6 minute read
The IslandWood Experience: Developing and Sharing Leadership
by Sonja Everson and Sadie Reitz
Upper Elementary Teachers
Leadership starts with self-confidence, respect for others, teamwork, and the desire to make a difference or a change no matter the size. Eton School’s mission naturally lends itself to building confident leaders. One of the ways these critical skills are highlighted during an Eton School education is through outdoor education experiences.
During the beginning of each new academic year, our fourth-grade class sets off on a memorable adventure to the outdoor education center, IslandWood: A School in the Woods. It is here, set among tall trees and breathtaking views of Puget Sound on the beautiful Bainbridge Island campus, that students and teachers spend four days and three nights extending learning beyond the classroom walls. The students build teamwork and leadership skills while strengthening bonds and friendships that set the stage for a successful school year.
Anticipation is thick in the room on the Monday morning of departure. Families help carry luggage into the classroom and give big “I’ll miss you hugs.” It is often the parents who are more nervous than the students for the week away from home. The students are prepared for this week away and are eager for the adventure-filled leadership opportunities. They are ready to take care of their own belongings, themselves, and each other.
The bus arrives and the excitement builds even more. Luggage is loaded and students, chaperones, and teachers pile on and eagerly wave from the window seats to the proud parents outside. After a quick drive to the downtown Seattle ferry docks, the bus boards the ferry to Bainbridge Island and everyone climbs up the stairs to its windy decks. Students admire the view of the Puget Sound and laugh together as the wind swirls their hair in every direction possible. Standing as a group on the windy ferry deck enjoying this shared experience, the fourth-grade community begins to strengthen.
A large, beautiful sign that welcomes students to IslandWood appears after a short drive through the city of Bainbridge. The same staff person who came to the classroom the week before to answer student questions hops onto the bus, and the familiar face makes the students smile. “Welcome to IslandWood!” he proclaims, and the students all cheer.
The first collaborative task students solve is getting all the luggage from the bus to the lodge. Luckily, IslandWood is thoughtfully designed with student leadership as its first priority. There are kid-sized carts that students use to pull the luggage through the winding trails, taking turns pulling and spotting any wayward sleeping bags. As the team rounds the corner to see their lodge come into view, a cheer travels through the luggage caravan. It may seem small but starting the week with a guaranteed teamwork-win, sets the stage for continued success. Maria Montessori knew this too and is famously quoted as saying, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” After years in Eton’s Pre-elementary and Lower Elementary programs, the fourth-grade students are ready for the challenges, big and small, that IslandWood provides.
The following three days are filled with science experiments, team building courses, hiking, and connecting with each other and with the natural world. The students often do not realize they are learning because they are so involved in the beauty and excitement of an outdoor school. This natural setting inspires students to push themselves to try new experiences or new foods in the dining hall. These small successes contribute to building self-confidence which in turn contributes to building confident leaders.
Students bond with their classmates and find that respect flows naturally amongst them. The calm and inner peace inspired by nature often plays a role in the calm and thoughtful solutions to any conflicts that might arise. The lasting memories of peaceful respect, stay with the students throughout the school year. On the last night, our fourth-grade student-team participates on stage at the community campfire to lead a repeat-after-me song for everyone in attendance. Some students are nervous, but the encouraging words of their classmates lift them up and the giddiness and pride are evident when they sit back down to roaring applause.
The drive back to school on Thursday is bittersweet. The students miss the IslandWood campus, but they are energized to share their experiences with others. They feel a little more grown up as they have successfully navigated several nights and days away from home. They are motivated to be stewards at school and in their own communities. In fact, many service-learning projects at
Eton School were inspired by the fourth-grade students’ time at IslandWood. In the past, a group of empowered students persuaded the former Head of School to begin the composting program we continue to use today. This year’s fourth-grade students are leading the school in maintaining its King County Green School status. They help to maintain our waste sorting systems and to keep our entire Eton community informed of best practices with energy conservation and reducing waste.
Back at school, the first day after IslandWood, you can feel a shift in the atmosphere and attitudes of the fourth-grade students. Those who originally came into class hesitant with the uncertainty of starting a new grade with new teachers, now enter with the confidence brought about by the success of overcoming obstacles and coming together as a community. The fourth-grade student-team is ready to face any challenges they meet throughout the year. They are ready to share the role of leader—for themselves, each other, and the greater Eton School community.
Eton School has participated in IslandWood’s School Overnight Program for over 15 years. The alignment of goals between IslandWood’s program and Eton School makes for a natural and powerful partnership.
IslandWood’s founder, Debbi Brainerd, was “moved to create a place where students from urban environments could explore the natural world, experience the joy of learning outdoors, and discover their own capacity to change the world around them.”
These goals closely mirror Eton School’s Mission to “inspire a love of learning, encourage self‐determination, develop and nurture global awareness, and cultivate a sense of responsibility.”
We are grateful to participate in this rewarding experience every year.
