Outdoor School for All
workshop for student leaders at Siskiyou Field Institute
Empower youth in the outdoors!
Student Leader Workshop 4/28-4/29
Here is a sample schedule of what the workshop will look like:
Friday after school — Carpool from your high school to SFI.
At SFI — Check in and receive your yurt/tent assignment for the night.
Dinner — Buffet style; meet the staff and other prospective Student Leaders, hear announcements, and learn about the available field studies.
Evening Segments — Learn how to work with students at meals, in social settings, and accomplishing tasks as large and small groups.
Snack and Campfire — Sing songs and perform skits. Many students' favorite part of Outdoor School is the campfire program.
Saturday Morning — Move out of your yurt/tent and store your luggage in a centralized location; learn your field study assignment.
Breakfast — Family style Outdoor School dining and announcements.
AM Field Study — Learn teaching techniques and how to manage students in an academic setting.
Lunch — Family style Outdoor School dining and announcements.
Yurt/Tent Time — Learn how to build a positive community within a group of students.
PM Field Study — Learn the science content you will be teaching to students.
Final announcements — Confirm your availability schedule and your desire to be a Student Leader (it's OK to decide that you don't want to be a Student Leader at this point). Load your luggage and ride back to your high school.
Expect to arrive back at your high schools around 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.
Next steps — Visit your high school counseling office to pick up your packet and learn your student leader assignment.
Your Impact:
Because the students are at an impressionable age and because they look up to the high school status of Student Leaders, your influence will be profound.
"I learned things about myself, like the fact that if you're confident in yourself enough, you can do anything. I will always remember my Student Leader for the rest of my life."
- sixth-grade student
WHAT IS OUTDOOR SCHOOL AND WHY DO KIDS NEED IT?
Outdoor School provides kids with hands-on science education that builds their critical thinking, problem solving, and leadership skills.
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Outdoor School re-connects young people with the wonders of science and nature, providing them with hands-on learning they simply cannot get in the classroom.
In today’s world of technology overload, the average young person spends seven hours a day in front of a screen and less time outside than ever before.
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Research shows that kids who go to Outdoor School do better in class, their attendance improves, and they become more motivated to learn.
What does it take to be a Student Leader for Outdoor School?
If you are interested in becoming a Student Leader it is important that you carefully consider the following criteria for yourself:
1. Can you provide leadership to young people?
2. Does science interest you?
3. Are you a patient and hard working person?
4. Do you enjoy the outdoors?
5. Are you the type of person that parents would trust to take care of their children? (Do you have high personal standards?)
If you can answer “yes” to most of these questions, you may find that volunteering as a student leader will be one of the most unique and beneficial experiences of your entire school career.
Other criteria that qualify you as student leader candidate include: passing grades, completion of all homework, and a good attendance record.
The staff at SFI make the final selection of Student Leaders when you attend the weekend workshop. At the conclusion of the two-day workshop all accepted Student Leaders’ names are sent to the appropriate high school where the high school counselor has the final option on approval. In the event you are not approved by your high school you will be notified.