I


magine the discomfort of dirt in the depths of a fingernail, the odor of yes- terday’s lunch as it’s turned about in a


compost or the rough prickly sensation of bark against a soft inner arm after climbing a tree. Tese are likely quintessential memories of many childhoods. But for a select few students, moments like these are made from eight to three, five days a week. For sophomore Ingrid Coates, days of outdoor exploration both linger in her memory and are again to become her reality. On Jan. 14, she will venture to the Outdoor Academy in North Carolina, a semes- ter-long boarding school for tenth grade students. The Outdoor


Academy caters to people who want to build a strong connection to na- ture and provides for serious bond- ing and relationships between like-minded people. Te academy is located near a na- tional forest in the Appalachian area, which will likely be a culture shock for Coates. “It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere,” she said. “It’s going to be far away from pretty much everything I’m used to.”


Despite the distance and novelty of


the academy’s location, Coates is sure of her choice to attend. “I think it’s a little intimidating,” she said. “I am going to be completely away from my friends and family. I’ll get there and be surrounded by people I don’t know, but when it’s over, it will be like I’m leaving my family, like I’ll never forget this place. I’m nervous, but I’m excited.” Coates attended Waldorf for five years,


beginning at age three. Schools like Waldorf and Montessori are ideologically similar to the immersion into wilderness she will soon experience. “[At Waldorf] you’re surrounded by genuinely pleasant people, so it’s a differ- ent experience [than traditional teaching] because you’re somewhere you like being. When you wake up in the morning, you’re excited to go to school,” Coates said. Having grown up outdoors, nature is a an element of security for Coates. “[Nature] makes me feel at home. It’s something that has always been there and hopefully always will be,” she said. Outdoor Academy is es- sentially a semester spent outside. Because she will be learning with a twist in a place she enjoys, she expects her understanding of what she learns to take a leap from average. Annie Frazer, former Montessori stu- dent and current Montessori teacher, holds similar opinions about the benefits of nature


towards academic understanding. “When you have real experiences in nature, they tap into a deep place in you, and it fires other [intellectual] things,” she said. “I think those types of experiences very powerfully affect peoples’ ethical orientation in the world.” Troughout her interactions with people, Coates is noticing an ethical trend amongst people who come from more down to earth schools versus those from traditional


of time interacting with all facets of nature. Warren has been drawn to it his whole life. “Tere’s a soothing quality in nature because of the laws of nature, which can seem subtle to those who go out to find them,” he said. “And it is so subtle, the beauty of it is that it is all so subtle, because it works together.” Nature is


“When you have real experiences in nature,


it taps into a deep place in you, and fires other [intellectual] things.”


– Annie Fraizer, Montessori teacher


schooling. “We’re a lot more accepting,” she said. “You’re taught to accept everything, no matter what. Everyone is human – they all deserve a chance to be happy.” Te emphasis at these sorts of schools is


not solely on nature, but also on traits that contribute to becoming a successful and independent individual. Sophomore Aidan O’Reilly went to Arbor Montessori for ten years and currently attends Academe of the Oaks. Troughout his educational experi- ence, he has found a lot more than a love of nature. “Te schools have a lot of emphasis on teamwork and independence. And they have to. Te entire entity of the school is based on teamwork,” he said. “It’s small. It’s like a family.” Tat’s not to say schools that are not spe-


cifically focused on nature don’t contribute to such traits, but for the likes of Arbor, Waldorf and the Outdoor Academy, the method of education is aimed towards en- hancing them. Frazer believes that teaching methods like those at Montessori develop the natural love of learning and living that every person is born with. “[Tis method of education is about] trying things out, not being afraid to make mistakes and not trying to do things to get them right or to please an adult,” she said. “[It’s] for the satisfaction of understanding it.” Being outdoors tends to create a non- judgmental and carefree environment for education, which supports the bold aca- demic ventures of students. Mark Warren, teacher and owner of a wilderness camp called Medicine Bow in the North Georgia Mountains, has spent a tremendous amount


not something scr ipted.


It


abides by no schedule but the seasons. Coates is excited for the change of pace and excited to learn in the irregularity of nature. “Te pu-


rity out there is what we’re meant to be in,” Warren said. “It’s really what our bodies were made to experience.” Coates is preparing for a once in a lifetime


opportunity, which will be noted, but never experienced by the masses. Te Outdoor Academy is the sort of chance seldom rec- ognized by so many people in today’s world. “People coming up today have no link to those old days when people used to have to haul water or cut their own fire wood. Tey don’t even think out those things,” Warren said. “Being out of touch like that, I think, is just unhealthy for the soul.” In his time with his down-to-earth friends


in nature, Warren has recognized the differ- ences between today’s fast-paced society and the more survival and spiritually-oriented ones of many Native Americans. “Native Americans have a much higher sense of honor than our culture does today,” he said. “Today, our culture is far too based on greed and getting out of something, whatever you can, while you can. Tat’s my opinion.” He attributes their sense of honor to their close- ness to the land. Coates will leave Decatur for a place that


hasn’t changed since Native Americans were alone in America. She will tap into the honesty and subtle beauties of the real world and enhance her understanding of both curriculum and herself. She recognizes the possible changes she will encounter at Outdoor Academy and welcomes them with open arms. “I probably will be a bit more of a hippy, maybe a vegetarian or something, but I think if I change, they will be changes for the better,” she said.n


DECEMBER 2011 • CARPE DIEM 23


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