Building community in the great outdoors

Earlier this month, students from Grades 7 to 12 went on various Outdoor Education adventures. Here’s a recap of where each grade went and what they did!

The Class of 2030 began their week with a day of community-building activities at Greenwood, which included a scavenger hunt, tower building and card writing for seniors. Then on Tuesday, the Grade 7s headed up to Camp Arowhon where they met their Grade 12 leaders and spent the next four days participating in various camp activities. 

Our Grade 8s headed up to Camp Tawingo on Monday, September 9. Students enjoyed a variety of activities at camp like canoeing, low-ropes obstacle courses, campfires, beach volleyball and more. One student fondly remembers a half-day canoe trip at camp. “We paddled almost an hour to a small island where we built a fire and made s’mores,” they recalled. “I learned a lot about collaboration on this trip because there were many group activities that we had to work together for and it was important that everyone participated equally.” Students also rehearsed in groups for an evening performance for the rest of the grade.

Like the Grade 7s, the Grade 9s also spent the week at Camp Arowhon. Students had fun climbing on the vertical obstacle course, standup paddling, participating in navigation challenges, and more. Groups with their Grade 12 leaders practised for their evening campfire performances.

Students in Grades 10 went on a canoeing expedition in Algonquin Park. Students got to paddle, portage and cook in nature. Camping outdoors gave students the opportunity to enjoy the sparkling night skies. Usually, there were two to three people per canoe. All rowers needed to work together to ensure they were travelling on the right path. While the expeditions provided fun challenges for the students, there was plenty from their journeys that rewarded their efforts. 

Our Grade 11s ventured to British Columbia where there were two different adventuring streams. One was a sea kayaking-focused trip and students travelled around Victoria Island’s coastline. Groups saw amazing views of whales diving, seals resting on rocks and there was even a show of the northern lights. The kayaking guides taught students how to snack on fresh sea kelp! Students took turns acting as “Leader for the Day”, setting their group’s navigation, learning group management and managing food preparations.

The other trip was a base camp expedition with West Coast Expeditions, an Indigenous-owned and operated company. The group also travelled by kayaking, but their focus was on exploring the physical, cultural and economic geographies of Kyuquot, British Columbia. Students went hiking to outer-coastal views and marvelled at the aquatic life found in tide pools. The group also visited the local Kyuquot/Checleseht First Nations community, learning about their culture, history and way of life. 

Many Grade 12s participated in this Fall OE as camp leaders for the Grades 7, 8 and 9 OE trips. As Fall OE Camp Leaders, the Grade 12s helped facilitate many activities for the younger grades that strengthened the group’s cohesion and teamwork. This was a great opportunity for the Grade 12s to demonstrate their abilities as leaders, mentors and role models for the Greenwood community.

Grade 12s were also offered the opportunity to participate in the Madawaska Kanu Centre’s whitewater canoeing certification courses. A merry band of seven Grade 12s chose this option for their Fall OE experience. At the Centre, the students earned their whitewater rescue and tandem canoe certifications after completing and passing their respective courses. When asked about his experience, Matthew Hicks ‘25 says, “I’ll gladly do it again!”

Of course, the Grade 12s had a much-deserved rest during their Grade 12 Retreat after a busy week up at one of the camps or at the Madawaska Kanu Centre. Students enjoyed a short stay at Camp Onondaga before returning back to Toronto. The students played games, relaxed and had a wonderful evening campfire. What a way to cap off their last Fall OE trip!