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I think as parents, so many of us have totally lost track of the fact that our children are not interacting with our natural environment in any kind of meaningful way. Thus, I was very grateful when my children joined the WILD program with TVDSB. The entire program was quality education, beginning with the application process and ending with a reflective culminating project. The preparation was comprehensive and meaningful as the topics surrounding wilderness exploration were introduced. The actual seven day canoe trip was absolutely amazing. The teachers were highly skilled and passionate about what they were teaching. They were compassionate educators who understood what highschoolers were capable of doing. My children were exhilarated to have completed such a challenging trip that included canoeing, portaging, cooking outdoors, and camping in the woods, all in unpredictable weather. My daughter said it was the best experience of her highschool career so far. I highly recommend that students explore this option during their highschool career.
- Debra
The WILD program is amazing! It was definitely difficult to be out of contact with my child for a number of days, but they had a wonderful time. They faced a lot of adversity with travel issues and weather, but the group was able to join together and overcome. They learned to adjust when things weren’t going to plan. It was a great opportunity to meet students from other schools and create lasting friendships. Ms Patkau and Mr McIntosh were wonderful leaders and treated the students as their own. Upon arrival back in London at the end of the trip, you could see that the students did not want to leave the group, taking the time to say another goodbye to each other, snapping one more photo with their friends, having one last hug. My child definitely learned about leadership, their strengths and weaknesses in a wilderness setting, the importance of having a strong team along with you, and that it’s ok to not always be ok.
A million thanks to Mr Dunne, Ms Patkau and Mr McIntosh for bringing this program back to TVDSB for students to participate in.
- Rebecca Springer
I just want to send a quick public note to thank all 3 of you for providing our kids with such an amazing opportunity with the W.I.L.D. course. From the very beginning, I found the plans, procedures, training and information delivered to both parents and students ahead of the actual trip very detailed and timely.
My daughter enjoyed every aspect of the course including the book responses, lesson planning and canoe training. She felt a bit intimidated going into the course without a close friend and originally she thought she had little in common with the group as she first met them. When she arrived home late Thursday night after spending over a week away in your care, she appeared "sun kissed" both inside and out! Her smile, stories and enthusiasm were seen for days and I am sure will be relived every time she looks at the beautiful photos captured along the way and shared below.
She was changed by the experience in such a positive way. She will tell you that she grew stronger physically and mentally along the way. She is proud of the 90 km travelled in 6 days. She will tell you that she learned some valuable life lessons in long conversations held face to face in the quiet moments on the trip (thank you Angie!) She will tell you that she quickly made assumptions about some of her fellow students that were completely off base once she got to know them. She will tell you that it was an experience of a lifetime. Congratulations Erin, Dan and Angie, you are remarkable leaders and educators in this board and I thank you all for making a difference in the lives of our students with the W.I.L.D. course.
Sincerely,
Amy
When I told my daughter about the WILD program, I wasn't sure how interested she was. It was very different than anything she had done before so I think she just needed time to think about it. We had camped as a family before, but only at the Pinery - some people consider that 'glamping' these days. She is definitely an outdoor, active teenager, but being away from the comforts of a bed, shower, home-cooked meals, and her friends, required some extra thought. Plus the idea of going on a trip with nobody she knew caused a little bit of stress. In the end, she decided to apply.
I love programs and activities that put people outside of their comfort zones. Watching what people learn and how they grow is very exciting. Even the application process for WILD made my daughter step outside her comfort zone a bit, as she had to create a video explaining why she thought WILD was a good fit for her. Each step of the planning process made her more excited and a bit more nervous at the same time. It was fun for me to watch. After the canoe training, she came home with a new energy about the trip and the friends she was getting to know. She started to count the days down until it was time to leave.
My daughter is fairly independent but also quiet until she gets to know people better. At the airport, she didn't say a whole lot, probably because she was nervous, but it was also very early in the morning. At the same time, I could tell she was ready to go and see what WILD was all about.
It was really hard for me to have no communication with her for a whole week. I don't think I've ever gone a day without some form of communication with my girls, so this was also new to me. I had complete faith in the teachers though - I know how hard they have worked to make this experience so awesome, and they had already established such positive relationships with the students, even before they set foot in any canoe. That doesn't mean I wasn't checking Twitter all day when they left and all day when they got back to the starting camp, just to catch a glimpse of what had happened. The morning of their last day, I finally got a text that my daughter 'had made it back to reality'. I started firing questions at her and the only response I got was 'you will have to wait until you see me to find out'. My husband asked me if we should be worried, but my initial thought was that she had too much to tell and didn't know how - especially over text. Turns out I was exactly right.
