Welcome to the New Horizons 2010 ABOVE Program
Above Beyond Orientation Value Experiences
August 17-21, 2010
ABOVE Registration Form (PDF)
Check Payable to: Lynchburg College
Mail to: Lynchburg College
New Horizons
1501 Lakeside Drive
Lynchburg, Virginia 24501
Contact Paul Stern, Coordinator at
newhorizons@lynchburg.edu or call 434/544-8224 for more information
Cost: $280.
Video about the ABOVE Program
No prior experience is necessary;
just a strong sense of enthusiasm and the willingness to try new things
as part of a community of adventurers
- Program Goals:
- Engage in fun, physically adventurous outdoor group experiences
- Meet other first-year students and develop new friendships
- Meet returning students, faculty, and staff who serve as mentors
- Cultivate personal growth, increase confidence, and reinforce self-esteem
- Increase appreciation and familiarity for Virginia's natural environment
- Learn outdoor skills that focus on the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics
- Value self and others through a Full Value Contract
- Establish and guide through the Challenge By Choice model
- Set goals for the first year at Lynchburg College
- Engage in instruction and problem-solving activities
- Journal experiences
- Fulfill requirements for HPE 109
This is a multi-day wilderness orientation program that is offered to up to 22 incoming students during the summer before the onset of the fall semester. This program starts with a day on the Challenge Course, additional adventures: rock climbing, hiking, or caving, canoeing, and a solo experience.
Through adventure activities, students learn the various skills associated with outdoor adventure and wilderness living. The program emphasizes teamwork, group living skills, and wilderness ethics. Incoming students with all levels of experience may participate in this program.
What is the ABOVE program?
- Students participate in an outdoor recreation orientation experience August 18-22 prior to the start of fall classes.
- The ABOVE Living and Learning community ABOVE is one of five Living and Learning Communitiesat Lynchburg College.
- Focuses on outdoor recreation both in and out of the classroom, a cool place to meet new friends who love the outdoors as much as you do!
- Living & Learning communities are intentional and structured opportunities for students and faculty to learn in collaborative and interactive environments both in and outside of the classroom.
- In a living & learning community, students reside together on the same floor/wing of a residence hall with students of similar interest.
- Research has shown that students that are living with or in close proximity to their peers tend to be more successful, feel integrated into the college, and have a higher level of satisfaction.
- Participants are also automatically enrolled two Classes, HPE 109 first year (freshman) TBA course that focuses on the environment and outdoor education.
- This Cooperative and Competitive Movement Challenges class taught by Professor Stern, satisfies one of the electives in the Outdoor Minor
- In addition to the faculty and staff liaisons, the ABOVE Program students will have a Resident Assistant with similar outdoor interests available to them in their residence hall.
- If you are part of ABOVE then you check into your residence hall prior to the ABOVE program between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Schewel Hall.
Tentative Schedule of events: (Places and events may change to accommodate the environment)
- - Move in to residence halls starts at 10 a.m. - ends at 2 p.m.
- Move-in is completed no later than 2 p.m.
- Pack gear for nature oriented activities 2 - 3 p.m.
- "Get to know you" challenge course 3:15 - 5 p.m.
- Leave for Claytor Nature Study Center 5:15 p.m.
- Set camp at Claytor Nature Study Center, dinner, tour facilities 6- 7 p.m.
- Socializing 7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
- What is, how to, and everything you wanted to know about journaling and your grade 7:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- Journaling 8 - 9 p.m.
- Evening program 9 p.m. - 10 p.m. Life in the wilderness
- - Nature oriented pursuit (canoe)
- Breakfast 6 a.m.
- Pack and leave for Goshen, Va. camping site 7:30 a.m.
- Journaling in van on way to Goshen
- Set Camp 9 - 0 a.m.
- Camp craft 10 a.m. -12 p.m.
- Lunch 12 - 1 p.m.
- Journaling 1- 1:30 p.m.
- Canoe 1:30 - :30 p.m.
- Camp Craft 5 - 6 p.m.
- Dinner 6 -7 p.m.
- Journaling 7- 7:30 p.m.
- Evening Program I The Solo Experience
- Evening Program II Metaphors, "Flow State," and Gum
- - Nature oriented pursuit (caving, climbing)
- Breakfast 6 a.m.
- Leave for climbing 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Lunch
- Journaling
- Camp Craft 5 - 6 p.m.
- Dinner 6 - 7 p.m.
- Journaling
- Evening Program I (Soft Paths/LNT)
- Evening Program II (Legend and Myth)
- - Nature oriented pursuit (Hiking) 6 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Breakfast 6 a.m.
- Break camp and leave for Hike 9:30 a.m.
- Hike 10:30 a.m. -4 p.m.
- Camp Craft 4:30 p.m.
- Dinner 5:30 -7 p.m.
- Solo experience 7:30 p.m. - 9 a.m. Saturday
- , return to campus for lunch and Welcome Week activities
Background:
On college campuses across the country, the importance of outdoor orientation programs is increasing in attractiveness due to increased retention, higher student grade point averages, and improved socialization skills. Outdoor orientation programs provide excellence to students through reflection, discussion, and the sharing of great ideas with other first-year students, returning students, and faculty/staff.
