Welcome to POLARIS
Welcome to another fantastic session of Polaris. We are all incredibly excited to have everyone along with us these next two weeks as we learn more about exploring the outdoors and cultivate our own independence.
Our first week is packed with lots of fun activities and some moderate hiking adventures. We started off our week with team building activities where we made marshmallow spaghetti towers, played the name game as well as the game of clumps to find out what people like and don’t like. The goal of these activities being that the better we get to know each other, the easier it may be to build new friendships with others.
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As communication is a foundational component to friendships, goals, teamwork, and being outdoors, we began our week with Cricket bringing us through an escape room and conducting an egg drop. In both challenges, campers had to work together by listening to each other’s ideas and problem solving. As a group, we learned that good communication involves patience, listening to others, and combining various ideas to come to the best solution.
Another large component to the POLARIS program is learning outdoor skills. This week, campers have learned about the impact that we all have on the environment, and how it’s incredibly important, not just when we’re hiking, to make environmentally conscious choices. We’ve also taken time to learn about the various items we take hiking, how to pack a bag for a trip, and what items are essential for us. For instance, a change of clothing and a lighter are both very important items to have with us while hiking in case we get wet, or have to stay overnight. We might also not choose to wear cotton because when wet, cotton does not dry as easily. We took these skills with us as we hiked the Christmas Tree Trail in Edworthy Park. This hike was a great introduction, and invitation on how to practice positive self-talk and the importance of encouraging others.
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As we look forward to the rest of the week, we are excited to delve into skill programs where campers will be implored to look at their own skills and find ways to apply themselves while taking on new challenges.