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Outdoor Education

A group of sixth-grade students wearing life vests smile while standing together on a wooden dock in Catalina.

Outdoor Education

Students in grades five through eight participate in outdoor education. Outdoor education expands the limits of the classroom through exploration of the natural surroundings of Southern California. Students learn about the power of teamwork and perseverance by working through challenges, as well as participating in activities such as zip lining, hiking, snorkeling, and canoeing. These trips offer students the opportunity to bond with each other and their teachers while being immersed in nature. 

Outdoor Education Trips:

5th grade – AstroCamp

6th grade – Catalina

7th grade – Big Bear

8th grade – Lower Colorado River

A group of children in orange life vests stand in shallow, dark water with reeds and distant hills under a clear blue sky.
A canoe with three people glides down a calm river, bordered by lush green reeds under a clear blue sky.
A seventh grader wearing a safety helmet and riding a zipline, with mountains and pine trees in the background.
A group of seven young boys pose for a photo on a wooden bench in a wooded area with backpacks in the foreground and trees and rocks in the background.
A person in a harness and helmet is suspended mid-air by a rope in front of a backdrop of tall trees and a clear blue sky.
Children in life vests stand on a sandy beach holding paddles, with kayaks lined up by the water and a hilly, vegetated coastline in the background.
A group of fifth grade students smiling in front of a tall tree and cabin during their Astro Camp trip.
Sixth graders take a hike along the coast of Catalina.
A group of children poses for a photo on a dusty cliff overlooking a vast blue ocean and distant coastline.
Six boys stand on a dry, grassy hillside in the foreground, with a vast blue ocean and distant coastline in the background.
People swim in the clear blue ocean in the foreground, while a sailboat and a hilly coastline are visible in the background.

Immersing middle schoolers in outdoor education is akin to unlocking a treasure trove of life's lessons amidst the whispering leaves and dancing desert sunlight. As they navigate winding coastal trails and conquer rocky terrains, students not only master the art of teamwork and problem-solving but also forge an intimate bond with the natural world. The scent of earth after rain, the symphony of birdsong, and the gentle caress of a breeze become their classroom, teaching them invaluable lessons in resilience and environmental stewardship that textbooks could never convey. In these wild spaces, amidst towering trees, rushing rivers, and open ocean, students not only discover the secrets of science by studying ecosystems firsthand but also uncover the poetry of mathematics in patterns of leaves or the physics of water currents. Nature becomes their laboratory, their library, and their muse, offering a holistic education that nourishes both mind and soul, fostering a lifelong love affair with learning and the world around them.Ms. Phan
Middle School English and literature teacher