Philosophy of the ABOVE program:
At the beginning of the school year, first-year students begin a major educational experience in an experiential outdoor educational setting. The ABOVE program (Above Beyond Orientation Value Experiences) is designed to help prepare incoming students for their transition into Lynchburg College co-curricular life. We believe the challenges associated with wilderness adventures provide a unique classroom for teaching and developing the judgment, self-confidence, and social skills critical to a successful first year in college.
Automatic Enrollment:
All ABOVE participants are also
automatically enrolled in two different classes:
4 college credits total
HPE 109 COOPERATIVE AND COMPETITIVE MOVEMENT CHALLENGES (1)
These instruction and problem solving activities involve participation, success, equity, and trust with emphasis on challenges that develop fitness. The purpose of the course is to emphasize success in skill performance, acceptance of other performers' abilities, and cooperation to achieve goals.
- Engage in fun, physically adventurous outdoor group experiences
- Canoeing, Caving, Climbing, Hiking
- Camp craft, fire starting, shelter building
- Meet other first-year students and develop new friendships
- Meet returning students, faculty, and staff who serve as mentors
- Cultivate personal growth, increase confidence, and reinforce self-esteem
- Increase appreciation and familiarity for Virginia's natural environment
- Learn outdoor skills that focus on the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics
- Value self and others through a Full Value Contract model
- Establish and guide through the Challenge By Choice model
- Participate in back-country solo experience
- Set goals for the first year at Lynchburg College
- Introduction to Outdoor Minor
Program Requirements:
This includes positive, interactive participation in every aspect of the ABOVEprogram. All participants are expected to participate actively in group team building and icebreakers, evening and early morning meetings, back country campsite living, food preparation, fire starting, cleanup, etc. Students are placed into small groups with leaders who mentor and lead the experience. Small and large group discussions focus on the various issues of life at Lynchburg College, such as social interaction, time management, and academic challenges.
Socialization and Community Development:
Wilderness programs facilitate group development by placing participants in challenging and unfamiliar environments where they must rely on one another for mental, physical, and emotional support. By participating in this program, first-year students will have the opportunity to become part of a group that shares a positive and exciting experience.
Successes from this interactive experience will guide students through a greater first-year connection.
New Horizons student staff will facilitate discussions during the program regarding the process of group development as well as addressing common fears of first-year students. By consciously addressing these fundamental issues in the context of a wilderness expedition, students will more readily regard the challenges associated with first-year students as opportunities for personal growth and seek out the support of their peers.
This experience will help first-year students become more receptive to future interactions with their peers by familiarizing them with the process of group formation and giving them more confidence in their abilities to perform in a group setting. The development of these close-knit groups enhances and strengthens the Lynchburg College community, not only through the bonds created during the program, but also by giving students an encouraging initial interaction with college life.
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Self-discovery:
Encouraging students to stretch their perceptions about their physical and social limits is an important aspect of all New Horizons Outdoor Adventure and Leadership Programs. The ABOVE Program for first-year students offers many opportunities for participants to challenge themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Often it is the challenge of learning to effectively interact with a new and diverse group of people that leads to the greatest potential for growth. Participants are given a framework to determine to what extent they are challenging themselves as well as tools to help them manage their personal level of challenge. It is the exploration of one's abilities through challenge that fosters personal growth and inspires individuals to strive to do their best in all areas of life.
Outdoor Skill Development and Environmental Appreciation:
Lynchburg College is at the center of Virginia's abundant natural resources. The program will educate students about their state and how to enjoy its wilderness areas in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. Appreciation for our recreational and wilderness areas is fundamental to protection of the environment and correspondingly to the future of our state and community.
Student Behavior and Discipline:
NEW HORIZONS seeks students who are motivated to learn outdoor skills and leadership development have the ability to carry a 30-pound plus backpack each day, participate in wilderness camping, climbing, caving in wild caves, and paddling on class II whitewater. Being comfortable working in close proximity to others, for example, receiving or giving help putting on outdoor equipment, is expected. Space is limited to twenty-two students. A waiting list is available.
NEW HORIZONS will expel any student who exhibits behavior that, in our sole discretion, is unsafe or disrupts or distracts from the educational mission of the course. Harassment, use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol, theft or misuse of property, low motivation that compromises the safety of the participant and others, and disregarding instructions are examples of behavior that will lead to expulsion. If a student is expelled, there will be no refund, and he/she will bear the entire cost of returning to Lynchburg College.
Registration and acceptance:
Final acceptance is contingent upon the receipt and review of registration, payment in full, completed application questions, complete medical information and history, and acceptance of liability release forms.
New Horizons Leadership Development:
This program encourages leadership development by empowering the participants to solve problems and make decisions utilizing the resources within their group. New Horizons staff will present the necessary skills to allow the group to successfully complete their challenge, engage the group in the process of making decisions by consensus, and facilitate discussions regarding leadership styles as they emerge within the group. Participants interested in furthering their leadership development may apply to become part of the New Horizons staff and become instructors for future programs both during the year with New Horizons and with the ABOVE program the following year.
For further information, registration, and payment information please contact:
Paul Stern, M. Ed.
Coordinator of Outdoor Adventure and Leadership Programs
Adjunct Faculty, Outdoor Minor
#3 Hundley Hall, Terrace Level
Lynchburg College
1501 Lakeside Drive
Lynchburg, VA 24501
E-mail: stern.p@lynchburg.edu
Website: www.lynchburg.edu/newhorizons
434/544-8224 Office
434/544-8548 FAX