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Using Adventure Education to Promote Leadership Development. Tammy Schilling, Glenn Beer, & Lanie Dornier LA GEAR UP Louisiana Tech University NCCEP 2009. Timeline. 2002 Initial RFP for Summer Learning Camps Four proposals selected Louisiana Tech University (4 weeks)
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Using Adventure Education to Promote Leadership Development Tammy Schilling, Glenn Beer, & Lanie Dornier LA GEAR UP Louisiana Tech University NCCEP 2009
Timeline • 2002 • Initial RFP for Summer Learning Camps • Four proposals selected • Louisiana Tech University (4 weeks) • University of Louisiana at Monroe • East Feliciana School District • Northwestern State University • 473 total campers in summer 2003 • 2003 • New RFP for Summer Learning Camps • Proposals selected • Louisiana Tech University (8 weeks) • Northwestern State University • 660 total campers summer 2004
Timeline • 2004 • New RFP for SLCs distributed • Reviewers suggest that Louisiana tech serve as model program • Statewide management responsibility awarded to Louisiana Tech • Explorers Clubs and Professional Development Project for Counselors added as integral components of SLCs • 1st Annual Explorers Club State Conference and Leadership Summit held at Louisiana Tech University in April 2004 with 215 participants • Camps held at • McNeese State University • Southeastern State University • University of Louisiana at Monroe • Louisiana Tech University • 809 Campers attended camps in 2005
Summer Camp Attendance Seven Year Total: 6,629 students!
Summer/Academic-Year Learning Projects Annual Conference ACADEMIC-YEAR EXPLORERS CLUBS The ABCs Academics Behavior & Leadership College Preparation & Career Exploration • Service to School & Community SUMMER LEARNING CAMPS PD PROJECTS FOR COUNSELORS SUMMER It Works!
Essential Elements-the ABCs • Academics • Focused Tutoring • Math/science Enrichment Explorations • Engineering, Multimedia, Physical Science, Nature of Science • Behavior/Leadership Training • Code of Conduct • Leadership Training • Explorers Club Meetings
Essential Elements-the ABCs • College Prep and Career Exploration • EPAS testing • Explorers Club meetings • Pathfinder Training • Exposure to Various Areas of Study • Service to School and Community • Action plans for AY through Explorers Club meetings
Statewide Management • Louisiana College Access and Mentoring Programs for Success—LaCAMPS established • Responsibilities Include • Recruiting university partners • Recruiting participants and processing all camp applications • Coordinating transportation • Purchasing incentives (T-shirts, etc.) to take advantage of volume pricing • Providing liability, accident, and overnight sickness insurance coverage • Assigning students to camps • Providing training for all camp counselors working LA GEAR UP camps across the state (includes first-aid and CPR) • Reduce per camper costs
Statewide Management • Prospective university partners are provided • Template for Camp Schedule • 4-hour explorations each day are unique to each university site and should highlight specific programs available at that university • Leadership Training • Tutoring • Explorers Club Meeting • Friday Field Trip • Sunday orientation dinner • Friday Graduation Dinner • Saturday Closing Ceremony • Curriculum support for leadership training, tutoring, and Explorers Club meetings • Pre- and post-tests
Professional Development Project for Counselors • Academic planning utilizing EPAS • Participants are provided with and also create club activities designed to provide ongoing leadership training for club members • Develop action plans allowing club members to be given opportunities to assume leadership roles in the club, either as club officers or as chairs of various club initiatives • PBS principles are discussed and incorporated into project developed action plans • Disseminate information to all LGU students through College Connection nights sponsored by the Explorers Clubs • Career exploration is facilitated through the use of the Individual Career Portfolio, the Career and Life Explorer, the Pathfinder workbook, and Louisiana e-Portal • Develop plan to empower club members to assume leadership roles in implementing service projects within their school and community
Academic Year Explorers Clubs • PDPC participants serve as club sponsors • Participant and Student Action Plans, based on the ABCs provide a framework for academic year activities • Clubs are student-led and designed to provide a vehicle by which students can reach students and encourage the pursuit of postsecondary education • Clubs facilitate the transition from middle to high school • Extend the summer learning experience throughout the academic year • Establishes expectations in academics, behavior and leadership, college preparation and career exploration, and service to school and community
The Annual Explorers Club Conference and Leadership Summit • Bringing it all together! • Students present results of club activities, learn about upcoming camp opportunities, scholarships, and other college prep information • 215 attended first conference in 2005 • The fourth annual event attracted almost 500 students, teachers, administrators, and parents
SLC Leadership Program • Students must attend Explorer I camp at Louisiana Tech to learn about responsibilities related to Explorers Clubs • Students attend two additional camps in subsequent years at other university sites • In fourth year, students may apply to serve as Junior Counselors • In Year 5, successful Junior Counselors may apply to serve as a regular paid camp counselor (20 so far with one serving as a LEAD Counselor!)
