Educational Programs

A Special Note to Educators from Dave Gould

To anyone considering adding an outdoor education/experiential education program to your existing curriculum: For the past decade, Durham Academy has run a highly successful and popular outdoor education program for our upper school. Each class, from grades 9-12, begins the school year with the outdoor education program designed for their year level. In grades 9-11, our students spend three days with on site outfitters in the Carolina mountains; they then begin their senior year with a six-day 'Senior Challenge' backpacking expedition in the shadows of Mt. Mitchell.

We purposely chose to begin our outdoor ed program at the ninth grade level with Turtle Island. The reasons? The integrity and vision of its founder, Eustace Conway, have created a 19th century mountain 'homestead' where our kids could become totally involved in their ancestor's way of life, learn the importance of simple lifestyles and our surrounding environment, and create insight into their own character. Simply put, at Turtle Island, our kids learn the value of moving out of their comfort zone and taking risks; that risk-taking, in turn, can go a long way in helping create a real sense of community.

Over the years, the Turtle Island program has become legendary amongst our students. Before they go, they think they cannot deal with an outdoor bathroom, eat primarily organic food cooked over woodstoves, sleep in a tipi, swim in a cold mountain stream, or successfully complete a night hike without a flashlight. They wonder if they can learn to make a fire without matches, cook bread in a makeshift outdoor oven, carve their own eating utensils, track a deer, and make stone age jewelry from rocks they find in a stream. They resist not wearing a watch, taking a shower every morning, rising in near darkness to meditate as the sun comes over the hills surrounding Turtle Island.

Of course they then do all of these things. More surprisingly, they find they LIKE doing them. Part of their reaction is due to the caring and compassionate nature of the staff that Eustace brings together. Part of it is due to the sheer simplicity and honesty of the Turtle Island environment. Most of it is probably due to their increasing willingness during their time at Turtle Island to take greater risks because they and their peers, perhaps for the first time, are all on a level playing field where everyone is learning by doing.

There is little question that our kids feel terrifically empowered by their experience at Turtle Island. There is a palpable sense of accomplishment in their conversations on our bus trip home and the resulting carryover when school begins the following Monday is a delight to watch. We get a terrific amount of 'campus mileage' from the Turtle Island experience. Bringing back the 'spirit of the mountain' smooths our efforts to create class unity - the common experience of such a wonderful and unique place makes a real difference in campus spirit and class camaraderie.

I believe there are not many places like Turtle Island. The power of it's place, the heightened awareness of simple values, and the resulting appreciation for all the human spirit can do are keenly felt by all of us at DA. It is simply a terrific experience. Go!!

Dave Gould - Director of Special Programs

Durham Academy - Durham, N.C.