High School Panorama
Winter: Wellness & Wilderness
Winter! Embracing this season for all it has to offer, this Panorama explored the many opportunities winter presents for winter sports, wellness, fitness, and exploration. Though winter was the focus of this course, group decision-making and self-awareness were the real goals. That epic early January snowstorm wasn’t planned, but it provided a perfect opportunity for students to do exactly what winter recreation requires: an informed evaluation of data to make safe decisions for yourself and others. Through a variety of activities and planning, students practiced the complexities of group decision making, a mix of self-awareness, self-advocacy, and advocacy for others – all skills that will serve them well in all seasons, in all life experiences. Through seminars, day trips, classes and activities, students learned about what it takes to partake of winter: preparation, gear, and knowledge, all while balancing the different skill and comfort levels of the whole team.
Take a look at what this Panorama was all about:
Fitness & wellness exploration: Students explored a variety of indoor fitness methods including yoga, Zumba, weight training, barre, and HIT workouts, experiencing the different environments and vibes of the different styles. Daily journaling invited reflection about what worked, what didn’t, and what new findings they could carry forward. Though new to most, Zumba was an unexpected hit! One student shared, “I loved the full spectrum of activities. From meditation to skiing, there was always something someone was really passionate about and we all got to be a part of that.”
The art and science of preparation: Students practiced daily hands-on weather monitoring, using tools like satellites to study the science behind the forecasts to understand the impact of different global weather patterns. They also assessed snowpack, evaluated road conditions, and learned how to plan and pack gear for cold temperatures and snow – a first for some students whose families don’t do winter sports.
Self-awareness and advocacy: Working through a variety of intentional group decision making challenges, like the ropes course at IslandWood, students built up an awareness of the roles they play in groups, and an understanding of how they influence others and are in turn influenced by others. Knowing what you bring to a group and how you interact really helps you make better decisions about which groups you want to join, or maybe even leave - not just in winter sports, but in all parts of life.
Additional activities and learning included:
- As part of a nutrition study, students made their own granola bars at BARN, learning all the ways this classic trail food provides energy and sustenance.
- Research projects explored the cultural influence of Winter, including women pioneers in winter sports, the politics of ski resort ownership, and cultural celebrations of the winter solstice.
- The documentary 14 Peaks, featuring the fearless Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja and his quest to summit all 14 of the world's 8,000-meter peaks in a record-breaking seven months.
- Ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing.
- Practicing the art of hygge on a rainy day with popcorn and a movie at the cozy Lynwood Theater.
- Orienteering with maps and compasses while snowshoeing with The Mountaineers at Snoqualmie Pass.
- Journaling and mindfulness practices to integrate new experiences and learning.
- Connection and team building with classmates. One student shared, "We had all these different people who don’t necessarily know each other well, and all these different experience levels, but we developed so much trust in three weeks together.”
