As part of the newly restructured Outdoor Education program, the ninth grade class embarked on a sustainability-focused excursion to Jameson Ranch during the week of Sept. 23-27.
Though there have been Outdoor Ed trips to Jameson Ranch in previous years, this year marked the first time that the entire ninth grade class attended together. In the past, smaller groups of tenth and eleventh graders have gone to Jameson Ranch while previous ninth grade class trips included visits to Catalina Island, Big Sur, and Santa Barbara.
Jameson Ranch, a self-sustaining ranch and summer camp located in the Southern Sierras, is centered on three objectives: fun, adventure and sustainability. During the week, the freshmen were divided into groups of ten, with each group partaking in two different activities each day. The trip focused on sustainable eating, allowing students to learn more about how food is gathered, grown, raised and prepared. In addition to foraging for plants, helping out in the garden and cooking different foods, some students opted to butcher chickens and watch how a cow was processed into meat, daunting yet educational tasks.
“I thought the experience of butchering the chickens was very eye-opening and made me more aware of where my food comes from,” commented freshman Isabella Asper de Tyson. “It also helped me realize how desensitized our society is to killing and eating animals.”
By the end of the week, all of the freshmen had contributed in some way to the meals they ate while at the camp.
“We, as a community, have lost the value of self-sufficiency,” shared Director of Outdoor Education Laura Marion. “Because it was a working ranch, we wanted to focus on health, nutrition, land use, where food comes from, what it means to eat or not eat meat, water usage, sanitation, plastics and the impact of all things we use.”
The ninth graders also engaged in a variety of community-building activities, including hiking, kayaking, archery and line dancing. This trip also allowed new students to integrate with students from Poly’s Middle School, creating a grade-wide bonding experience.
“As a new student, it was a great way to get to know a lot of my classmates,” noted freshman Caroline Perez-Fraga. “Jameson Ranch was a great way to kick off the start of the school year.”
