This fall our Adolescents ventured to Chincoteague Island, Virginia for an immersive Odyssey Trip where they enjoyed kayaking, hiking, science lessons, and lots of biking and beach time.
On the way there, students stopped for lunch and a science lesson at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge for a science lesson about saltwater and freshwater ecosystems.
The adolescents shopped for their groceries, meal prepped together, and planned several of their own activities.
On day two, the adolescents had a lesson in bike safety and physics, then biked to the beach (10.4 miles round trip)! The Adolescents were eager to explore the diverse ecosystems on the island, and they came up with many research questions to explore in the months to come. Some of the many questions included:
They adolescents enjoyed a morning kayaking trip through salt marshes and the Assateague Channel where they were able to visit a bald eagle’s nest.
They also spent time in nature, drawing and taking scientific observations.
The students enjoyed each other’s company throughout the trip and built confidence with new experiences from flipping pancakes to navigating the streets independently.
Odyssey travel offers many benefits to our students. It invites them to step out of their comfort zones by spending time away from their families and stretching their independence. In a new environment, students learn to care for and rely on each other. They bond through new experiences, such as biking to buy groceries and kayaking through a salt marsh. And, finally, Odyssey offers lots of unstructured time to be together and build community, which will strengthen our connection for the rest of the year and beyond.
