The FOREST program nurtures true community where each member is known and valued for who they are. Our intention is to forge profound connections with peers, mentors, and the earth.
We grow capable, confident leaders who work to expand their skills and push their personal comfort edges. These abilities and experiences will be a strong foundation for growth in all aspects of life. We build a community focused on the joys and challenges of engaging in authentic relationship with each other and with the land that sustains us.
By building strong peer bonds in nature, FOREST students develop a support network to foster a lifetime of outdoor learning. FOREST is an amazing way to connect with the natural world in your very own community. We hope you join us!
Our FOREST Understory 9-month immersive nature skills experience is the perfect chance for 6th-10th grade students to fit nature connection into their busy schedule. One Saturday per month we focus the entire day on a unique skill that builds on skills learned the month before. Each session provides students with a take home project to continue working on between meetings. We learn some of the exciting basics of wilderness self-reliance and create a foundation of skills to continue to build upon, either at home, or in future programs.
FOREST Understory includes:
- Classes that fit into teens’ busy schedules
- A different skill focus each month, scaffolded for growth
- Focused projects that develop particular skill sets
- Community connections with other nature-connected teens
- Cool things to take home and keep working on and show friends and family
FOREST Understory covers skills such as:
- Woodcraft: Carving and Whittling
- Shelter, Axes, and Saws
- Fire Making
- Wildlife Tracking
- Navigation
- Advanced Fire Skills
- Wild Food, Medicine, and Water
- Archery Bow Making
- Natural Cordage
- Arrow Making
- Leathercraft
FOREST middle school
For most students, FOREST Middle School is your entry point into the FOREST Program. Middle School FOREST students will experience strong peer and mentor support as they navigate a challenging time of their lives. Excursions and overnights will provide a well-rounded outdoor skill development experience that focuses on all of our four Learning Pathways. These students are able to begin to explore their skills at a deeper level than they have previously.
Small interest-based groups
As a team, students and mentors will create clans consisting of one mentor (Whole Earth Instructor) and four to five students. Clans will be created based on student’s interests, abilities and goals. Each student will be working on long-term and short-term projects for themselves and their clan. In the FOREST program, students and mentors will have a close working relationship.
Monthly excursions
FOREST students will also meet once per month for a full-day excursion dedicated to learning new skills and furthering existing projects and goals outdoors. These excursions feature a variety of destinations around the Willamette Valley and each trip will have unique activities and lessons planned. Advanced students will also be involved in planning some of these trips.
FOREST high school
FOREST High School continues the core elements of the FOREST Middle School program for both continuing and new students, providing a peer and mentor supported learning space while developing core outdoor skills. FOREST High School also introduces additional leadership elements to the curriculum. When students are ready their mentors will support them in planning and leading excursions for the FOREST Middle School group.
Weekly meetings
Mentors will have weekly meetings with their clan, in person, at a local park. Each clan will be assigned one meeting day between Monday and Thursday. These weekly meetings will be an opportunity for students to work on ongoing skills and projects. They will also serve to support community between FOREST students as they connect with their peers.
Overnight excursions
Twice during the year we’ll turn a full-day excursion into an overnight excursion! Yup, we’ll spend a full weekend camping and exploring together! Each trip will focus on a different type of shelter-making. The October trip builds survival skills, resilience, and a commitment to learning. The end of the year trip includes more breadth of skills like tracking and primitive cooking and celebrates all that the students have learned.