Our students, alumni, faculty and parents are proud of the educational experience provided at Foothills Academy. Our experiential and integrated approach to teaching and learning encourages students to be active participants in their education.  Learn more about the projects, events and activities our students are engaged in by visiting this page regularly.

THIS MONTH'S FEATURE

When education goes beyond the classroom,

anything can happen.

Outings are a time when Foothills Academy’s goal of providing meaningful learning beyond the classroom comes clearly into focus.  Sometimes that learning emphasizes outdoor skills and social/emotional development in the areas of self-sufficiency, team-building and leadership.  Other times, outings enhance and deepen what is being taught in the classroom.  This fall’s outings provide excellent examples of all of the above.

San Juan Islands Outing (9^th and 10^th grades) 

Ninth and tenth grade students in Biology: Ecology and Genetics were already engaged in a study of marine ecology, researching related flora, fauna and climate, before they explored the San Juan Islands in Washington state by kayak.  This up-close and personal experience of a stunning marine environment married book learning to the real world and allowed students to acquire and improve upon paddling and camping skills. Once back in school, students utilized their newly acquired scientific knowledge to good effect, completing required research papers and working in team to publish a science/adventure magazine about their trip.

Flaming Gorge Outing (11^th and 12^th grades)

What constitutes strong leadership?  What are my strengths and challenges as a leader?  How can I work effectively as part of a team to lead my fellow students?

These were the important questions asked by Foothills juniors and seniors before and during their fall outing.  They embarked on the challenges of leadership before they ever picked up a canoe paddle and explored the miles of waterway in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir in Utah, working in teams of three to four, planning menus, making shopping lists and purchasing all the food for this six-day adventure.  On the trip itself, they assumed responsibility for cooking meals and, most importantly, for wearing the mantle of Leader of the Day (LOD), a job that entailed establishing and maintaining the daily schedule and making sure that everyone made it safely and happily (mostly) through miles of watery terrain.  One of the more restful highlights of the trip was the overnight solo, a fifteen-hour camping sojourn, that required students to rig their own tarp shelters and spend time reading accounts of great leaders in history and recording reflections in their journals.  These upperclassmen returned to school with a sense of accomplishment and the skills necessary to take on leadership roles.