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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.