Westside Students serve as counselors for 6th grade Outdoor Education Program

If you went to a Westside Elementary school in 6th grade, one of the highlights of the school year was Outdoor Education. Outdoor Education is a two day one night program that 6th graders in the Westside school district attend. There, they get a chance to meet new friends and do a variety of activities ranging from canoeing to horseback riding. Outdoor Education takes place at Platte River State Park from the end of September to the beginning of October.

Students at Westside High School now have the opportunity to be counselors to the 6th graders that attend this program. Sophomore Lauren Fehr was one of the many students that signed up.

“I wanted to help the students have as great of an experience as I did,” Fehr said.

Each high school student was placed in a cabin with 4-6 students from each school that participated in the program that week. Sophomore Ethan Sternberg was in charge of a cabin with 6 boys from Westgate Elementary School.

“The hardest thing by far was trying to get the kids to get along and all go to sleep,” Sternberg said.

Each counselor had to stay with their cabin at all times except for the 1 hour of down time they got at night. 

“I mainly helped the kids if they had any questions or were confused about something,” Sternberg said. “I also helped show them some of the activities and made sure they stayed safe and had fun.”

Because they helped out, every high school student that participated got 16 service hours which they can use towards their required 80 hours they need to graduate.

In past years the funding for Outdoor Education has decreased and what was a two night two day experience is now only one night and two days. Many people enjoy this program and want it to continue.

“I think it is a good experience for kids to get out of the classroom,” Fehr said.

Outdoor Education offers a hands on style learning which has been proven to increase understanding and comprehension in certain subjects and can offer a better learning environment to students that don’t learn as well with lecture style teaching. 

“I think Outdoor Education should stay. It is important because it educates kids about things outside of just math and science” Sternberg said.