Last month, Aspengrove Students in Grade 8, 9, and 10 set out on a trip to the Strathcona Park Lodge, located in Vancouver Island’s North-West. The students spent four days and three nights exploring the surrounding park by canoe and by foot, learning more about Vancouver Island’s remote backcountry through the Strathcona Park Lodge’s wonderful guides.
The Strathcona Park Lodge, nestled in the Strathcona Provincial Park on Northern Vancouver Island, was founded in 1959 with the goal to improve Canada’s outdoor education industry. With a team of passionate directors, the Lodge strives to connect participants with each other and the natural world while building respect for each others’ differences and the natural environment. The hope of their programs is for participants to take what they’ve learned at the Lodge into the world to create a positive ripple effect in our communities.
Grade 8
Over the course of four days, Aspengrove’s Grade 8 students spent their time at Strathcona Park Lodge building their outdoor independence by setting up and breaking down their tents, practicing their campsite management and food prep, canoeing on the areas surrounding lakes, camping, hiking, and rock repelling.
Grade 9
Aspengrove’s Grade 9 students spent their four days in the Strathcona Park focused on kayaking and canoeing with backpacking, meal planning, map and compass work, reading waves, and route planning. Their camping excursion was a “Leave No Trace” trip, which also qualifies the students for the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award!
Grade 10
Aspengrove’s Grade 10 students spent their three nights off-campus backcountry hiking and camping, doing their own food prep and cooking, reading maps and compasses, and gaining increased independence. Not only was the trip a wonderful experience for our students, it also qualifies students for the Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award.
We would like to extend a big thank you to Aspengrove School’s amazing staff and Physical Education Department who spent countless hours preparing for this trip and ensuring our students had a safe, educational, and enjoyable time.
Thank you to Nicole and Nathan in Grade 10 for providing us with some great photos of your adventures!
