Parent FAQ'S
Frequently Asked Questions
ABOVE is designed to ease the anxieties of transitioning into the college environment through a four-day outdoor camping experience. The ABOVE experience is divided into large and small group experiences, each of which pairs a group of first-years with several upperclassmen trip leaders. The leaders act as mentors for the first-years, ensure safety on the trip, and create a comfortable environment in which first-years can ask questions, express concerns, and get to know one another.
Below, you will find handy information for parents. If you should have further questions or concerns, please contact the coordinator, Paul Stern. He can be reached via e-mail at newhorizons@lynchburg.edu.
How can I get in touch with my son or daughter while s/he is on the ABOVE Program?
The ABOVE program functions best when students are immersed in nature and only interact with the other students for the duration of the program. We recommend that parents only try to reach students in emergency situations. Once a student has left the campus for the trail, we can only pass on emergency messages.
Where can I leave such a message?
You can call the main Student Activities Office (OSA) line at 434/544-8254. Please be aware that there is a lag time between when you leave your message and when an ABOVE staff member receives it at camp. Additionally, as noted above, there is an additional delay between our receipt of your messages and relaying it to your son or daughter on the program.
Can my son/daughter take a cell phone with them on the trip? No. Our program's philosophy involves a complete immersion in nature and a small group of students. These factors foster an environment that promotes bonding. Cell phones split up the group. Furthermore, most of our wilderness trail locations are outside the majority of network providers' signal range.
Can my son/daughter take books other than the required reading text, (Soft Paths) and their journal? No. as we mentioned above we are very focused to community, social interaction. Each day is focused to camp craft, social interactions, nature oriented pursuits, facilitated group discussions, and most importantly, reflection of their experiences.
Can my student take medication with him/her on the trip?
Yes. Your student should bring any necessary prescribed and over-the-counter medication with them. Their trip leaders will have the medical information that your family provided during the registration process. If medications have changed after the submission of the program registration, students should submit that information to the coordinator. He will advise your student's program leader of the change.
How can I be sure that my child is safe?
ABOVE staff takes safety precautions very seriously. ABOVE staff are Wilderness First Aid certified. We train new leaders every spring to make sure that they know how to keep students both safe and comfortable on the trail. We review actual risks, perceived risks, and managed risks before and throughout the program.
Move In:
- Check-in will be in Schewel Hall.
- Have no fear! In addition to group of ABOVE student leaders storming around in ABOVE T-shirts, there will also be lots and lots of other student leaders pointing you in the right direction.
- You can move directly into you're student's fall housing early (and this is a major plus... trust us), so pack all your student's stuff (or as much as you can carry), and not just your ABOVE gear.
- You will leave all of your student's stuff in your room during the ABOVE program (except your ABOVE gear, of course).
- Don't worry about where you'll sleep the night you move in; we are headed into the Front Country.
- When we return to campus, your new room is yours for the rest of First-Year!
Where can I find cheap non-cotton clothing?
Start hunting through salvation army and other used clothing stores for some old wool shirts, and while you're at it, pick up some sweet costumes . . . even if you don't use them on your trip, they will come in really handy when you have the best Halloween costume around and all your friends are wishing they had a panda suit to wear to a party on Saturday night.