THE EAGLE’S NEST FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER
Inside this issue:
FALL 2014
1
The Outdoor Academy and Montessori Education: Two Approaches to Student-Centered Learning
Updates on Our Land Conservation Project
2
By Molly Chapman Wheeler, Alumna of Eagle’s Nest Camp, OA, and Camp Staff
Notes from the OA Director’s Desk
3
Spotlight on Craft
4
Forest Magic
5
OA and Montessori Ed
Home is Where the Hart Is Centennial Priorities 6 Your Gift. Your Choice. Big Impact .
7
Fledgling Flight
8
The Core Values at Camp 9 Fall Recipes
10
My Call to the Wild & Remembering What is Important at the Holidays 11 Alumni Gratitude Project
13
Ask Kyle
14
Experiential education for young people, promoting the natural world and the betterment of human character Visit our website at www.enf.org to make a donation, apply to a program or learn more about Eagle’s Nest.
Anyone who has navigated their teenage years knows the complexity tangling them. At fifteen, I felt no one knew who I truly was, and, as it turned out, neither did I! I regularly count my blessings that I was able to attend The Outdoor Academy, a school designed around the specific needs of the adolescent. At the time, I was unaware that over a hundred years prior in Italy, Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) created a revolutionary educational model, based not on what was widely presumed students needed in order to succeed, but rather on what she observed fueled students’ development and love of learning. As a Montessori teacher for the preschool years, my aim is to drop enticing bread crumbs in front of children as I watch them journey along, adjusting the path based on what excites and challenges them. I also do my best to know when to get out of the child’s way, recognizing that children of this age absorb their surroundings arguably more than they take instruction from an adult. Dr. Montessori believed that even from a very young age, a person is attempting to gain functional independence. This is just as true for the toddler repeatedly attempting to tie his shoe as it is for the teenager frustrated with his perceived lack of freedom, financial independence, or
engagement with his education. In both cases, Montessori was certain that parents and educators could intentionally and respectfully assist in a young person’s quest for self-discovery. Surprisingly to many, Dr. Maria Montessori was not an educator; she was a medical doctor who tended to mentally disabled children in Rome. Because of this background, she approached design of the learning environment as a science, dismissing materials that did not engage children and further developing materials that did. She did not build a classroom; she built the children’s house, a fully-functioning space where children tended to their everyday needs with joy and fulfillment. While most of her life's work was focused on young children, she began to design an educational framework for adolescents Continued on Page 2
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PAGE 2 Continued from Page 1 before her death. Dr. Montessori envisioned an environment for this age group in which the student left the support of his or her family for a community of other adolescents who lived responsibly off the land. She began to hone this vision alongside German educators who called this concept Erdkinder, or Earth children. At fifteen years old, the average OA student is at the midpoint, or peak, of adolescence. This is no coincidence. Montessori believed that each three year period from birth to twenty-four carries with it a different set of sensitivitiesgoals that the individual focuses on with great passion. She observed that during the adolescent period, teens search for a model to follow and a new community in which to immerse themselves. She saw an intense desire to be an active participant in that community, as well as a newfound passion for activism. They may ponder their future choice of profession earnestly as an attempt to satiate their need for societal involvement. When allowed to live and work in an environment of peers away from their nuclear family, Montessori saw teenagers regain confidence that adolescence can often hinder. Furthermore, as a witness to two world wars, she believed a mass of compassionate world citizens, fed compassion from birth, to be the necessary stepping stone toward world peace. The Eagle’s Nest Foundation’s aim for “betterment of human character” is a lofty one. But why should we do any less? The Outdoor Academy follows an academically rigorous curriculum rich in history- both local and global, natural and human, written and oral. Exploring local culture is engrained so deeply in the fabric of OA that students do not merely study this history from books, nor do they cease after taking a trip to hear a storyteller or watch a local artisan at work. They experience. They move. They work. Dr. Montessori believed that any person, regardless of age, has a need and a right to work. Work gives us great pleasure, it teaches us lessons, it is profoundly fulfilling. Anyone who has eaten a meal of food they have grown themselves knows this. In Montessori classrooms around the globe, whether for toddlers or teenagers, real experiences (as opposed to pretend play and textbook-only learning) and hands-on work are not only encouraged, they are honored. Work ethic is also one Continued on Page 12
Stay Tuned for Some Really Exciting Updates on our Land Conservation Project! By Noni Waite-Kucera, Executive Director In 2010 we initiated a partnership with the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy (CMLC) to apply for a grant from the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF). In September of this year we learned that we have been selected as a recipient of this coveted funding. This three way partnership will not only provide protection in perpetuity for approximately 147 acres of Eagle’s Nest land and waterways, but also significant funding to pay off a good proportion of the note we still carry on this property. A full report, including maps, will be out sometime in 2015 so stay tuned for more on this exciting news! Nest Chatter Nate Sutton (Camp) is working as a research associate at Oak Ridge National Lab. Adrienne Lockie Noto (Camp) was sworn in as Magistrate Judge in DC Superior Court. Check out Anna Perling’s (Camp, Outdoor Academy) wonderful stories at http://www.ayearoftwenty.com/.
