A key to the success of the Trail Blazers program is maintaining contact with our participants during the school months and re-enforcing the goals and mission of our program through our Winter Environmental Education Weekends. Every weekend from mid-January through early-March, we invite small groups of our summer participants to return to our Sussex County site for two days and nights.

Though children sleep in front of roaring fires in our main lodge—rather than in outdoor canvas shelters—many key elements of our summer program are still

emphasized: the value of community responsibility and service learning is reinforced through each child’s completion of a daily job; appreciation and respect for the natural world are encouraged and enhanced; and the skills and merit of peaceful conflict resolution are stressed and extended.

Experiential Environmental Education
On each weekend, time is spent exploring animal tracks in the snow, learning about hibernation and different measures of weather, hiking out to each group’s summer site, and renewing friendships. Trail Blazers staff members work to make these experiences not only opportunities for fun, but also occasions for educational enrichment, using natural moments of wonder to encourage curiosity and nurture young minds. Whether hiking through untouched snow, sledding down a powdery hill, or walking onto a frozen lake, group leaders blend learning opportunities into the fun-packed activities of the weekend.

Winter Weekend curriculum focuses on teaching children about the winter environment, and features such hands-on learning activities as experiments and discussions of the seasons, shadows and the sun, active bird watching, and investigations into the habitats and food sources of animals in winter. Challenge course initiatives are also introduced as an opportunity to foster the growth of cooperative teamwork, effective communication, and problem-solving skills.

     Back to Top >

Reinforcing Summer Lessons
As an extension of Trail Blazers’ core summer program, Our Winter Experiential Education Program is a vital part of our effort to maintain ongoing contact with children. These Winter Weekends provide our staff with an opportunity to reinforce the skills and values developed during the summer. To ensure that each child’s Winter Weekend behavior, accomplishments, and challenges are given proper attention in school, social workers and teachers are sent written reports on each child’s progress.

Invitations and permission slips for Weekends are mailed out three weeks prior to each weekend. Winter Weekends are only available for children who attended the 2007 Summer Outdoor Environmental Education Program. If you have not received an invitation for your child, please call our office at (212) 529-5113.
 

2008 Winter Weekend Dates

January 11–13                LTP Winter Weekend Training

January 18–20                Backwoodies and Pioneer Forest Tipi

January 25–27                Pixies and Pioneer Farmers and Pioneer  Homestead

February 1–3                  Forest Tipi and Pioneer Pathfinders

February 8–10                Farmers and Pioneer/Awanasa and Pioneer Braetarn

February 15–17              Pathfinders and Pioneer Lumberjacks

February 17–19              Homestead and Awanasa

February 19–21              Lumberjacks and Pioneer Frontiersmen

February 21–23              Braetarn and Unami

February 29–March 2     Conestoga and Frontiersmen and Baker's Acres

     Back to Top >