MyPATH-Outdoor Pursuits off to a great start!

The My PATH program expanded into the rural school communities of Duffield, Wabamun, Tomahawk and Entwistle this year. The program expansion, aptly named Outdoor Pursuits, focuses mainly on outdoor adventure activities with a blend of recreational sport, fitness, arts and health programming.

There are currently 100 Outdoor Pursuits students from the four schools that are participating in the program, two afternoons per week. Their recent adventures include traveling to Camp Warwa to learn archery, canoeing, outdoor obstacle courses, and a variety of group challenges. Students are also getting comfortable in nature and learning about, and the importance of, environmental stewardship with teacher Jeanette “River” Radchenko. Another important program to introduce early on is fitness development with local community partner, Iron Body Fitness, who have created a comprehensive, progressive fitness program that will build movement competence and confidence as they transition to the various sports.

Outdoor Pursuits students will experience other such fantastic programs like Remuda Horsemanship, Adventure Fit Club, dance with Performance First Studio, hockey with Parkland Hockey Group and MCN Sports Shooting & Skill Development, soccer with Capital Sp Soccer, outdoor education programs with Eagle Point Parks Council and Camp Yowochas, floorball with MCN, lacrosse with the Alberta Lacrosse Association, curling with the Lakeside curling club, as well as other programs that are planned as the year progresses. Field trips to local farms and ranches will also be included to provide students with hands-on agricultural experiences.

Another positive aspect of the Outdoor Pursuits program is the community building as the program brings together students from the neighbouring school to learn and experience together. There are four PSD staff members who attend all activities with each student group to provide additional support for the programming partners. Students are divided into multi-grade groupings so the model provides great leadership opportunities as well.

For more information on My PATH, My PATH Lite, or My PATH Outdoor Pursuits, visit our website at https://mypath.schoolsites.ca/. For daily updates and activity photos, find us on Facebook or Instagram (mypathprogram).