If you are a high school student in Portland, there is a good chance you’ve heard of Outdoor School, and if you attended middle school in Portland, you likely attended Outdoor School in sixth grade. Outdoor School is a week-long overnight educational environmental science program offered to sixth graders across Multnomah County run by the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD). These middle schoolers learn about science and the world around them with their classmates, and while being taught by volunteer high school students, known in the program as student leaders.
For high schoolers, volunteering to be a student leader means missing a week of school, getting up early, and spending a significant amount of time shivering outside in the rain, but the experience easily proves worth it. Watching students become excited about nature feels magical, and the more they learn, the more they care about the world around them. Being a part of that process is incredibly rewarding, and student leaders are an integral part of the system.
A student leader mentors and supports sixth graders throughout the week by staying in cabins, sharing meals, and leading field studies, where they teach lessons on water, soil, animals, or plants. Juniper, a staff member for Outdoor School, explains that being a student leader allows high schoolers to be “an example [for] who sixth graders [of who they] could be in a few years.” In their experience, student leaders absolutely make a real difference and “are the coolest people ever in the eyes of sixth graders.”
To be a student leader, you don’t need to have previous scientific knowledge, rather you are trained in the subjects at a program workshop — which is two days long and also covers things like campfire songs, how to deal with homesick kids, and the schedule for the week. In addition, the staff are super knowledgeable as well and are always happy to help high schoolers lead lessons.
At Outdoor School, you will meet a lot of new people including the sixth graders, staff members who spend the whole season at the sites, and other student leaders. For me, friends have been the absolute best thing I have gotten out of Outdoor School. Each week, the different host sites for Outdoor School welcomes new groups of student leaders from different schools and grades.
Cora Lanford-Crick has been a student leader twice now, and her favorite part is singing songs with the other student leaders. “I would 100% recommend being a student leader,” says Lanford-Crick. “I keep going back because of how rewarding it feels … seeing the kids get interested in the outdoors and science … makes you feel like you really made an impact in someone’s life.”
Mike Sullenger, who has volunteered as a student leader four times, expresses a similar sentiment. “I keep going back because I love making a positive impact on kids,” says Sullenger. The positive impact a week of Outdoor School has on a student is something I have seen firsthand. Outdoor School works hard to allow everyone to feel welcome and refreshed, which can be crucial for kids who have a hard time at home or at school. Some sixth graders show up feeling alone and then leave with lasting friends; others realize they have a passion for science that they want to pursue long term. For Sullenger, they say giving kids who don’t have the best home life “a second home with love and care feels really important to [them].”
Another student leader, who has also attended five sessions, Ella Cleek, says “Having a place where curiosity and being a bit immature and having fun is embraced” is what brings her back each time.
Outdoor School doesn’t just help sixth graders. Being a student leader teaches high schoolers many valuable skills, and helps them gain a new understanding of themselves and the world around them. Along with a deep appreciation for nature, it teaches conflict resolution, public speaking, leadership skills, and the ability to handle unexpected problems. Kitty Boryer, the Outdoor School student services specialist, shares that she “was a very shy high school student, and had very little confidence. After just one week [she] felt valued as a leader, had more confidence, and decided [she] wanted to continue to teach and work with children.” Being a student leader can have a huge impact on your confidence and public speaking skills, and it allows you to experience a level of responsibility that isn’t generally given to high school students.
Additionally, having a week away from school where you are surrounded by nature can be an amazing reset for your life. “Being outdoors is so important in our internet-ran world,” says Sullenger. The outdoor setting is their favorite part of the program, alongside building relationships with the sixth graders. Most sites are in scenic wooded areas besides theWestwind site, which is on the Oregon coast. “I also love the Westwind site itself, so much,” says Lanford-Crick. “It’s gorgeous, and waking up to the ocean every morning is so lovely.”
Aside from how fun and fulfilling Outdoor School is, it also offers practical benefits. It looks great on job and college resumes. In fact, Boryer shares that her daughter got several camp counselor jobs because of Outdoor School, and it also led to college scholarships. Outdoor School can be used as volunteer hours, a Career-Related Learning Experience (CRLE), and elective credit for Portland Public High Schools. In addition, “the staff are usually happy to write you a letter of recommendation,” says Lanford-Crick.
While missing a week of school can be tough, Cleek says, “To be honest, I haven’t struggled at all, it’ll generally drop my grade maybe for a second but it’s easy to get back up.” Sullenger feels similarly, saying, “Missing school, in my experience, is a lot less stressful than I originally thought.” Cleek, Sullenger, and Lanford-Crick all express that most of their teachers have been supportive, and Sullenger finds that their teachers are often willing to give extensions or even excuse them from work. “Missing school can be stressful,” says Lanford-Crick, “but if you communicate with teachers and do as much as you can before leaving you will be fine!”
If you want to be a student leader, you need to register online at ods.apps.mesd.k12.or.us/. The application allows you to pick a host site and invites you to attend the student leader workshop. The normal overnight training takes place March 8-9, but if this isn’t possible, there are two alternative options available at request, including pre-scheduled makeup workshops, which are scheduled for March 23 and April 13 from 11:30-5 PM.
“Volunteering at Outdoor School is an opportunity for you to disconnect from your high school world and fully immerse yourself in an intentional community,” says Juniper. “It’s not just about you leading sixth graders. It’s about you getting a chance to try out a new version of yourself without the same pretext of your home community.” Outdoor School is a unique and wonderful experience. It’s empowering, fun, and interesting, and I highly recommend any interested sophomores, juniors, or even seniors give it a try.
