Fundraiser connects teens with nature

Teens enrolled in a unique high school program in Black Diamond might be worth having around when out in the backcountry.

In addition to studying math, English and the sciences in Mother Nature, a dozen Oilfields High School students in the Quest program are learning essential outdoors skills that are making them well-versed in water activities, camping and avalanche safety.

Quest is a multi-grade program unique to Oilfields that explores cross-curricular studies through outdoor and environmental education.

It combines traditional classroom instruction with experiential learning that allows students to explore and discover the natural wonders of the world.

Grade 11 student Jacob Pearse has gotten more than academics out of it.

“I was able to take my avalanche training course last year and now I’ve got my flat-water canoeing certificate,” he said. “Every year we get a new certificate.”

Pearse especially enjoys cross-country skiing, which he’s done plenty of times this school year thanks to the abundance of snow.

With dozens of outings each year including camping, canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing and scuba diving, the program fee is $600 each year excluding the year-end trip.

See Quest on page 17

The school will host its annual Friends of Quest Dinner and Auction March 17 at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick Community Hall in Turner Valley to help offset those costs.

Without Quest, Pearse doubts he’d be thriving as much as he is in high school. He said the program has made huge improvements in his studies thanks its small class size and being out in nature.

“I’ve gotten a lot more focused with being in the outdoors every once in a while,” he said. “It makes everything easier to understand by being outdoors and being able to go places and see things widens your perspective.”

Pearse plans to make his own contribution to the fundraiser. He is crafting about 10 ‘welcome’ signs made of reclaimed wood to donate to the auctions.

Karen Larter, Quest’s math and science teacher, said the fundraiser typically raises $15,000 to $20,000 each year.

“The community is really supportive of what we’re doing,” she said. “Typically we don’t have a lot of issues getting thousands of dollars worth of goods donated, particularly for the auctions. Many of the community members come to the event.”

About half of the money raised this year will subsidize the cost of a six-day sea kayak excursion on the west coast in May, including scuba diving and water exploration. The trip is estimated to cost $1,200 per student, Larter said. The remainder will support next year’s program, she said.

“Our program is intended to be open to all students who have an interest in outdoor education and environmental science,” she said. “We don’t want finances to be a reason students aren’t able to participate in a program that is otherwise great for them.”

Larter sees first-hand the benefits Quest has on students.

“We are a little family so one of the biggest advantages for students is they spend a lot of time really getting to know each other, working together to prepare meals and set up tents, things like that,” she said.

In addition, the program teaches students important life skills such as communication, collaboration, personal well-being, responsibility, leadership and taking care of others, said Larter.

“If you are in a canoe with somebody you’ve got to communicate with others so you don’t end up swimming,” she said.

The program was initially developed for high school students struggling in the regular academic system, but Larter said it’s now open to all Oilfields High School students.

“There’s a cohort of students who do tend to struggle with academics who really appreciate having close personal relationships with their teachers,” she said. “We really get to know them really well so we’re able to teach in a very personalized way that meets their individual needs. They really appreciate the lower student to teacher ratio.”

Much of the core curriculum is taught in class, but when students hike, ski, kayak, scuba dive, rock climb and camp, she said the Alberta curriculum is integrated into their activities.

“It’s a really unique opportunity for students to also connect their outdoor experiences with what they’re learning in their core curriculum,” she said. “While we’re doing trigonometry we’re using angles to calculate the slope angle to assess avalanche risks or river flow rates mathematically, which is pretty important if you’re going to be canoeing in it.”

Grade 11 student Makae Geurts is also experiencing the benefit of the Quest program.

“I’m terrible at focusing, so this has helped me a lot to learn because when we go out in the outdoors the teachers bring the education with them,” he said. “I love the outdoors. It’s where I’m most happy.”

The Friends of Quest Dinner and Auction begins at 5:30 a.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. and entertainment to follow.

Live and silent auctions will be held throughout the evening and the award-winning husband and wife duo of Longview’s Over the Moon will provide the entertainment. Tickets can be purchased for $40 at Oilfields High School.