At a Glance
Building Community in the Great Outdoors
The aim of our Outdoor Education program is to provide a safe, balanced environment beyond the classroom where students can learn about themselves and the world around them, one adventure at a time. The program’s progressive approach provides students in Grades 4–10 a variety of opportunities to develop a wide range of outdoor skills, participate in age-appropriate outdoor activities, develop leadership, teamwork, perseverance, and goal-setting, and learn to respect, appreciate, and care for the environment.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award
A Collaborative Challenge to Remember
Students from Grade 9 onwards are all given the opportunity, and encouraged, to start completing the three levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The Duke of Edinburgh Award gives students the opportunity to make a positive impact to the lives of others through community service, to learn and develop valuable skills for the future and take up the challenge of an Adventurous Journey with their peers. Aspengrove School is one of the only Award Centres for Mid-North Vancouver Island.
For more details please contact our Certified Award Leader, Natasha Parsons.
Level 1
Bronze Award
(Ages 14+)
26 Weeks Minimum Participation
Adventurous Journey: 2 Days & 1 Night
Level 2
Silver Award
(Ages 15+)
52 Weeks Minimum Participation
Adventurous Journey: 3 Days & 2 Nights
Level 3
Gold Award
(Ages 16+)
78 Weeks Minimum Participation
Adventurous Journey: 4 Days & 3 Nights
Activities by Grade
Experiences to Remember
Please note: Our outdoor education destinations are subject to change.
Grade 4
Grade 4 students spend one night on our 40-acre campus. They learn about adapting in the outdoors, shelter building, fire safety, and campsite set-up and clean-up—all while gaining a greater understanding of our school setting and land.
Grade 5
Grade 5 students spend two nights off campus at a local camp. They learn about taking care of a shared space, set- up and clean-up, working together as a team to accomplish a common goal, the history of land (forestry), and level 1 outdoor skills including wall climbing, hiking, and canoeing.
Grade 6
Grade 6 students spend three nights off campus at Tribune Bay on Hornby Island. They gain an increased understanding of space management and living on an island while further developing their level 1 outdoor skills through kayaking, hiking, wall climbing, rappelling, and marine adventures.
Grade 7
Grade 7 students spend three nights off campus at the Tribune Bay Outdoor Education Centre on Hornby Island. They participate in water-based skills related to the ocean, including paddle boarding, kayaking, and canoeing; tenting set-up and break down; campsite management; team building (ACE – Accept all Levels of Ability, Challenge by Choice, Encouragement); and physical challenges, including high ropes course, giant’s ladder, leap of faith. They also further develop their outdoor skills of fire building, orienteering, shelter building, and backpacking.
Grade 8
Grade 8 students spend three nights off campus at Strathcona Park Lodge Outdoor Education Center. A guide assists the students with the skills they need to set-up and break down camp, manage their campsite management, and prep food. They also learn how to navigate a lake in canoes, challenge themselves on the low and high ropes courses, zip through the treetops on zip lines, and learn to work together as a team to accomplish tasks.
Grade 9
Grade 9 students spend three nights off campus in Strathcona Park. Students focus on kayaking/canoeing with backpacking, meal planning, map and compass work, reading waves, and route planning.
Students are able to begin the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
Grade 10
Grade 10 students spend three nights off campus in Strathcona Park at the Outdoor Education Centre. Students go backcountry hiking and camping, do their own food prep and cooking, read maps and compasses, and gain increased independence. They also have the opportunity to do rock climbing, zip lining, and high ropes and low ropes challenges.
Students are able to begin the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.
Discover Our Arts Programs
Get creative with our Performing Arts and Visual Arts programs! Students learn to express themselves, develop skills as artists and performers, and connect with one another.