Experiential learning track program continues to evolve
(Courtesy photo) Representatives from Kaniksu Land Trust recently taught Clark Fork Junior High School students how to build a survival shelter, make cordage, tie a grass mat and use coals to burn out a bowl as part of the school’s new junior high experiential learning track.
(Courtesy photo) Great views are just an added bonus to Clark Fork’s new junior high experiential learning track program, in which the students are learning all about the outdoors, as well as a mix of tech, art and culinary art.
(Courtesy photo) Clark Fork junior high students are getting their fill of outdoor learning as part of the school’s new junior high experiential learning track program.
CLARK FORK — The experiential learning program at Clark Fork Junior/Senior High School is designed to give students hands-on experience across different fields of interest. It also teaches soft skills needed for future careers.
Each year of the program, the school has seen an increase in enrollment and a boost in grades. Now, in its third year, with 121 students, the program has evolved to give the junior high students their own track, as well as a few other changes.
"It's going places we never imagined and it's far more successful than we ever imagined," said Mike Turnlund, CFHS instructor and experiential learning track coordinator.
It was about four years ago when CFHS Principal Phil Kemink surveyed the students to find out what their interests would be, and from that response, five tracks were formed — arts, culinary arts, great outdoors, tech and independent. Culinary arts was replaced with family consumer science this year, Turnlund said, and a new health and wellness track was added.
Health and wellness explores those two things at a personal level, but also allows students to look at careers in health and fitness. Brenda Hasse is overseeing the family consumer science where she is introducing the students to things like local agriculture, Turnlund said.
The junior high track came about because, previously, all the students, junior and senior high school levels, participated in the same tracks. Many of the junior high students were not at the same level as the high school students, so they pulled the younger kids into two groups led by CFHS instructors KC MacDonald and Heather Swanson.
"I've really modeled it after the outdoor track because I had so much fun doing that," MacDonald said.
Along with a lot of outdoor activities, a teacher grant from Panhandle Alliance for Education provided Lego robots and other items for indoor projects. All in all, the track is a mix of outdoor, tech, art and culinary art to "keep it fresh" and fast-paced for the younger kids. The idea is for the kids to know, when they become a freshman, which of the original tracks they are most interested in. And if the kids show more advanced knowledge in certain areas, they have the opportunity to participate in the tracks with the high schoolers, Turnlund said.
"We truly believe at Clark Fork High School that grade levels are arbitrary — all sixth-graders are not the same, all seventh-graders, eighth-graders and so on," Turnlund said. "Opportunities that they otherwise wouldn't be able to get because of their grade, we give them those, whether it's track or academics."
MacDonald said the experiential learning track program has an impact on the students because the teachers are not just telling the kids something someone said. That person, a forester for example, is actually in front of them, in the forest, teaching them about forestry. There is no replacement for that one-on-one experience, MacDonald said. He also said much of the program's success can be contributed to its leaders.
"Every teacher is putting in hours to make it this beautiful thing, and most of the kids are responding very, very well," MacDonald said.
Even with the dedicated teachers, the program would not be as successful without the help of the community.
Mostly, the students can decide which tracks they want to participate in, except seniors who are required to take the independent track. The community has been "extremely" supportive, Turnlund said — there are more requests for participation than there are students in the independent track. Some of the other tracks, such as the outdoor track, have similar issues.
"We get more people wanting to participate in the track program than we can accommodate," Turnlund said. "What a wonderful problem to have ... We just have people wanting to help. They want to participate, they want to share with our kids; you can't buy that. The community believes in what we are doing and they are supporting us in ways we couldn't have imagined."
MacDonald said his students are required to look people in the eye and shake hands, thanking them for helping them learn real-world skills, MacDonald said, which is a skill in itself.
"We want to make sure to thank the countless professionals and people ... it is unbelievable what people are offering to do for our kids and our community, and I love it," MacDonald said.
Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.