MEDFIELD — Superintendent Jeffrey Marsden is pleased to announce that seventh graders at the Blake Middle School recently experienced a three-day excursion to Hale Education that combined team-building skills and an exploration of their natural surroundings.
From May 21-23, 190 students spent time working together, completing crafts projects and enjoying the fabled 1,100-acre property in Westwood formerly known as Hale Reservation.
Some activities that students took part in included:
- Time on the high ropes course, where students practiced teamwork and communication skills, while also taking some risks and getting out of their comfort zones.
- Developing survival skills by learning different ways to build shelters, as well as how to safely build a fire.
- Testing pond water samples to learn about water quality and also study the organisms living in the pond.
- Nature hikes to help learn about the history of the land, from glacial formations to evidence of the land’s agricultural past.
- Finding art in nature and decorating their own walking sticks. Carving their names and designs into the walking stick was a big hit.
“It was a great way to enjoy a range of educational opportunities that can’t be found in the traditional classroom,” said Blake Middle School teacher Brian Gavaghan, one of the trip’s chaperones. “Watching the kids be so supportive of one another and function as a team as they navigated the ropes course was one of the highlights of the week.”
This was the first year Blake Middle School seventh graders took part in the excursion at Hale. The trip normally takes place while students are sixth graders.
Hale has been hosting youth overnight outings for more than 100 years, dating back to 1918 when Robert Sever Hale invited local Scouts to use his land. The property, which features 20 miles of walking trails and four ponds, is now overseen by Hale Education, a private non-profit organization.
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