More than a dozen freshmen entering Lynchburg College will have a unique learning experience this year that begins with a week of camping, hiking, caving, rock climbing, and other outdoor adventures.
This group of students, who will live in the same residence hall, will also take an eco-composition course, which allows them to reflect on their experience in nature as part of LC's Year of the Environment, "A Greener Tomorrow Today."
The ABOVE (Above and Beyond Orientation Value Experiences) program begins Aug. 17 with a challenge course on the Lynchburg College campus, and then quickly takes freshmen into St. Mary's Wilderness for a variety of outdoor experiences led by Paul Stern, director of Lynchburg College's New Horizons program, and his student staff. "It's true wilderness in Virginia and it's only one and a half hours from here," Stern said.
After six days in St. Mary's Wilderness and Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve, students will return to campus in time to attend Welcome Week activities, which begin Aug. 23 for incoming freshmen.
The ABOVE group will continue their experiences in the eco-composition class taught by Max Guggenheimer, who will have students reflect on and write about their wilderness trip, as well as events throughout the academic year, which will include events ranging from a spiritual sunrise experience on Sharp Top mountain to fly fishing in the Piney River, which will include a service learning project of cleaning up the river.
The ABOVE program developed from LC's New Horizons program, whose mission is to develop leadership skills and support community and personal growth through experiential learning. Development is achieved through the utilization of ropes courses, indoor/outdoor workshops, and adventure programming.
For more information, check http://www.lynchburg.edu/above.xml or contact Paul Stern at stern.p@lynchburg.edu or 434/544-8224.