TREK Program at Prince of Wales户外运动

Education about the natural environment and sustainability are fundamental components of the TREK Program. We believe that students should understand how the natural world has an impact on their daily lives, and in turn, what kind of impact their daily lives have on the environment. We provide students with opportunities to learn about the functioning of natural systems, consider a range of views, identify their beliefs and opinions, and ultimately make informed and responsible decisions.

The underlying purpose of the TREK Program is to provide experiences that help students learn about themselves. We create a physical and social environment that supports the development of positive character traits such as respect, responsibility, compassion, independence, self-confidence, openness to new experiences, helpfulness, self-discipline, enthusiasm, courage, leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, creativity, and concern for health and fitness. Our aim is to enable students to choose wisely from among their choices, initiate action, turn dreams into reality and take personal responsibility for who they become.

To assist students to make connections to the natural environment and learn about themselves the TREK Program introduces each student to a variety of outdoor activities including hiking and backpacking; ocean kayaking; canoeing; rock climbing; cycle touring; back-country (telemark) skiing; cross-country (Nordic) skiing; essential outdoor skills (minimum impact camping, outdoor cooking, first aid, map & compass, weather interpretation, snow shelter construction, avalanche assessment and risk reduction).

We provide instruction in the safe means of participating in each of these activities, and give students the basis for a lifetime of outdoor adventure. In addition, our trips (1 – 7 days in duration) enable us to examine a variety of ecosystems (e.g. alpine, intertidal, freshwater, bog, and temperate rainforest).

Each year 112 students are admitted to this enriched alternate education program based at Prince of Wales Secondary School. Students must transfer to P.W. for the year. During their TREK year students will spend 5 months on-TREK where they will be involved in a combination of outdoor activities, field studies, and classroom-based academics and 5 months off-TREK where they will complete an intensified academic curriculum.

At the end of the year, all TREK students will have met the requirements for completion of Grade 10 (credit in English, Social Studies, Math, Science, P.E., Planning, a second language and Outdoor Education).

Admission requirements:Applicants must pass all Grade 8 and 9 core subjects with a minimum C+ average. Potential applicants, and their parents, are encouraged to attend one of two information meetings and interested students will need to attend an interview.

Administering school: Prince of Wales Secondary School

Grade: 10

Website: http://pw.vsb.bc.ca/programs/TREK.htm

Goals and Objectives

In addition to meeting the requirements for completion of Grade 10, the goals of the TREK Program are:

to introduce each student to a variety of outdoor activities;

to provide instruction in the safe and proper means of participating in these activities;

to help students develop a greater understanding of the natural world;

to provide positive personal growth experiences that help students develop beneficial character traits.

Program Objectives

Outdoor Activities

The TREK Program introduces each student to a variety of outdoor activities including:

hiking and backpacking

ocean kayaking

canoeing

rock climbing

cycle touring

back-country (telemark) skiing

cross-country (Nordic) skiing

essential outdoor skills (minimum impact camping, outdoor cooking, first aid, map & compass, weather interpretation, snow shelter construction, avalanche assessment & risk reduction)

We provide instruction in the safe and proper means of participating in each of these activities, to give students the basis for a lifetime of outdoor adventure.