Lakeside School Outdoor Program

Both Middle and Upper School students participate in Lakeside's extensive Outdoor Program. Run by two experienced educators and outdoor experts, Chip Mehring and Jara Popelkova, the outdoor program has brought the thrill and wonder—and the life lessons—of nature and adventure to thousands of Lakeside students.

Over the past 30-plus years, the Outdoor Program has gradually evolved into a self-sustaining curriculum with its own graduation requirements. A primary focus of the program is to introduce students to their own backcountry, while keeping travel time and expense to a minimum.

Outdoor education at Lakeside is an experiential learning program—involving learning by doing. Experiential learning teaches people to learn from their experiences, not just about their experiences.

For more on the philosophy of the Outdoor Program, please click here: philosophy.

Upper School Outdoor Program:

The Upper School offers approximately 18 programs during the year to all grade levels, mostly during school vacations, in a wide variety of activities including: cross-country skiing, backpacking, whitewater rafting, canoeing, sea kayaking, and mountaineering.

The Outdoor Program is part of the Upper School curriculum. All Lakesiders must complete a weeklong wilderness experience before graduation. For more information on requirements, please click on: Outdoor Program requirements.

For a full listing of the 2008-2009 trip sites, dates, and costs, please see Upper School Outdoor Program and click on the respective links for specific trip information.

How to apply for an Upper School Outdoor Program trip:

Outdoor trip sign ups/requests are done on the course sign-up sheet for 2008-2009 and are due at the end of January. Students and families/guardians are notified of the first round of trip selections for summer programs by mid-February. If a student withdraws from their chosen trip, new students are then offered the open spots. This process continues up to graduation (June 2008) and into the summer for some programs.

At any time after the course sign-up sheets are turned in, students can add or remove requests by e-mailing Isabel Landsberg (isabel.landsberg@lakesideschool.org) and Chip Mehring (chip.mehring@lakesideschool.org). It is important to confirm whether or not you are able to participate in your selected trip so planning can proceed and, if you are unable to participate, so that available spaces can be released. It is worthwhile to turn in requests after a trip selection has been made because there are always cancellations.

For more information on logistics of the Outdoor Program, please go to: logistics.

Middle School Outdoor Program:

At the Middle School, outdoor education starts in the 5th grade and continues through the 8th grade. The program is designed to be grade- and skill-level appropriate and focuses on developing outdoor skills and working together as a team.

To find more information about specific grade-level trips, please visit: Middle School Outdoor Program

For more on the background of the Outdoor Program, please go to: Outdoor Program history