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PAGE 3
Notes from the OA Director’s Desk By Ted Wesemann, OA Interim Director Greetings on a glorious fall day in the Blue Ridge, Several years ago our Head of School, Michael Brown and our Dean of Students, Susan Daily, put their minds to the task of articulating a framework for what The Outdoor Academy actually does. Our new logo illustrates that definition and vision. It holds Seven Principles within the Four Cornerstones of Intellect, Environment, Craft, and Community. It is a logo that is so much more than artwork - it has become a very practical tool for us to focus our teaching and mission and we are so grateful for that legacy from Michael and Susan. This fall we have developed a new concept at OA - the Cornerstone Day. These are collaborative, experiential teaching and learning opportunities for the full community. I feel these mission -driven activity days really bring out the best of our faculty and students. They are truly unique learning days that exemplify the type of learning we can do best here. Katie Harris, our Dean of Academics and English teacher, set the bar high with our first Why Do We Go To The Woods Day featuring vis- “This fall we have developed a new concept at OA - the Cornerstone Day. its by literary and scientific These are collaborative, experiential teaching and learning opportunities notables such as Edward Ab- for the full community. “ bey, Charles Darwin, Thoreau, Emerson, and Annie Dillard who led us in a discussion of romantic and materialistic perspectives and interpretations of the natural world. (Mr. Darwin was particularly convincing, I thought). In true Eagle’s Nest style, a choir of coyotes attended. The Math Department – Laura and Jen – followed that up with Functions and Fractions on the French Broad which turned a canoeing day into calculations of angles, vectors, and matrices. Other days highlight arts and dance, our OA energy footprint, and urban issues on the French Broad River. I also want to introduce the Eagle’s Nest world to two new faculty members. Arrington McCoy has come back to us after a three year teaching stint in Switzerland as our new Dean of Students and Environmental Seminar teacher. This was a real coup for us – Arrington started with OA as a resident and learned the Environmental Seminar course at the feet of the Master – Susan Daily, so she knows this community and our mission from the inside. Our new full-time Arts and Music teacher at The Outdoor Academy, Jessica Kaufman, comes to us after many years at Gwynn Valley Camp. I am quickly learning that Jess is a master teacher - a natural teacher. Her skills are only surpassed by her enthusiasm and that’s saying a lot because she seems to know how to do everything. Most exciting for me after 20 years at OA is to see new life being breathed into our old Appalachian studies. Jess is bringing back the homeplace and the traditional crafts and music and cooking connections with which we started to lose touch. She is a reincarnated old-timer, it seems, who is calling the OA onto the dance floor to clog to a string band again. So, life is exciting and full of friends every day here in our Little River Valley. An extra-long summer has us outside for most classes – Spanish with Rodrigo in the hemlocks, Math in the sun on Cheoah porch, and English and Natural Science continue their endless discussions in the rhododendrons. To all the OA alums – yes, OA is still every bit as good as your semester was, and oddly, yours is still my favorite! Come run through the woods with us.
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Spotlight on Craft– Dance as a Catalyst for Connection: Music and Movement as a tool for creating trust and connection By Jessica Kaufman, Art, Music and Movement Teacher In our music and movement class in Cheowah, everyone is available to everyone else. That is our guiding principle. Students (and teachers) turn to anyone standing nearby when the music starts and asks, “would you like to dance”? No one drifts over to the friends they feel more comfortable with; to do so would defeat the purpose of creating an ensemble, and what is OA if not the essence of ensemble work? We started our semester off by singing together—rounds, Shape Note music, Appalachian ballads and harmonies— in order to establish comfort with each other and get used to bravely expressing such intimacies as lifting our voices in song. I employed some silly rounds with ridiculous movements, and very much on purpose: right off the bat we’ve got to shake ‘em up, rip off that band-aid of looking cool and collected, and show each other that support is there for them no matter what they look or sound like. Once we were a few weeks in, we started dancing. First some clogging, which serves two purposes: when you clog you don’t have to touch anyone else yet, and it also gives you something (impressive sounding) that you can do with your feet while you’re listening to music and waiting for something to happen. I knew that we were heading into the real meat of the syllabus, the partner dance and group dance weeks, culminating with a trip to a real square & contra dance at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, so it was fun to give them a few tricks to keep up their sleeves. It was also hugely helpful for me as their teacher, so that I could see who naturally felt the rhythm of the fiddles and for whom that might be more of a struggle. Before we started partner dance, we had two days of acro yoga. Students were asked to trust
each other in a huge way, and to trust themselves— everyone got to experience being the base and being the flyer, with students rotating being a spotter—and I was blown away with how communicative and willing our students were. Personally, as someone who experienced my own teenaged physical sense of self in a dysmorphic, “I’m too big to be carried” way, I thought our students would all feel more comfortable basing and not be willing to fly. I was wrong! We marveled at the discoveries each pair of students made: tinier framed students could make excellent, solid bases, and some of our almost-6` students allowed themselves to be gracefully supported upside down and aloft on each others’ feet. The words I heard students using to help each other succeed was enough to fill my eyes with happy tears. And they clamored for more when we were finished! I think it’s important to point out that this work is impossible to do on one’s own. In order to do acro yoga or partner dance, we need each other. And in order to make it soar and flow and become an improvisational conversation, we have to trust and support the person in front of us, no matter if they are our favorite friend or someone we don’t see eye to eye with. Now that we’re in our partner dance unit (salsa! Swing! Blues! Waltz, polka, even zwiefachers!) I am asking the students to show up for each other in their most supportive role yet: non-verbally communicating through the rhythm of the music and the movements of their bodies, keeping time and footwork but also being free to express what they hear and feel. They are developing skills to engage their fellows in new ways, to collaborate and create fulfilling experiences. Nest Chatter Courtney Latta (Camp) married Seth Sosebee on September 14, 2014. Patrick Sweatt (Camp) married Rosie Berger on June 5, 2014. Roberto Corona Del Arco (Camp) married Isabel Lopez on October 14, 2014. Becky Salomon (Camp) married Alison Duncan (Camp) on June 14, 2014. Hannah Levin (OA Faculty) got married in September 2014.
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The Eagle’s Nest Foundation Newsletter
PAGE 5
Forest Magic: Forging Relationships with Wilderness at Camp and Beyond By Liz Snyder, Assistant Camp Director Within the lush landscape of the southern Appalachians, beneath the sprawling views of hazy blue mountains and dense thickets of Rhododendron, exists a world that is foreign to many. Wildness reigns there; communities of plants and animals thrive without human interaction and live with primitive simplicity. Cyclical patterns steer diverse ecosystems in ways that are unknown to most. Each passing season is intimately experienced, from soaking rains to driving winds to warm sun- “Forging significant relationships with wild areas promotes the desire to shine.
honor and protect them. “
Fifty years ago, the importance of such places was acknowledged and a plan was put in place to protect America’s wild spaces. At its inception, the Wilderness Act protected 9.1 million acres of land, most of which was in the western United States. However, Western North Carolina’s Shining Rock and Linville Gorge did not escape recognition and were initially protected by the Act as well. The past 50 years have seen a significant increase of protected land, bringing the current total to 109 million acres. Land protection mandated by the Wilderness Act has provided many of us the opportunity to step into this wild world and bear witness to its magnificence. Those who journey into wilderness find that the landscape serves as a mirror, reflecting true self and fundamental identity. It extends an invitation to each of us to disconnect from the complexities of modern society and instead, connect with the wildness within our mind and soul. Such spaces are invaluable and fragile. Forging significant relationships with wild areas promotes the desire to honor and protect them. Those connections are encouraged and nurtured at Eagle’s Nest beginning at a young age. From a six- year-old camper’s first creek hike, to a multi-pitch ascent by a Hante participant, to an Outdoor Academy student’s ten day trek, each experience fosters a growing respect for and appreciation of wilderness. Following, two Eagle’s Nest participants describe a personal experience that helped them foster a meaningful relationship with the natural world:
streams. Sophia Botran, age 14. This upcoming summer will be Sophia’s 6th as an Eagle’s Nest camper. An important memory that I have when I connected to nature at Eagle’s Nest is Skinny Dip Falls. As I walked past the “dragon” tree, I could tell I was going to be in for some memories. As I got to the waterfall I was awestruck by how beautiful it looked. The way the water hit the pool below and the sun’s reflection on the water were breathtaking. I’ve never felt so alive (and cold) as I did after I jumped off the rock and into the waterfall. It seemed as if the whole world was in slow motion. I felt pure excitement. Myles Schwartz, age 17. Myles is a current student at The Outdoor Academy. Before coming to OA, he was a camper for 4 summers and a Junior Counselor. Sophia and Myles, as well as countless other Eagle’s Nest participants, have developed a love of wild places through experiences on our campus and beyond. They are familiar with the feeling of sitting quietly in nature, of frigid mountain streams, and of sweeping vistas. Their personal relationships with the natural world will undoubtedly increase their desire to take care of it so that future generations may enjoy it as they have. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act and look forward to the future of America’s wild spaces, Baba Dioum’s words ring especially true: “In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught.”
I crouched by the stream and stuck my hand in the icy water. It rushed through my fingers. The beige, sandy flecks sparkled up at me. I remembered building fairy houses here. Flat rocks were platforms for tiny cottages and soft, green moss was a bed. My mind was a quiet calmness. It was at Eagle’s Nest where I fell in love with www.enf.org
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Home is Where the Hart Is By Cecily Timmons, Development Director There is momentum building; can you feel it? Our alumni – OA, Camp, Hante, parents included – are building communities of Nesters all across the United States. This fall Noni and I traveled the east coast, attending three events hosted by our wonderful Eagle’s Nest trustees, parents, and alumni. However far flung Nesters scatter after leaving these woods, it’s clear that our community remains strong and tight-knit. First up, we gathered in Atlanta at Atkins Park Tavern, an establishment owned by Sandra Spoon, who is one of our OA Parents. Trustees Shelley Gaynes, Michael Perling, and Tom Rogers hosted and a great group of camp alumni, Hante Adventurers, and even a recent OA alum joined in the merriment. The newly formed “Capitol Nesters” – with Cormac Connor, Alex Masi, Gina Masi, Adrienne Lockie Noti, Allisen Stewart, and Molly Chapman Wheeler at the helm – held an event at The Partisan in D.C. In addition to getting together for networking, good conversation, and memories, the Capitol Nesters have an important goal: to send D.C. young people to Eagle’s Nest through a new scholarship fund sup-
ported by area alumni. The Bunce family opened up their home (and trampoline) to Raleigh-Durham -Chapel Hill area alumni and friends. Partygoers got sustenance from the Great American Melt Down, a local and renowned gourmet grilled-cheese food truck, as well as sweet treats from a LocoPops cart. Our growing family of Triangle-area trustees, Gail Bunce, Nate Byrd, Lyne Gamble, and Jamey Lowdermilk, were there, as well as a crowd of Eagle’s Nest parents, alumni, and future Nesters of all ages. Together we can do much to support each other, support Eagle’s Nest, and help bring more young people to Hart Road. Plus, it’s a lot of fun! We want to build our nest – help us do it by helping to host an alumni gathering in your area. Spring is lovely for travel!
Centennial Priorities Update By Noni Waite-Kucera, Executive Director The ENF staff and Board of Trustees are off and running on the Centennial Priorities Action Plan we set with your help last March. Our commitment: To most fully dive into our mission and to appropriately respond to changes in the world around us, we will empower a community of educators; cultivate Nest Chatter and celebrate our sense of place; share our story; and build financial resiliency in honor of our upcoming centennial. Grace Moore born to Michael and Darlene This summer and fall we have begun work in earnest on concrete action steps along this journey. Our current work efforts include creating an ENF Advancement Plan and a Campus Stewardship Plan and Zoning Code. We are also initiating a study on our organizational structure and staffing plan to ensure we are best equipped internally to meet our priorities. Finally, we have set our sights on the financial priorities for ENF. In 2015 we will be focused on faculty and staff compensation and capital needs on our campus. If any of the projects above sound like something you would like to help with please let me know – we will be looking for lots of volunteers!
Moore– August 2014. Jack Jones born to Crecia Jones– July 2014. Harper Marea Koch born to Molly Herrmann and Christie Koch on October 21, 2014. Layla born to Caroline McCammack Smith (Camp) and Steve Smith on April 29, 2014. Rachel Colcher born to Katie Reber Colcher (Camp) and Daniel Colcher on October 10, 2014.
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The Eagle’s Nest Foundation Newsletter
PAGE 7 Are you interested in applying to The Outdoor Academy for the 2015-2016 school year?
The early application deadline for campers is December 15, 2014 followed by the general application deadline of February 15, 2015. Apply online at www.enf.org/outdoor-academy. If you have any questions or are still interested in applying for Spring 2015, please contact Lindsay or Cary at 828-877-4349.
Your Gift. Your Choice. Big Impact By Cecily Timmons, Development Director You have so many ways to give to Eagle’s Nest, and we want you to make your gift in a way that feels the most meaningful for you. You can direct your gift to scholarships – Camp, Hante, OA or all three – to building projects on campus, or our active land acquisition and conservation program. We have eleven funds from which you can choose! Read more about your options by visiting our website. Double or Even Triple Your Donation! You might be able to make your donation go farther. Many companies encourage employees to donate to their favorite charities by matching their contributions, sometimes dollar-for-dollar or more. Does the company that you work for match charitable contributions? To find out if your work place participates in matching, you can either contact your HR department or request help from the development department at Eagle’s Nest Foundation development@enf.org. Please contact the development department if you need help setting up automatic deductions from your bank. Need to Spread Your Gift Out Over the Year? In 2015, Eagle’s Nest Foundation will begin accepting automatic recurring gifts through a secure online portal, and you’ll be able to divide your gifts between quarterly, monthly, or the recurring schedule of your choice. In the meantime, you can set up auto-draft with your bank. Make your gift to Eagle’s Nest by mail to the Foundation office at P.O. Box P.O. Box 5127, Winston-Salem, NC 27113. www.enf.org
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Fledgling Flight By Marlin Sill, Wilderness Program Manager There are so many amazing things Eagle’s Nest does, so many amazing places we go, and so many lives we touch. And oftentimes, it starts with something as simple as a sleepover with a friend or your first night at summer camp. The first step many take is just making the shift to calling this place in the mountains home. But what makes this place so special? There are many valid answers to this question, but arguably one of the best is: The ability for young people to chase their dreams through the forests and rivers, down the mountains and up the balds to where sky and earth meet, where everything and nothing coexist in harmony. It is that first jump, out of the nest and into the woods beyond, where our youth can really begin to find themselves. These mountains are filled with amazing adventures and opportunities, and one of the greatest things we can do, is “It is that first jump, out of the nest give our children the ability to learn and grow from these experiences.
and into the woods beyond, where our youth can really begin to find themselves.”
Camping and backpacking are staple experiences that even some of the youngest campers can enjoy and learn confidence from. It is the ability to make your whole world revolve around you, your friends and your neatly, tightly, organized pack. Then there is Climbing. Coaching your friends and working together on systems and ropes to keep each other safe and sky-bound. It is the chance to summit the peaks whose cliff’s taunt you from you earth-bound boots. And from the peaks you descend, down, down, down to the creeks and into the rivers. The Southeast holds some of the world’s most classic whitewater lines. This is the chance to complete the life cycle of the mountains, from their lofty sky capped domes, to their drenched and swollen rivers. Come to a place where you can learn it all and enjoy the bounty of possibilities on Appalachian Adventure in 2015!
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PAGE 9
The Core Values at Camp By Paige Lester-Niles, Camp Director; Marlin Sill, Wilderness Program Manager; and Liz Snyder, Assistant Camp Director
We all know the Eagle’s Nest is special, but sometimes it’s difficult for us to articulate why. Over the past year, we have spent time asking you – our campers, parents, counselor and volunteers – why Eagle’s Nest is meaningful to you, and what you have learned from your experiences here. We loved talking with you about your ideas, and hearing how Eagle’s Nest has impacted your life in a positive way. Your thoughts have helped us define our five Core Values – tools that will guide us as we continue to create impactful growth experiences for our campers. Nature – At the root of the Eagle’s Nest experience is promoting an appreciation for the natural world. We thrill at exploring the beauty of nature at camp: swimming in a mountain lake, hiking to the top of big mountains, feeling the sun on our faces (and sometimes the rain on our backs), and being lulled to sleep by Spring Peepers and Bullfrogs. Community – Since the very early days of camp, campers and counselors have understood the importance of their vital role in and responsibility to the camp community. They all have responsibility to our
community where they are treated with respect and kindness and are valued for the unique people that they are. Compassion – We teach campers that the number one rule is “Be Nice”. We intentionally create a nurturing environment that encourages compassion and empathy. Each member of our community is treated with respect and kindness. We care deeply for each other. “We teach campers that the number We help one rule is ‘Be Nice.’” give campers the skills to practice and share compassion in their home communities. Confidence – We strive to create opportunities that provide our participants the confidence needed to be their best selves. Campers are supported as they step outside of their comfort zones, and are celebrated for their successes (and failures), as each provide avenues for personal growth. Joy – On top of it all, we value the joyful experience of being a kid, laughing and living simply in the summer. We want our campers to have happy experiences and full hearts. We hope that they will carry the joy of camp in their hearts long after they leave Eagle’s Nest. www.enf.org
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Mountain Granola By Mark Walker, Kitchen Manager
Ingredients To serve:
5-7
40-50
Oatmeal
4 cups
32 cups
Sunflower Seeds
3/4 cup
6 cups
Coconut
3/4 cup
6 cups
Sesame Seeds
1/3 cup
4 cups
Walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup
6 cups
Cinnamon
1 tsp
1/3 cup
Method:
Molasses
1/5 cup
1 1/3 cup
First mix together the dry ingredients.
Honey
2/3 cup
4 cups
Then mix together the molasses, honey, and oil. Then combine these ingredients.
Oil
1/3 cup
2 2/3 cups
Raisins (optional)
3/4 cup
6 cups
Also add cashews and pecans
Then spread the ingredients on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring twice. Then allow this to cool and add raisins if desired.
Brussels Sprouts with Figs and Bacon from Eagle’s Nest Kitchen
Ingredients
Method (Makes 2 Side portions): Cook bacon until crisp. Add oil to a clean, hot pan. Saute the onions and Brussels sprouts until they are tender. Add the cooked bacon and sliced figs. Saute for 30 seconds, trying not to overcook the figs. Add vinegar to deglaze the pan. The majority of the vinegar should evaporate.
2 strips
Bacon, cut into 1-inch wide pieces
1 1/2 Tbsp
Cooking oil
1/4 cup
Onions, sliced, loosely packed
1 cup
Brussels sprouts, chopped, majority of stem removed
2
Figs, fresh (any kind), sliced lengthwise into 6-8 pieces
1Tbsp
Apple cider vinegar
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Salt and fresh cracked black pepper www.enf.org
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My Call to the Wild By Jack Swinson, OA Student Dear Kate, I am having an incredible time here at The Outdoor Academy. While here, I have chased coyotes, discovered my spirit animal, made my own journal, gone whitewater canoeing, and have made some great friends. I know that as my sister, you did not want me to leave, but by coming to OA, I have found something that I was not expecting. By entering the wilderness, I am entering an environment that is not as distracting as day-to-day life. At home, my thoughts are scattered, random, and uncontrollable, but here they flow, sharpening my senses. In “Children in the Woods,” Barry Lopez writes, The quickest door to open in the woods for a child is the one that leads to the smallest room, by knowing the name each thing is called. The door that leads to the cathedral is marked by a hesitancy to speak at all, rather to encourage by example a sharpness of the senses. By remaining quiet, Lopez allows children to formulate their own questions through the use of their senses. The “At home, my thoughts are scattered, random, and wilderness is an environment that frees deep and uncontrollable, but here they flow….” overlooked questions. For me, these questions are those of our existence that we do not usually have time to consider in our daily lives. Nature takes me to a place where I can see and sense the surrounding organisms, the life that arises from death, and the struggle for existence. This heightened awareness makes me feel insignificant, and I begin to wonder whether my worries about grades, upperclassmen, soccer, etc., are actually justifiable and not dramatizations of my imagination. I know that you have never gone camping before, but I believe that experiencing nature will allow you to gain a better perspective of the world. Mom, Dad, and I all love you and support you no matter what you do, but please give the wilderness a chance. Love, Jack
Remembering What is Important at the Holidays By Cecily Timmons, Development Director Has the onslaught of fundraising letters started in your mailbox? It has in our mailbox. Each day you might open your mail, or email inbox, to find requests for your hard-earned money. These requests are sometimes poignant, often heartfelt, and can be overwhelming. Come the end of year, where should you send your funds? What donations will make you feel good? Where does your heart, and your head, tell you to bestow gratitude? What place or people have made your life different, hopefully for the better? You’ve got a lot of choices to make this year when it comes to making end of year gifts. Look inside your heart and identify what’s important to you, and what has been important to you. Has Eagle’s Nest found a place there? We’ve all had experiences in our lives that are transformational in some way. For many of you who are reading this newsletter Eagle’s Nest Camp, Hante, or OA was crucial in getting you to where you are now. For some, the catalyst was physical; stepping away, outside of their normal or chaotic lives, and into the wild of Hart Road. For others, the transformation was more personal, driven by those people they met here that buoyed or challenged them, depending on their individual needs. Did someone at Eagle’s Nest or OA help you along your journey? This year, consider giving thanks to that person (or people) by making a gift in their honor. We’ll thank you, of course, but we will also send the honoree your thanks. We have from now until the end of December to show our gratitude for the “game changers” in our lives—those confidantes, challengers, and friends. This year, we want our annual fund to be be a gigantic display of gratitude. Let’s give thanks, and help keep our place, this place, strong and sustainable into the future. Share your gratitude at www.enf.org/give-now. www.enf.org
PAGE 12 Continued from Page 12 of the founding principles of The Outdoor Academy. It has always given me such pride to boast that OA students cook their own food, clean their cabins, maintain trails on the property, run a composting system, chop wood for the stoves that heat their cabins, and perform a host of other service projects in the area, all while maintaining a rigorous academic schedule. During my semester in 1998, my hands crafted a chair, knit hats, examined microorganisms in creek beds, paddled and cleaned rivers, hauled bails of hay to maintain our beloved mountain trails, and learned chords on guitar. While my hands created and worked, my mind stretched, and my spirit flourished in a community that is easily one of the most nurturing I have ever known. Getting to do this work in the natural world offers profound peace, reaching far beyond natural history and environmental sciences. Montessorian Molly O’Shaughnessy (2000) explains:
Dr. Montessori’s vision of the child included a blueprint that would help forge this bond between the developing being and the natural environment - a plan that ultimately empowers the child to find his place in society and nurtures his innate love of the environment... Spirituality--the human quest for connectedness--must be at the heart of everything we offer the child. (p. 126)
By this definition, many would argue that our society is losing our spirituality- our connection with the land and even with one another, leading to a host of childhood problems from difficulty concentrating to the inability to see the effects of one’s decisions. Because the OA community is so tightly woven, every ripple is felt. Everyone matters and everything is truly connected, from the pigs that eat leftovers to the rivers that students paddle. Our surroundings say so much about who we are and what we value. OA’s natural environment offers not only serenity and the venue for meaningful activity, it provides a picture of the world at large and a student’s place in it. In her book Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Skills Every Child Needs, Ellen Galinsky notes the abilities to take on challenges and be an engaged learner as key components to success. Montessori students navigate their own development by repetitively mastering skills and naturally seeking out challenges, even if it means making mistakes. It is our natural inclination to wonder and explore, but that fire can die out if not fanned. At OA, students complete selfchosen independent projects. This self-directed learning encourages students to delve deeply into topics of personal interest and to be able to truly think. While keeping students on track with their home schools' academics, OA encourages collaboration and risk-taking. Through participatory study, students become comfortable facing challenge without fear of failure or shame. They help direct their own learning with joy and deep engagement.
The magic of The Outdoor Academy is that it truly is the student’s school- aimed at providing the specific environment and structure needed at this critical time in life. Its founders respect not only who each young person is at present, but also who he or she might become. While not a Montessori school, The Outdoor Academy shares many common goals, values, and practices with Montessori adolescent programs worldwide. With its conscientiously designed environment, OA guides young people to build themselves with great introspection, a love of learning, hard work, and dedication to community. I have no doubt that every school in the United States wants its students to succeed while under its care. What a treasure it is, though, to have a school do so much more.
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The Eagle’s Nest Foundation Newsletter
PAGE 13
Alumni Gratitude Project By Lindsay Martin, Admissions Director Alumni from The Outdoor Academy love to tell their stories. They love to share how they first heard about OA, all the wonderful memories they made during their 4 month semester, and the benefits their experience provided them through confidence and leadership building, value exploration, and lifelong friendships. Oh, and the food. OA Alumni love to tell stories about the amazing food they ate on campus and on trail. While these stories may have similar themes, they are each as unique and special as the individual telling them. What you may not realize is that story telling from alumni is the heartbeat of our school. It is what keeps the next generation of OA students eager and excited to join our community. It inspires them to be brave and step out of their own comfort zone. It is the voice that draws a hesitant freshman to look up during a presentation and truly begin to see themselves on our campus. All over the country our alumni are telling their stories through school presentations, events at their home, personal phone calls, and casual conversation. They are keeping the heartbeat of this school strong wherever their paths may travel. In fact, over 40% of our students find OA through the help of an alum, and over 70% spend time talking with an alum before deciding to enroll. These conversations are undoubtedly the most powerful and effective way for a prospective student to make the decision to attend The Outdoor Academy. When I asked our alumni why is it important that they help others learn about OA, they responded: “…because I’m invested in the success of OA for the future. OA is a place that helped me become someone I’m proud to be. I want to help others experience the magic, and tradition, and beauty of such a special and supportive school.” “OA completely changed my life. I learned what it meant to be valued for who I am, and not what I do. OA also taught me how I learn best in a classroom and helped guide me into the field of study that most interests me, which in a world where deciding a major is huge, has been extremely helpful. OA also provided me with so many life skills that I don't know where I would learn anywhere else.” “ I hope that those students can gain what I gained and more. I hope they can gain a better understanding about themselves, their interests, and the greater world around them. I hope they gain a respect for the environment, and a passion to save it. I hope they gain the humility and respect of living as a community, and the patience it takes to live with other people. I hope they gain all of that and so much more.” The support and intention of our alumni is incredibly inspiring and we would like to show our appreciation through a new initiative called: The Alumni Gratitude Project. With this project, we will be offering special OA gifts for any alum who: Shares their story at a school presentation, Hosts a recruitment event, or Helps steward a prospective student toward enrollment at OA. We hope these simple gifts will help honor the remarkable investment of our alumni to help others find and experience The Outdoor Academy. So, keep telling your stories and check out The Outdoor Academy Facebook page for more information, helpful tips, and pictures of some of our great OA gifts!
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Ask Kyle By Marlin Sill, Wilderness Program Manager Dear Kyle,
Dear Kyle,
Dear Kyle,
I have recently begun developing substantial facial hair, and have had trouble guiding it into a cohesive style. Any tips on maintaining luxurious facial hair?
Our children returned from camp this summer demanding us to begin a strict composting regimen. With what they learned from camp we were able to get a nice pile going, but we have recently been getting some smelly visitors. How do you get rid of skunks?
What words do you live by? I have a particularly abrasive co-worker, and when trying to respond, I keep thinking “What would Kyle Say?”
Thanks Rough and scruff
Thanks, Fed Up
Much appreciated, Dear Rough and Scruff, The short: “You either got it or you don’t.” The sweet: No soap or wash will develop facial hair fullness quite as well as some good ol’ Appalachian shine (what ya’ll might call Mountain Dew). I’ve never used a razor in my life. Clippers are all I use if anything. They maintain a consistent length, hold a straight edge, and make sculpting a breeze. Plus, they can double as horse clippers when you need to tame yer mare’s mane.
Sick of Smells
Dear Fed Up,
Dear Sick of Smells,
The Short: “Talk low, talk slow, talk less”
The Short: Send Taylor The Sweet: In the past we have used services like “Critter Gitters”. I swear they must be skunk whisperers…I seen a fella get a fat ol mama into a crate, with a broom, in under 10 minutes…No spray or nothin’. Best bet is to get yourself an ol’ barrel for ‘postin’. Or convince yer neighbor to keep a community pile in their yard. Smell Sweetly!
Tell ‘em!
Got more questions for Kyle? Send letters to: Ask Kyle Column 43 Hart Rd,
Happy Sculpting! Pisgah Forest NC 28768
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