Students study shoreline and build community at Camp Sealth
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 25, 2022
Editor’s note: This story, by school district communications coordinator Peter Woodbrook, details the experience of the first group of Chautauqua Elementary School students to attend the school’s Outdoor Education Week at Camp Sealth.
In May of 2021, the school board voted to end the district’s longtime relationship with Camp Waskowitz, in North Bend, the former site of the outdoor educational experience. A major reason cited for the move was a preference for increased access for all students, including those with disabilities and of different cultural backgrounds, to participate in a Vashon-based version of the week of outdoor education.
The Outdoor Education Week for Chautauqua Elementary School fifth-graders is a hallmark of a Vashon Island School District education, and after a two-year hiatus due to COVID, that experience returned on May 17 to 20, albeit with a few minor changes.
Held at Camp Sealth this year, the week included a series of science-based experiences and activities, team building challenge courses, low ropes, and opportunities to participate in activities such as archery, shelter building, arts, and crafts. In addition, students explored the shoreline during a negative tide, learning about the rich ecosystem with high school mentors, their classroom teachers and Camp Sealth staff.
“For some of our kids, Outdoor Week represented an experience of being a little more independent and exploring themselves and our island,” said Chautauqua Elementary School Principal Rebecca Goertzel. “By hosting at Camp Sealth, our kids learned more about our island and gained a better understanding of the ecosystems that exist here, such as the shoreline, water, and woods.”
There was a strong science component of the week, with ecology and place-based learning as well as team building for participants.
The dates of Outdoor Education Week were intentionally chosen because of the negative tides, allowing students a special opportunity to explore Vashon’s tidal lands. Although the departure from Camp Waskowitz did not come easily, Goertzel noted the locality of Camp Sealth makes the week more equitable for all students to access for the day or overnight, freeing up resources that might otherwise be tethered by the long commute to and from North Bend.
Other than the location change, Outdoor Education Week still held the same spirit and tradition as it had for the past 30 years. Fifth graders were split into groups of 14 to 16, mixed between different classes, and partook in team-building, bonding, and exploring exercises specifically designed to foster self-confidence and a sense of community.
Students did not stay overnight at Camp Sealth due to COVID precautions, but Goertzel said she was thrilled by the return of the longstanding Chautauqua tradition and a chance for fifth graders to explore their natural world together.
“You may have someone who is not the strongest in math, but maybe they are the strongest or most confident in the ropes course and will be a leader,” said Goertzel. “This week gives a chance for everyone to shine, and for the students to build relationships with those outside of their classrooms. It is important that our fifth graders have this experience together. It is a long-lasting bond that lets them see other sides of themselves.”
