Outdoor games, guiding, kayaking, climbing, first aid and leadership are all part of the new REAL (Recreational Experience and Leadership) program at the Sunshine Coast Alternative School.
The high school course equips students with the skills for working at children's camps and running recreation programs and guiding groups.
"They could take groups on guided tours in kayaks or hiking or mountain biking, for example. They also spend a lot of time learning backpacking skills, because you need to be able to pack all the supplies for your group," said Seona Dalgleish, creator and teacher of the program. Dalgleish is a teacher who has always loved the outdoors and used to work at the Educo Adventure School in 100 Mile House."That was a really great experience, and I wanted to create something here for students," said Dalgleish.
She created the course this year for students in Grades 11 and 12 and had four students sign up from the Alternative School."I hope to get more students involved next year, and I want to open it up to students in all the high schools on the Coast," said Dalgleish. She noted students in the Alternative School sometimes get a bad rap but says "they're really great kids."
Tara McIntyre is 18 and is enrolled in REAL.
"I took my ECE course last year and I thought this course would be good because I want to do something outdoors. I'd like to work with kids at a summer camp this year. I want to do something with kids, I think that would be fun," said McIntyre.The course is worth 12 credits because it has three components, which are Leadership, Tourism 11 and Work Experience 11/12.
Students meet one day every two weeks for the course and end the year with 100 hours of work experience.This week the four students in REAL completed their work experience by leading a series of day camps at Camp Byng for elementary students.
The Grade 5/6 students there May 25 took part in team-building games, orienteering and art projects.It gave Dalgleish's students, McIntyre, Trevor Jack, Sterling Wallace and Sam Williams, the chance to put their skills to work in a camp setting.
Gibsons Elementary School teacher Sue Fitchell said she planned to take some of the team-building games they learned at Camp Byng back to her school to teach other students.
"I think this is just great," she said of the camp.
A spin-off of the work experience camp is the leadership skills being taught to the elementary school students, said Dalgleish."Our theme for the camp is 'The Leader In You,' and we encourage the elementary students to think about the different leadership styles, which one they fall into, and how they can be better leaders at their schools," she said.
This year, elementary students from Gibsons to Halfmoon Bay took part in the camp put on by REAL students, and Dalgleish plans to expand the camp next year if she has more students sign up for REAL.
"I think it's a great way for high school students to get 12 credits because we meet only twice a month, and they learn all these skills that they can get a job with right away," said Dalgleish.
The program is almost finished for this year and will be offered again in September.
