project sites throughout the school year. Projects may include: organic and sustainable gardening; recycling; alternative energy development (e.g., wind and solar); habitat restoration (e.g., stream monitoring; native plant planting and non-native plant removal); service to organizations supporting children or adults with disabilities; and tutoring.  

Respect and Responsibility
Rules are established and consistently enforced to create and maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for all students Staff members hold high standards and expectations for student behavior and academic responsibility. As a cohesive community of learners, mutual respect and understanding is fostered. Students work with each other in a variety of groupings and settings. Student responsibility is encouraged in an environment in which students are actively engaged in their learning and have ownership in the process. To build an atmosphere of respect and responsibility, we continue to: 

• Provide group process and planning time in a setting that fosters dialog and decision-making.
• Secure training for students in conflict resolution and peer mediation.
• Provide time and resources to develop and publish management guidelines for adult partners and interns who work regularly with our students.

Outcomes and Benefits 

The pervasive environmental theme and the Adventure Education and Community Stewardship programs at EAS yield powerful benefits to EAS students, their parents, and the broader community. Through our Community Stewardship Program and other service projects associated with our Adventure Education expeditions, students have contributed over 40,000 hours of service in our community and region. Students who complete four years at EAS experience a total of twelve weeks of Adventure Education – mostly involving week-long expeditions. As a result of these programs, EAS staff members observe significant academic and personal growth as students progress through their years at EAS. In the words of EAS teachers, middle school students at EAS tend to: 

• Engage fully in educational activities – both in the classroom and in the field.
• Exhibit pride in their work and accomplishments.
• Include and support each other, regardless of individual differences.
• Teach and mentor each other in and out of the classroom.
• Adopt more environmentally conscientious practices and raise others’ awareness about environmental sustainability.
• Readily volunteer to present their work and learning to outside groups and organizations.
• Seek opportunities outside of school to participate in social and environmental advocacy and service projects.
• Relate positively and respectfully with adults and younger children.
• Demonstrate strong oral presentation skills.
• Demonstrate fluency with computer technology.
• Perform well in academic skills involving including reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and art.
• Plan, develop, and complete projects individually and in teams.
• Work exceptionally well in small groups and teams.
• Approach challenges with confidence and perseverance 

The power of the environmental theme, Community Stewardship, and Adventure Education is best reflected in the words of our students, parents, and community members.  Student Reflections and Parent & Community Member Reflections can be viewed via the Related Links box in the upper right.