Park City Day School third- to eighth-grade students are wrapping up a busy May of overnight outdoor trips, which for many are a highlight of their curriculum. From camping to canyoneering to whitewater rafting, these trips are a key component in the outdoor education program at the school, said Jamie Madore, the school’s outdoor education coordinator and wellness instructor.
Originally from Vermont, Madore made her way to the Wasatch Back and took over the outdoor education program at the Park City Day School in 2021 — her dream job.
“It’s really awesome to get to work at a place where we get to offer these types of programs to kids. Because I know for me, I have always believed in getting kids outside,” she said. “The students really look forward to it. When you ask them what they love, it’s often the outdoor ed program.”
The students go on two overnight trips a year, she said, one in the fall and another in the spring to outdoor places within Utah — with the exception of third graders, who start with just one trip in the spring to ease them into the experience.
“Some of them have never spent a night away from their family, and it’s a big deal. So we’re really hoping for a well-built, fun experience for them,” said Madore. “We take them to Wasatch Mountain State Park because it’s close; it doesn’t feel as much of that homesickness comes up.”
As the students develop through the school, they are taken on trips that reflect the skills and lessons they study. But these experiences are more than just educational.
“We feel like the outdoor education program provides our students with opportunities for personal challenge. It’s really a great way to get them out of their comfort zone and to see growth. It’s really important to us that they connect with the natural world like that. They have an intrinsic connection to this natural world that we live in, and then they also learn outdoor skills,” Madore said.
For a small school like theirs, these trips also create lasting relationships between peers as well as between students and their teachers. As they get to know each other on a deeper level through shared natural experiences, teachers may be able to better understand a student’s needs and address their challenges in the classroom, she said.
Developing leadership skills are another primary motivator for the outdoor education program.
“How do we problem solve? How do we communicate? What does it mean to step into a leadership role? How can I help my peer?” said Madore.
Over the years, Park City Day School has created partnerships with guiding companies like Canyonlands Field Institute and Desert Highlights, whose educational outdoor guides introduce the kids to technical experiences offered in Utah like rappelling and river rafting.
This spring, third graders had their first overnight trip. Fourth graders level up to two-night trips, both in the fall and spring. At that age, each kid can receive the Every Kid Outdoors National Parks Pass for free, said Madore, so they visit Capitol Reef National Park.
“In fourth grade is where they learn about different land management agencies,” she said. “We talk about Forest Service, BLM, what are the national parks? What’s the difference between a national park and a national monument? And they get to see them firsthand.”
They’re also studying Native Americans at that age, she said, so they visit Fremont Indian State Park.
In fifth grade, the spring trip is a three-night trip to Dinosaur National Monument with an introduction to whitewater rafting and they complete the Junior Rangers program.
“In middle school, the trips all will have some sort of technical learning. And by technical, I mean like they’re learning rope skills, or they’re going rock climbing, or they’re doing canyoneering, or they’re learning whitewater paddling or we have a partnership with Ogden avalanche, and we go up and we do a backcountry yurt trip in sixth grade,” said Madore.
Seventh graders went to Goblin Valley for canyoneering, learning about slot canyons and navigation skills. Then, in eighth grade, students have a capstone project in which they raft on the upper San Juan River for three days, said Madore.
Beyond these overnight trips, the outdoor education program does occasional day-trips, like a 14-mile Mount Timpanogos climb.
“It’s a really cool lesson for them to talk about expeditions because we’ve had two groups make it, and then the rest of the school, the classes haven’t made it, and that’s okay, and there’s so much learning around that,” she said.
Each of these experiences are included in school tuition to ensure all students can participate. Madore said she’s always evaluating each trip to make sure they are both relevant and fun for the students. This year, the school also received a grant from the Department of Natural Resources for the development of the program.
“My goal for the students when they leave the program is for them to have a really strong value and connection to the natural world. To really strongly believe in the Leave No Trace principles, which is this idea that … we actually want to leave a place better than we found it,” said Madore.
Learn more about Park City Day School’s outdoor education program on their website at parkcitydayschool.org/student-experience/outdoor-education.
