THE BUILDING OF
CHARACTER
to cook in the backcountry, to ice
“We’re using cutting-edge neuro-
climb, and to leave no trace for
science tools to try and understand
bears or other unwelcome visitors.
what people have been writing
These were conditions leading
about for 200 years or more,”
one ’Wick student to exclaim: “I
Strayer told OutsideOnline.com. “If
felt like an inspired poet.”
you talk to Thoreau or John Muir,
I
they’d say, ‘No kidding!’” NCREASINGLY, SCIENCE
No kidding, indeed. Camp
tells us that the sense of awe is
Dudley has been using the
the gateway to creative problem
were recently featured in a story
outdoors for education for genera-
solving and psychological well-
on OutsideOnline.com for their
tions. Founded in 1885, the camp is
being. It’s a notion now studied at
work using electroencephalo-
the oldest operating camp for boys
universities, and passed along in
grams (EEGs) to confirm that the
in the country.
popular media on the Internet.
prefrontal cortex takes a much-
Among the neuroscientists to study the effects of awe is David
needed break when we visit nature. Such a visit often leaves us
Dave Langston, development director at Dudley, said outdoor education helps create oppor-
Strayer, professor of cognition and
refreshed and ripe for new ideas, as
tunities for boys to “feel free” to
neural science at the University of
poets and environmentalists have
learn, to make mistakes, and to
Utah. Strayer and his colleagues
long described.
learn from those mistakes. Cell
ABOVE LEFT Paul Grasso gives a thumbs-up after submerging his gloved hands into icy water to fill his five-gallon water container. ABOVE Ice picks and belaying were the key to getting to the top. LEFT Peter Wise watches from below as he awaits his turn on the man-made wall. ABOVE RIGHT Alec Esmond focuses intently on every inch — on every step — of the slippery climb. RIGHT The team photo: (Front) Counselor Colin, Michael Tang, Logan Hoelscher, and Conor Boyle
(Middle) Counselor Tom, Alec Esmond, Charlie Pang, Tucker Calcano, Matthew Beninati, Peter Wise, Michael Beninati, and Siyan Shaikh (Back) Counselor Tom, Ryan Harteveldt, Paul Grasso, Tim Doyle, Andrew Mellert, Oliver Bierman-Lytle, and Danny Dychkowski
24 | TIMES
OF BRUNSWICK • SPRING 2016