My husband and I picked her up at the airport, and you could tell she was still trying to process how to explain what she had just been through. She was covered in bites and had a scab across her nose, but otherwise looked the same. She wanted a chicken burger so even though she hadn't had a shower in nine days, we went out for dinner. That was the first change I had seen and I loved it. She's not a vain person, but nine days with dirty hair for a sixteen year old girl is usually a big deal. As we ate, stories started coming out one by one. We heard about the people, the fun times, the challenges, the weather, the food, free time, and the travel. I asked if she would do it again, and she shrugged and said 'probably'. I think in my head, I was hoping for an overwhelming 'yes', so this was a bit of a surprise. I should have known that exhaustion was setting in though, and maybe that question should have come a day or two later. A few days later, she said (out of nowhere), 'I want to go back to WILD'. Sleep and a shower, and time to process, had put it all into perspective for her. She was clearly proud of what she had done, and was missing the experience already.
My overall opinion on the WILD program, is that every student should do this. The skills and experiences they get at WILD can't be taught in a classroom. They learn independence, adaptability, decision-making, and problem-solving but it is all in real time. I am so happy that my daughter was lucky enough to go this summer. I hope to send my younger daughter in a couple of years as well.
On a side-note, I would also like to thank the teachers (who are also organizers, planners, guardians, and nurses etc for that week), for being such amazing role models to these students. I heard many accounts about how much the students liked them, how strong they were, and how much fun they were. That clearly had a big impact on the success of the program.
Andrea
(Sarah B's mom)
Your guidance, patience, passion and abilities as teachers is remarkably reassuring. [My daughter] returned from the camping expedition bubbling over with stories of everything from pooh holes, to leeches, to white bread stuffed in her pockets. She was giddy with one story after the next. We saw pictures until the early morning of her return home ( 1:30 a.m) when she reluctantly went to bed.
I've heard only a bounty of positive, funny, and reassuring stories about where you went, what she did, and who was along for the ride! Simple stories with smiles and assurances that she has learned much about herself, about her surroundings, and about the world in which she lives and the rich diversity of people that allowed her to maybe, just maybe, see her own privilege without parental pronunciations from on high.
These are my perceptions,
Thank you for all you do and did.
Best, Michael
Thank you so much for conceiving, planning and executing W.I.L.D. We know how much time and effort you all put into making this trip a success. Your passion and dedication to your students is evident in the smiling faces in the photos that you shared.
[Our son] thoroughly enjoyed this experience!! Rather than the litany of complaints we usually hear, words such as "awesome" and "amazing" were used to describe the trip. He was excited to share the map of the route that was taken, photographs and videos that he and others took, and stories of funny things that happened along the way. When describing the more challenging parts of the trip (portaging, storms that soaked his tent), he framed them in a more positive light than he would ordinarily. He told us a lot of interesting facts about Quetico such as the no fly zone that is in place to protect the Park, and that it receives a fraction of the visitors that would visit other parks such as Algonquin.
It is obvious that this trip has had a significant impact on him. He made new friends and strengthened an old friendship that dates back to when they were infants at the same daycare. He has been talking more about the environment and how to protect it. He has expressed an interest in returning next year to help out on the trip. Quetico will hold a very special place in his heart.
Once again our sincere thanks for taking him and the other students on this trip of a lifetime!
Karin & Jacques
I want to thank each of you for all the time and effort you put into making this trip a huge success.
[Our son] came home beaming about his adventures and experiences each day. He was able to make some wonderful connections with new friends. He is more confident in himself. He was out whitewater rafting yesterday and was offered the chance to learn how to guide the raft. He jumped at the chance seeing he was comfortable with his canoeing skills. I am hoping to see his leadership and initiative skills demonstrated as he enters grade 11 and takes on more responsibility for himself and his future. He says he loved everything about his trip except the portaging which is never anyone’s favorite activity.
I am grateful to each of you for sharing your knowledge, skills and love of the outdoors with him.
This course was definitely the highlight of his summer and a memory he will always carry with him. I am sure he will use these skills next summer on a canoe trip.
Sincerely,
Karen
I wanted to take this opportunity to once again convey my gratitude to you for taking on such a daunting task of organizing and implementing the WILD course.
[My son] doesn’t say much, but he told me every last little detail about the trip…which tells me he thoroughly enjoyed it. He now states that he is a “professional solo portage expert.” He now wants to apply to work at the “island” for next summer!!
Please pass along my thanks to all that assisted and mentored the kids on this trip. It is teachers like you three that make a lasting positive impression on our young kids in society.
In appreciation!!!
Linda
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