Outdoor Education: Get Outside and Smell the Roses

Here at CCHS, students on a daily basis are inside learning about God's world,and occasionally on a nice sunny day, classes may carry on outside to enjoy the creation. But one of the classes offered here at Calvin is Outdoor Education which is just that - outside learning. This class is focused on the outdoors, combined with physical fitness, allowing students to not be stuck in the same four walls day in, day out. One of the class’s primary goals is to get out and learn about Christ’s creation, and to marvel in what God had made for us. Mr. VandeGlind, the Outdoor Educator creator and teacher, tries to have this class focus around how to look at creation in light of God's plan, and encourages students to relish in what God had set around us. He says, “My hope for this class is to make people comfortable with outdoor recreation and the outdoors, so in the future, they will go out into God’s creation and do those activities.” To drive home this point, students go out of the classroom and experience various outdoor activities – such as skiing and mountain biking at Elms Creek, rock climbing at Vertical Endeavors, as well as learning wilderness first aid training later in the course. In doing this, it helps and encourages them to get out and enjoy the wonders of nature God had designed for us to find and praise Him for. Though it is a small class this year, students have really enjoyed the trips that they have taken as a change of pace from the usual school schedule. Austin Bartz, a senior in this class, has captured footage of the class going out and biking at designated courses.  Check out the video below for a taste of what the class experiences:

Feel free to subscribe and watch the other videos of the class trips as well.

- Andrew Thomas