Outing Program
The Outing Program is based on the idea that everyone learns best when they can actively participate in directing their own learning process. Participants set out on an adventure and engage in activities that are challenging, rewarding, fun, and safe but with a perceived risk. They are asked to stretch beyond their preconceived limitations in order to succeed individually and as a team. Our program attempts to engage the whole person in order to cultivate the qualities and skills that help individuals achieve their greatest potential, while working together to be an effective team.
The Outing Program provides programming that creates an atmosphere that challenges and excites the imagination, as well as builds positive relationships, and empowers youth.
Main Objectives
The Outing Program's main objectives include:
Short-term Programs: These include contractual programs, fee-based programs (run throughout the year), and the Urban Rural Adventure Program (specifically for 5th graders).
Long-term Programs: These programs are based in the middle schools and high school. We work with participants from 6th grade through high school. Trips are a major component of our long-term programs, as well as developing leadership and problem solving skills.
Activities include:
The Outing Program provides programming that creates an atmosphere that challenges and excites the imagination, as well as builds positive relationships, and empowers youth.
Main Objectives
The Outing Program's main objectives include:
- To encourage interdependence and cooperation
- To give participants the opportunity to develop and demonstrate social, emotional, and communication skills
- To provide a challenging, educational, noncompetitive environment that maximizes personal growth
- To provide an experience that enhances emotional and personal growth, builds self-esteem, and develops friendships
- To provide students an opportunity to go beyond their self-imposed limitations
- To teach environmental awareness
Short-term Programs: These include contractual programs, fee-based programs (run throughout the year), and the Urban Rural Adventure Program (specifically for 5th graders).
Long-term Programs: These programs are based in the middle schools and high school. We work with participants from 6th grade through high school. Trips are a major component of our long-term programs, as well as developing leadership and problem solving skills.
Activities include:
- Backpacking
- Camping skills
- Canoeing
- Caving
- Environmental awareness
- Fire building
- Group games
- Hiking
- Knots
- Leadership building programs
- Nature and outdoor survival skills
- Orienteering
- Outdoor cooking
- Problem solving activities
- Rock climbing (beginner, intermediate, advanced)
- Shelter building
- Team building activities (Challenge Course)
- Tree climbing
- Winter camping
The Urban Rural Adventure Program
The Urban Rural Adventure Program is our newest after-school program offered in partnership with the Ithaca city School District. The Urban Rural Adventure program is designed to build friendships between 5th graders from ICSD schools who will be attending middle school together. Through fun and engaging team building activities and discussion, students will increase their understanding and enjoyment of cultural differences, identify ways they can empower themselves and support one another, and learn social skills useful for successfully navigating middle school.
Five-week sessions are offered after-school throughout the school year; there will be 3 sessions per week and 12 students will be able to participate each session.
Mission
The Outing Program is committed to providing outdoor adventure programming that fosters a team mentality. Our focus is on personal growth for youth involved in the program. We give participants the opportunity to develop and demonstrate leadership and problem solving skills, as well as social skills.
The Urban Rural Adventure Program is our newest after-school program offered in partnership with the Ithaca city School District. The Urban Rural Adventure program is designed to build friendships between 5th graders from ICSD schools who will be attending middle school together. Through fun and engaging team building activities and discussion, students will increase their understanding and enjoyment of cultural differences, identify ways they can empower themselves and support one another, and learn social skills useful for successfully navigating middle school.
Five-week sessions are offered after-school throughout the school year; there will be 3 sessions per week and 12 students will be able to participate each session.
Mission
The Outing Program is committed to providing outdoor adventure programming that fosters a team mentality. Our focus is on personal growth for youth involved in the program. We give participants the opportunity to develop and demonstrate leadership and problem solving skills, as well as social skills.