Upward and Outward Bound trip

Last week I was a leader, along with Jessica and Franchezska, on a 4-day Spring Break trip with Outward Bound Adventures or OBA. OBA is a Pasadena-based organization providing nature-based education that promotes positive self development, environmental responsibility, and outdoor career exposure for at-risk, low-income, and urban youth. As a special bonus, my 8th grader nephew Jacob got to come along too.

Jessica met the director of OBA a few years ago and led her PCC Math/Science Upward Bound high school students on a backpacking trip to the top of Mt. San Grogonio. This time, we car camped and visited a few places in Southern California, focusing on alternative energy and environmental education. On the first day, we visited the wind energy farm near Palm Springs, with all those windmills, and camped at Mission Creek. Day Two had us looking at desert plants and animals at the Living Desert and camping in the Santa Rosa mountains. Day Three we learned how to use a map and compass as part of a competition to see who could use a topographic map to get to a rock quarry in the nearby mountains. We also visited the Salton Sea and heard about work being done to save California's largest lake. On Day Four, after camping next to the Sea, we visited nearby bat caves.

I was impressed by how OBA operates. Cooperation, fairness, and respect are emphasized. Everyone works together to unload gear, put up tents, cook, and clean the campsite. Against the drawback of nature and wilnderness survival, kids are taught how to get along with each other. When there are problems, it's all brought out into the open around the campfire.

It was a good experience. I got a taste of how different it is to work with high school students compared to college students. Namely, high school students need to be motivated and disciplined, whereas I expect college students to be self-motivated and treated like the young adults that they should be.