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| Starting out with some field games! |
In Explorer’s Club, we have many mottos that we utilize in a variety of capacities. We use them in the field with the kids, we use them internally at Wild Whatcom and we utilize them in blogs. Many of these mottos are ones that most people will be familiar with, others have come to fruition based on real experiences that some of our groups have had. On their first outing ever, the Woodland Caribou got the live our motto “The only way out is through.” The challenge we faced today was powerful and the story is rich, but if we are to capture a full picture of the day, we must start at the beginning.
The Woodland Caribou gathered for their first outing together after a half day of school. We met at Fairhaven Park, knowing that we had quick access from here to 100 Acre Wood, a classic Explorer’s Club stomping ground. As we arrived, we made connections with those faces that we recognized and introduced ourselves to those Woodland Caribou who we had not yet had a chance to meet. Once we were all accounted for, we headed to the field to get out some jitters that had built up inside of our bodies. At school, we are so often asked to hold still when all we want to do is move!
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| Fire... |
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| ...in the Forest! |
After we had played a few rounds of Fire in the Forest, we transitioned to our opening circle where we would go over some important safety expectations and EC culture basics. We also discovered that our earth skills focus for this season would be the Art of Camouflage! We then passed out jobs and headed to the woods with expectations of playing many games and doing some exploring.
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| On the trail into 100 Acre Wood |
We arrived at our first “base camp” for the day. We took our packs off and played a game called All My Friends that helped us to learn each other's names and also some fun facts about ourselves. We then had an opportunity to explore the areas nearby.
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| Our base camp |
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| What a cool maple tree! |
We then learned the rules to Hide and went out into the woods to play our first game. Less than 30 seconds into our first game of Hide together, one of us accidentally stepped right on top of a yellow jacket nest! A few of us who were close by the nest felt a sharp sting and left the area promptly followed by Glen, one of the mentors, who immediately began removing yellow jackets from their bodies. The rest of us followed Joey (the other mentor) about 50 yards down the trail from where the nest was disrupted. Joey then told us to sit tight and try to remain calm as he went back to render aid to those few boys who had been stung.
The immediate response of the group was panic, which is completely natural and understandable. After we left the area where there were angry yellow jackets, and once the mentors were able to remove all of the yellow jackets from us (on shirts, under shirts, in hair) we just walked for about 15 minutes. Getting attacked by yellow jackets is a huge challenge for any Wild Whatcom group (indeed, anybody anywhere!) and this was the very first outing for this group! Adrenaline was coursing through our bodies and we needed a nice, long walk to calm ourselves down.
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| Lots of interesting fungus in the woods |
In Explorer’s Club, we have another motto. Stretch Your Edge. It is a fundamental part of our programming and it aims to meet participants where they are comfortable and encourage them to stretch that comfortability edge a bit further. We often find that edge stretching yields personal and community growth and learning and because of this, we sometimes try to keep the boys out of their comfort zone. The flip side of this coin is that, once an Explorer or the group reaches the panic zone (well past their “Edge Stretching” zone) we find that not much learning and growth can happen. The boys reacted understandably to this event; they were scared and nervous and were definitely in the panic zone. Because of this, a major change was needed at this point in the outing, so the mentors made that change.
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| Glen shows some of the boys what a yellow jacket stinger looks like. Often times, information is the most effective cure for fear. |
Instead of heading back to Fairhaven Park through the woods, we chose to venture around the perimeter of 100 Acre Woods on the interurban trail and eventually re-enter Fairhaven Park that way. It felt safer in the immediate aftermath of our yellow jacket encounter rather than right back into the heart of the woods.
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| Observing a recovering Padden Creek from the new bridge |
Once we made it back to the picnic tables, gravel paths, and fun, half-manicured bushes, they boys felt the need to take a big break and have some food and water. After a few minutes of hydration and nutrition, one of the boys found a creek flowing through the woods that began at the edge of the manicured park that we were existing in. He let the rest of the group know, and they were off like a shot scampering down the small but steep hill that led down to a few meandering bends of Padden Creek.
This development was especially encouraging to the mentors. It was only a couple of hours ago that some of us had been terrified of the woods for fear of yellow jacket attack, and here we were excitedly exploring an awesome creek together. It was more than the mentors could have hoped for.
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| Exploring Padden Creek as it winds through Fairhaven Park |
We ended our day with about an hour of Foxtails, a high energy game of agility and speed that looks somewhat like a free-for-all flag football game. After Foxtails, we sat down for our closing circle.
At closing circle, we practice one of our mottos, Attitude of Gratitude. This is a special circle that helps to deepen the bonds of community between the boys as they get to share gratitude from and listen with their hearts. Some of the boys shared specific gratitude for the challenge that we faced together on this day. Indeed, we often find that groups who have the opportunity to weather difficult outings together bond deeply over those challenges.
The mentors are sensitive to the fact that our yellow jacket experience was traumatic for us, and that this group will require some extra gentle reintroduction to the woods. This understanding has colored and will continue to color the way that Glen and I plan our outings for the rest of our year. This kind of experience on a first outing provides a special kind of challenge for mentors and for that we are grateful. The courage and resiliency that these boys showed today was inspiring. Glen and I feel humbled and honored to call ourselves the Woodland Caribou’s mentors and we look forward to the rest of our explorations together this year, including all of the unforeseen moments that the woods will undoubtedly provide us.
To see the rest of the pictures from our day together, please click here! Sorry about the picture quality, we are using some new camera’s and we are still working out the settings!