Evolution of Leadership Training • Vision To make explicit the connection between leadership training and participation in Explorers Clubs, giving students the ability to further develop leadership skills throughout the academic year • General Organization • Overall focus for each year • Series of learning points • Activities to support
Year 1 Example Focus: Exploration of personal and interpersonal leadership Sample learning points: - Increase self-awareness and appreciation of personality diversity - Learn effective techniques for conflict resolution, communication, and problem solving Activities: - Personality assessment and interpretation - Blue-Green Game
Current Leadership Training • Similar format – focus, learning points, activities to support • Use of Adventure Education • Connection to Explorers Club
Year 1 Example Focus: Self- and Group-Awareness and Basic Leadership Exploration Sample learning points: - Increase self-awareness and appreciation of personality diversity - Becoming aware of the individual similarities and differences within a group and how individuals come together to make up a group and contribute to the group’s success
Adventure Education Activities • Basic Elements • Trust • Communication • Cooperation • Fun
Other Facets • Full Value Contract (i.e., goals) • Be here now (focus). • Be safe. • Be respectful. • Let go and move on • (choices for how you respond). • Challenge by Choice
Year 1 Activities Session I Personality Assessment Explorers Club: One Body (Jones, 1998)
Session II • Hula Hut Relay (Hughes, 2003) 2. Stepping Stones (Rohnke & Butler, 1995) 3. Handprints (cut out only) (MacGregor, 2008) Explorers Club: Use handprints to address leadership skills or first two domains of Action Plan
Session III • Personality Interpretation • Footprints (Jones, 1999) • What kind of footprint do you want to leave on your school or community? “Here walked ___________________, a _________, ___________ leader best remembered by __________________________.”
Debriefing • The most important part of adventure education • Includes opportunity for: • processing as individuals and as a group • providing analogies to real-world experiences (ex. barriers and supports – college access) • encouraging transfer of leadership skills back to school and community settings
Outcomes • Trust • Trust people in my group/rely on others and I can help someone • That you can trust some of the people that you be with/Don’t Know • Trust Your Friends/You Get Help When You Need Help From Friends
Outcomes • Communication • Teamwork and communication is very important • Communicate To Get Through Things/Doing Fun Activities • How To Talk Positive Between People/Have A Positive Attitude
Outcomes • Cooperation (teamwork) • When You Work Together You Accomplish More • Teamwork/How To Work in Groups/Trust/Believe In Others • Teamwork/Work Successful With A Group/Everybody Got Along Just fine With One Another • Working In A Group/Team work is the best way to get things Done/Listening & Telling
Outcomes • Self-esteem/self-awareness/confidence: • How to be comfortable with myself and others. • To be brave enough to tell them when I was uncomfortable • Different activities to trust someone and finding my comfort zone
Outcomes • Leadership Awareness • I believe that we learned more than we think we learned. • To step down when needed • the most challenging (things) can be the best things • Sometime you have to do things even when you don’t want to • To always think of yourself as a leader because someone is always watching
More Information • Tammy Schilling • tschill@latech.edu • Lanie Dornier • ldornier@latech.edu • Glenn Beer • gbeer@latech.edu • Website • www.latech.edu/lagearup