‘Adventure’ Connects Two Agencies On The NH And ME Seacoast

For anyone unfamiliar with ‘outdoor education,’ you should meet Donald Gagnon of R.W. Traip Academy and Sally Gregory of New Heights, two educators who have made a living in adventure for years. Their respective backgrounds in—and love for—adventure and the wilderness has in fact created an opportunity for both to work together in recent years on a concept they have termed ‘the experiential classroom.”

“It’s an opportunity to get students out of their comfort zone and into wilderness,” said Gagnon, who teaches physical education and has started an outdoor leadership program in addition to a First Responder program.

In creating an experiential classroom in collaboration with Gregory, Gagnon said they have created opportunities for students to experience nature and wilderness, learn, and earn high school credits at the same time. Their first experiential classroom took place on an extended expedition to Utah in 2012.

“We had nine students from Traip Academy go on it—and it was really an incredible experience,” he said. “We were not just hiking or camping, though. There was an educational component to it.”

In addition to writing an essay for consideration to participate in the trip, students researched topics while in Utah and presented their finding to the School Committee. They also read and wrote journals about Edward Abbey’s book, “Desert Solitaire,” in which the author discussed his time as a park ranger at Arches National Park.

Other experiential classrooms have taken place since then as have various teambuilding programs for sophomores at Traip Academy with one taking place in mid-October at New Heights in Portsmouth. For Gregory, the chance to infuse adventure and outdoor experiences into the curriculum at Traip Academy is “very exciting.”

“When you can put students into challenging situations where they are forced to rely on themselves and one another, you have incredible teachable moments and learning opportunities,” she said. “Self-confidence, self-worth and the ability to look beyond themselves and gain respect for fellow students and their teachers are just some of the things we see out of students when they complete one of these programs.”

For Gagnon, his collaboration with Gregory and New Heights is especially meaningful because he started out as a participant himself when the agency was located at the old Connie Bean Center.

“I lived in Kittery and would ride my bike across the bridge,” he said. “I would do as many trips as I possibly could…They helped me stay out of trouble and helped me create who I am today as a person.”

Eventually working as a senior staff member at New Heights during the summer while earning a BS in outdoor education, Gagnon said outdoor educational experiences enable students to develop skills that are relevant across multiple settings.

“The ability to work as part of a team, leadership, communication—these are things that well-designed outdoor adventure programs can help develop in students,” he said.

Having known Gagnon for decades, Gregory said the programs they have built together and he has built on his own at the school reflect the profound impact outdoor opportunities can effect in people of all ages.

“When you can put kids into situations where they can earn their freedom, they learn the value of responsibility and accountability—not just to themselves, but to others, too,” she said.

Gregory said the inherent difficulty of some of the adventure opportunities experienced by youth participants should not be overlooked either.

“With our New Heights Adirondacks Canoe Expedition trip, these kids carry a 55-pound canoe on their shoulders for a mile and a half over a rocky trail,” she said. “They go up hills and over rocks. It’s hard.”

As a result of that experience, however, she said students learn something about themselves that they can “carry with them” long after the adventure is over.

“They have a sense of self-worth and self-respect,” she said. “They know their potential as people, too, and they develop empathy for their fellow students. They help each other when they are struggling. Those are life lessons they’ll never forget.”

Founded in 1987, New Heights offers programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) and Arts & Culture in addition to Adventure. Many of their programs align with 21st Century Skills, which center on collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity.

To learn more about New Heights and its adventure program, visit newheightsonline.org.