Outdoor Education Class

My name is Chris Wyatt, I am raising money to bring a new elective course, Outdoor Adventures, to the junior high campus I work at for the 2023-24 school year and beyond. I have taught for 13 years, 12 years teaching 8th Grade Science and I am currently the Science Department Head. The Outdoor Adventures curriculum is not your traditional PE course. Instead of teaching PE with basketballs and tennis rackets, we use rods and reels, and bows and arrows. The Outdoor Adventures curriculum is already being taught in hundreds of secondary schools that have reported many positive attributes associated with the class. School Principals report virtues such as improved self-esteem, improved attendance, fewer discipline issues, and improved grades for students while enrolled in the course. Many students are not involved in extracurricular activities and the Outdoor Adventures program helps those students become engaged in the educational system.

There are no racial, physical, gender, or socio-economic boundaries and therefore all students enjoy an equal opportunity to participate and become engaged in extracurricular activities.

Units include:

a. Hunter Education

b. Angler Education

c. National Archery in Schools Program

d. Boater Education

e. Orienteering and GPS

f. Wilderness Survival

g. Outdoor Cooking

h. Camping

i. Challenge Course

j. CPR/ First Aid

Why is this important to me?

I grew up in the mountains of North Carolina with access to hunting, fishing, camping, and being outdoors from a young age. My parents taught me the importance of conservation and taking care of what had been entrusted to us. I believe those experiences will enable students to: