PECI EnviroQuest students take learning out of doors

By Claire Stenhouse
PECI student
Ask any student, and they’ll tell you that the majority of their course time is spent in a classroom, taking notes. But the innovative EnviroQuest program at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute proves that experiential learning combined with the theoretical creates a unique learning experience students will never forget.

EnviroQuest is a senior level, two-credit course that students take in-class studies of Outdoor Physical Education and Environmental Science courses, then take their learning out of doors.

In Outdoor Physical Education, students focus on leadership, teamwork, and meeting personal fitness goals. However, you won’t find these students doing regular gym activities. Instead, this semester, students are building winter shelters called Quinzees, learning about winter safety and participating in a variety of winter sports. And when the weather gets warm, they will go hiking, geocaching, and canoeing while perfecting their camping skills and receiving first-aid training.

The Environmental Science portion of the class focuses on developing ecological awareness. Students debate current issues concerning the future of the environment and learn how to better take care of earth and its resources.
This semester’s class has 24 students who bring a wide range of interests and skills to the group, and who are all interested in learning about outdoor activities and environmental science note the teachers running the program, Laurie Spencer and Janet Curran.

“It is a fantastic course, both for students and myself” says Spencer, the outdoor physical education teacher. “It is a truly rewarding experience to see students develop throughout the course, developing skills that are transferable to future careers, and creating excellent leaders and team players.”

It is wonderful to see the students and teachers of PECI creating a unique environment just right for fun, knowledge and personal growth. Way to go guys!
If you think that hiking, camping, winter sports, and learning about your environment sounds like a totally cool class, make sure to check it out on the PECI course calendar and think about putting it as one of your options for your next year!