Building on the diverse lineup of fall Outdoor Education trips, Poly attempted expanding its offerings this year with two new spring break trips. However, the new offerings ultimately will not run this year.
One proposed trip was a five-day excursion in Yosemite National Park involving skiing and snow-shoeing, led by K-12 Math Department Chair Barry Vargo. Students would have stayed in tent cabins in Yosemite Valley and practiced winter survival skills while learning about the history of land management philosophies. The other offering was a four-day camping trip in Ventura led by Physical Education Teacher Jamie Bell and featuring surfing, yoga and hiking. The Yosemite trip was priced at $1225 and the surfing trip was $790, with financial aid available for both.
Unlike the fall trips, these trips were open to the whole Upper School and not mandatory, so attendance would have included a smaller group of interested students from various grade levels rather than randomized selections from one grade.
“Often, what makes an Outdoor Ed trip good is the people you’re on it with, so knowing that you’ll be with people who genuinely want to be there will make it that much more enjoyable,” shared junior Naomi Diehl, who signed up for the Yosemite trip. “Plus, there would be more opportunities for inter-grade connection.”
According to Director of Outdoor Education Laura Marion, the trips were canceled due to the low number of student sign-ups.
“It just wasn’t enough to run either trip, which is pretty much what I had feared would happen since I wasn’t able to advertise the trips until January,” explained Marion.
The Outdoor Ed program plans to release the spring break trip options earlier next school year, around the time that PolyGlobal trips are announced, so that students and families can plan accordingly and have more time to sign up. Students can look forward to the surfing trip being offered again next spring. Marion is still determining what the second trip will be.
“I have no doubt they will run,” said Marion. “These trips will be a great complement to the global trips, giving students a chance to stay a bit closer to home and spend some amazing time at the beach or in the mountains.”
