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Forest Adventures

Doing Hard Things Together: Resilience, Teamwork, and New Skills at Teen Forest Friday One of our favorite things about our Teen Forest Friday program is watching a group of strangers become a team. Summer sessions are a little different than our fall and winter semesters. Instead of spending twelve weeks together, our summer groups only have four. That means we have less time to build the friendships and trust that naturally develop over a longer season, so we intentionally

Building Bridges, Learning New Skills, and Celebrating Growth After two weeks of challenging hikes and pushing ourselves to new limits, this week's Teen Forest School had a different rhythm. Instead of focusing on covering miles, we slowed down, settled into our favorite spot along the river, and gave everyone the opportunity to finish the projects they had been working on throughout the month. One of the things we love most about our teen program is how quickly new students

The Hardest Day Ever (In the Best Way) 2.7 mi Friday's teen class may have been the hardest day we've ever done physically, but it was also one of the most rewarding. We started the day the way we often do—playing together as a larger mixed-age group before splitting into our classes. This time it was freeze tag, which is always a fun way to get everyone moving and laughing before the day's adventure begins. Once we gathered our teen group, we went over the safety rules and i

Parent Resources Topics We Explored Team building and community games Juniper tree identification and uses Primitive fire starting with a bow drill Watercolor nature journaling Long-term bushcraft projects Western racer snakes Questions to Ask Your Teen What was your favorite variation of the name game with the tarp? What did you learn about juniper trees? What did Mr. Kyle eat? What project did you choose for the month? How did your group solve the log challenge? What was th

Friday, May 22 Distance: 3.7 miles round trip Elevation Gain/Loss: 697 feet up, 697 feet down There is something truly special about stepping off the beaten path and exploring a new trail with curious teens. On Friday, May 22, our teen group set out on a 3.7-mile round trip hike with an elevation gain and loss of 697 feet. This was not just another routine outdoor school day; it was an adventure filled with discovery, questions, and moments that reminded us why nature offers