Outdoor Education

Kids looking at mountains

BOOTS (Bringing Outdoor & Occupational Teachings to Students)

BOOTS is an expanding outdoor experiential learning project at Hood Canal School. Our mission is to immerse students in the natural world through challenging outdoor learning experiences that promote stewardship, knowledge, empathy, and healthy lifestyles. Over the last 23 years, our project has evolved from serving only middle school students to now including elementary students K-8. This year, 325 students will participate in four distinct programs, each offering varying levels of intensity and engagement: BOOTS, BYRDS (Bringing Youth to Riparian Destinations for Science - formerly Riparian Enhancement), Jr. BOOTS, and ROOTS.

PROGRAMS

BOOTS:

  • Focus: Developing teamwork, group decision-making, leadership, and outdoor skills.

  • Activities: Entirely outdoors and include team initiatives, hikes, overnight field trips, wilderness backpacking, mountaineering, challenge courses, and vocational modules.

  • Goals: Increase attendance, enhance educational achievement, and reduce discipline referrals.

  • Curriculum Components: Experiential education, adventure-based education, wilderness experiences, community service projects, and vocational modules.

  • Mentorship: Aimed at junior high students, with opportunities for mentorship with high school students.

BYRDS:

  • Focus: An outdoor environmental science lab with team-oriented activities.

  • Activities: Hands-on STEM field studies, habitat restoration, and salmon studies; trail building, maintenance, and development of outdoor learning spaces for K-8 general education; field trips featuring kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking at local wetlands, lakes, rivers, and marine areas.

ROOTS:

  • Focus: Provides primary age students with the opportunity to learn about plants and the natural environment around the school.

  • Activities: Students explore the traditional uses of various plants for food and medicine, with hands-on experiences such as sampling foods made from local plants, including nettle tea.

For more information regarding our BOOTS program, contact: