Again this year we are pleased to offer a program of study and exploration in conjunction with the Yosemite Institute. This one-week experience will occur at two sites in Yosemite National Park: in Yosemite Valley and at the Institute’s Crane Flat campus located adjacent to the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoia trees at 6,200 feet elevation. The staff of the Yosemite Institute consists of college graduates with backgrounds and interests appropriate to the park setting. Small group instruction with Institute leaders and district science teachers encourages an understanding of the basic principles of ecology and geology through an intimate association with a natural environment.
The Yosemite trip is an opportunity to nurture and develop the enduring resilience qualities in our students such as: Self-Discipline Personal Responsibility Persistence Working as a team Accepting challenges Research studies have shown that these invaluable qualities enable youth and adults to withstand and overcome the inevitable stress and adversity met during a lifetime. We know that in today’s world the stress level for young people is constantly increasing. The week’s activities provide challenges and opportunities to take healthy risks in a structured, supported environment.
The adventure begins with the process of preparation at school where we meet on Thursdays at lunch. We discuss equipment, personal needs, activities, behavior expectations, and we answer many questions that students have. The student information sheet provided with the student’s invitation contains most of this information as well. The meetings are the first opportunity to practice and teach self-discipline. Students are very independent during the trip, so we want them to make appropriate choices, act responsibly and feel comfortable seeking the support of the adults on the trip. Students are expected to arrive on time, be prepared by bringing a sack lunch, be respectful by listening quietly and attentively, and practice good stewardship by cleaning up before they leave. We encourage the parents to work with us to shift the responsibility for preparation to the student as much as possible. The more self-disciplined they are before the trip, the more enjoyable and positive the experience.
Parents should attend the information night on December 6 starting at 7:30 p.m in the Gym. Parents are welcome to enjoy an optional movie from a prior year to get an intimate glimpse of the experience. The movie starts at 7:00 in the gym. During the one hour meeting, we will provide a quick overview of the trip, address financial information including partial scholarships and refunds. We review parent and student essentials, clothing and equipment requirements and we answer any other questions. Families will pick up the form packet and the forms will be reviewed in m ore detail. You’ll have an opportunity to drop off your $50 non-refundable deposit and your parent essentials agreement at that time. If a parent is unable to attend the meeting, we encourage him or her to visit the web site and view the parent information night meeting presentation. We will accept deposits with completed lottery tickets and deposit forms up to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 7. We will then complete the lottery if we need to create a wait list. If you have questions, beyond what is presented on the meeting slides, please try and attend the meeting in person.
Information regarding the trip is published regularly at this web site. You’ll find regular newsletters, copies of forms in case things are lost, calendar of events, and daily reports when we are in Yosemite. You can receive updates in Short Message Form with Twitter. Follow us on http://twitter/yotrip.
We would like to provide information to our diverse community so we encourage you to translate the web site or the written documents using a tool called babel fish from yahoo. If you need assistance with this, please let a message in the office and we will make sure that someone contacts you.
Important Dates to remember if you are interested in attending: The parent meeting on December 6 which starts promptly at 7:30 in the Gym. The $50 non-refundable deposit and parent essentials form are due no later than 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 7. All checks and forms received by this time have equal priority should we need to conduct a lottery to determine the wait list. Any deposits received after this time will be placed at the bottom of the wait list. Thank you for considering this important educational opportunity for your child. We are confident that it will be an experience to remember. If you have questions or comments visit the web site to send us a message.
