A beloved program for experiential learning returned in June
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 15, 2022
After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Exploratory Week returned for McMurray Middle School eighth-graders the week of June 6, providing engaging career-based learning experiences and opportunities to augment their curriculum, and memories to last a lifetime as they begin their transition into high school.
“It always takes a lot of work to put together, but we are excited to see Exploratory Week back at McMurray after a two-year pause from COVID,” said McMurray Principal Greg Allison. “This is an important rite of passage for the eighth-grade experience at our district, and a great launching pad for kids to jump into high school and take ownership and agency in their learning.”
Exploratory Week is a decades-long tradition at McMurray. At the end of eighth grade, students engage in a week-long, out-of-school learning experience. Course offerings vary each year, and this year students chose from Local Sights and Bites, a cooking and food experience; Adventures in Biking, a week of mountain biking; Art is Everywhere, an exploration of art throughout the Seattle/Tacoma area; Outdoor Journey to Self Discovery, a five-day, four-night camping adventure in the North Cascades; as well as a trip to Washington D.C and Costa Rica.
The week is designed to provide students with a chance to learn new skills, experience new situations, face challenges, improve teamwork skills, and explore possible career or educational opportunities, all outside of the traditional classroom model.
Allison noted that because of the COVID pause, the current eighth-graders have not experienced a year of middle school with an Exploratory Week, and the rite of passage helps mark a return of normalcy to the Vashon Island School District education.
“We talk about rites of passage all the time, and with COVID, as a community or culture, we’ve lost a bit of that as of late,” said Allison. “Exploratory Week reclaims some of that for our students, and they get to have experiences they might not otherwise have. Most importantly, students see each other in a different space and a different place of learning, and it’s an opportunity to create lasting connections, memories, and experiences with their classmates in that way as well.”
Exploratory Week began in the early 90s, originally funded by a grant for experiential learning. The D.C. trip was added approximately a decade ago, and an international experience to Costa Rica joined six years ago. Need-based scholarships are offered and the school fundraises for the money throughout the year. For 2023, the Vashon Schools Foundation is also fundraising for the program, for the first time.
