Outdoor Pursuits [Registration Required]

Eligible students: Rising 6th – 8th grade students 
Dates: July 8 – July 26, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. 
Sites: Columbia Heights EC, Kramer MS, Roosevelt HS 

Outdoor Pursuits is concentrated on involving children in hands-on learning outdoors provides them strong links to the natural world and encourages healthier lifestyles. Outdoor Pursuits will engage students in outdoor and indoor activities over three weeks. The hands-on and experiential learning techniques students will engage in have also been shown to increase student interest and learning in all areas. Outdoor Pursuits Programs involve hands-on activities outdoors in nature. These programs also encourage action and leadership in students by exercising their critical thinking and creative skills and giving students the knowledge and confidence to make their own decisions and try new and exciting physical adventures outdoors.   

Outdoor Pursuits will be an all-encompassing summer enrichment experience. Students will participate in all the activities listed below. Please register using the link at the bottom of the page.

Hiking and Orienteering: There are several intriguing and fun trails in DC for students to explore, where they learn map reading and compass skills. While hiking, students will get the chance to truly immerse themselves in the natural world. The experiential learning-based hikes along various trails will bring DCPS students up close to amazing flora and fauna, all of which is literally in their own community and will gain an appreciation of the kind of outdoor physical experience they can have so close to home. 

Parkour: Each school site will have a Parkour course built out. Students will learn how to safely move using a variety of jumping and landing techniques, rolls, and vaulting. Students will improve their skills through safe progressions so that they will be able to use the outdoors as a creative way to exercise. 

Rock Climbing: Students will travel to the Bouldering Project gym where through rock climbing, they will develop essential decision-making skills to ensure the safety of self and others. Students will learn rock climbing basics on a variety of traverse walls with progressive challenges improving their muscular endurance and flexibility. 

Swimming:  During the swimming portion of Outdoor Pursuits, students will engage in this activity twice per week. During this class, students will work on water safety and swim skills such as bobbing, floating, gliding, and swim strokes of front crawl, back crawl and treading water. 

Adventure and Cooperative Challenges: During the afternoon, students will then hone their outdoor pursuits skills and further develop lifelong physical activity and communication skills while experiencing in depth and challenging team building and outdoor education-based physical activities.