Our Mission
"Learning how our communities and the environment can all fit together on one healthy planet". We want your students to step into the wilderness and see a beauty and diversity they have never imagined before, and learn the importance of both understanding and protecting it. We want your students to learn more about themselves and their potential, and to discover how to work and communicate with their peers. High Trails is a week in the wilderness, in nature, where children are given the opportunity to explore and shine.
Staff
What sets us apart from most outdoor education centers is that 95% all of our staff are college degreed professionals. The ones that don't have a degree are using High Trails as an internship so they can complete their university degree. They are recruited from all over the United States to teach Southern California elementary students. Once your students step onto camp, we take control of their experience and our staff lead the way. During the day groups are led by Field Instructors, who take them out into the woods and help them to experience nature firsthand. At dinner our Cabin Instructors take over, leading evening programs and focusing on the development of communities in cabins, and then sleeping overnight with the students. The next week of camp our staff rotate; the Cabin Instructors become Field Instructors and vice versa. This keeps our staff fresh and makes sure that everyone knows 100% of the camp experience and student needs. During the year, we focus on continuing education and improvement for our instructors, making evaluations, projects, and inservices a mandatory part of life at High Trails.
To apply to work as High Trails, potential instructors must submit a cover letter, resume, and a response to our “Tough Questions”. If everything looks good we spend some time talking on the phone, trying to get to know who wants to work with us. Next step is to see what other people think; a minimum of three work and personal references are verified and rated, with an above average rating needed to qualify. Our primary concerns when looking for staff: a responsible love of teaching children, a passion for the outdoors, and a demonstrated professionalism in an outdoor camp environment. If selected, staff are invited to a two week training, where they will be screened in person and given the chance to demonstrate their teaching competency. Fingerprinted background checks on every staff member are completed to verify their clean criminal background, and their First Aid and CPR certifications are verified. Now they are ready to step into the role of a High Trails Instructor.
Classes and Programming
The classes and programming that your school participates in are chosen by school teachers before camp arrival. Some of our classes are adventure based, like archery and the adventure course, and others are science based, like water study and plant study. Your child will get a well rounded outdoor environmental based education at High Trails. Groups average between 12 and 16 students per instructor at camp.
Supervision policies
The Site and Facilities
High Trails leases camp sites in the San Bernardino national forest. Though rustic, the sites offer fully modern facilities like hot water, private showers, and heated cabins. On the sites themselves we have an archery range, an archeological dig site, a challenge/adventure course, an orienteering course, and a climbing wall.
Food
Meals are served three times daily, with kid friendly food and vegetarian options. Because so many things are new to the students at camp, we try to make the food as familiar and fun as possible. See our menu here...
Weather and Clothing
To keep camp safe and make it a positive learning experience for all involved, we have rules that we must adhere to and are consistent in enforcing. Some of the rules are discussed on the discipline form, and others students will learn about when they arrive at camp. If your child has difficulty observing these rules, we may call you and ask for your assistance and advice with helping them have a more positive experience. If they cannot change their behavior and become a detriment to the program and other students, we will ask you to come pick them up from camp. If you send your child to camp, you must be ready and willing to come pick them up, day or night, if they become a discipline issue.
The Medic
Medication
· If your child needs to have injections daily, they must be able to give the injections themselves.
· If a student is bringing over the counter medicine, only the parent needs to sign the form.
· If the medication is prescription, a doctor’s signature is required as well as the parent’s.
· The dosage amounts on the package must be identical to those on the medication form.
· No medication should be in the student luggage.
We've been running program since 2000, so we've got a good deal of experience in all kinds of special situations. If you have concerns about Special Needs, Allergies, Incontinence/Bedwetting, Diabetes or something else, please visit this web page for details: Special Concerns Form
Emergencies
We spend a good deal of time preparing for emergencies. During our training and weekly inservices, we discuss evacuation and treatment procedures and initiate detailed role plays to simulate situations. Within 24 hours of arrival, all students and instructors participate in an emergency evacuation drill. All instructors carry with them a complete first response kit, with supplies ready to deal with emergencies. They also carry with them a flashlight and a UHF based radio, allowing them constant contact with support personnel at camp.
Student Parent Contact
Mail sent by the students will be put in a mailbox every day, so encourage your child to write home. Because we have so many students at camp and so few phones, students are not allowed to make or receive phone calls except in the case of an emergency. And because we believe that camp is a place for children to discover more about themselves in a new environment, parents are not allowed to visit camp while their child is present. If you would like to take a look at the camp before your child’s week at camp, let us know and we can arrange a good time for you to visit.
Can I Mail My Child A Letter?
Nothing is better than receiving an old fashioned, Post Office mailed letter during a stay at High Trails. We will deliver all letters (no packages) on a daily basis, generally right before bedtime. Letters should be sent at least 5 days in advance. Letters arriving before your students' stay at camp will be kept until they arrived. Letters arriving after students leave will be marked Return To Sender and placed back into the mail system. Our mailbox is close but our Post Office is far away; because of this, please ensure that your letter does not require a signature upon receipt.
For the correct address, please ask your school what site your student will be attending.
|
Nawakwa |
Child’s Name, __________ Elementary School |
|
Edwards |
Child’s Name,
__________ Elementary School Angelus Oaks , California 92305 |
Forms
Your role as a parent is paramount to your child having a great experience at camp. Please take the time to talk with your child about the camp experience and then complete these items:
Health/Consent Form: please make sure this is completed and signed.
Discipline Form: please make sure both you and your child read and sign this form.
Packing List: please carefully follow this to make sure your child is prepared for camp.
More Questions?
If you have more questions, first ask your teachers, and then explore this website. After that, give us a holler; you can find our contact information here: Contact Us
