YOUTH INITIATIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Waldorf Initiative in Viroqua, Wisconsin, USA
COURSES AND CLASSES
(Proposed) YIHS Annual
Camping Trip Policy
Draft 2: Proposed by Jacob Hundt, with input from Administrative Group, March 7, 2007
Historical Background
The Youth Initiative tradition of going on an all-school camping and rock climbing trip at the beginning of the school year was established at the beginning of the third year of the school, in 1998. The school was growing and many of the founding students had already moved on. The school was still struggling to build a strong, cooperative school culture. Bill Humphrey, an experienced educator in the areas of rock climbing and outdoor leadership, led the trip to Devil’s Lake State Park, one of the premier rock climbing sites in the country. Over the years, a variety of YIHS alumni, most notably Clovis Siemon, have served as Bill’s assistant.
Goals
The goals of the annual YIHS camping and rock climbing trip are:
1. To acquaint new and returning YIHS students with each other and with the school
2. To build trust and a cooperative spirit among students and other participants in the school
3. To review and discuss the founding documents and philosophy of the school
4. To discuss goals and issues for the upcoming school year
5. To have fun!
Groundrules:
1. The Camping Trip is considered to be the first week of the academic year. All normal school attendance policies apply. Students must be fully enrolled in the school in order to attend and all currently enrolled students are expected to take part for the whole week. Students may be excused with parental permission.
2. Activities and meetings will be planned collaboratively by the main faculty trip coordinator and student trip coordinator(s).
3. All visitors/guests need to receive permission from the faculty trip coordinator.
4. All participants are expected to contribute to providing, preparing, and cleaning up after meals and for keeping the campsite clean, organized, and animal-proof.
5. Drinking, smoking, drugs, and other violations of park rules, school policy, and the law are prohibited. Students will be sent home and disciplinary action taken if anything of this kind happens.
6. Students are not allowed to have their own vehicles during the camping trip. All ordinary YIHS transportation policies apply.
7. Alumni are invited to participate in the camping trip during the designated alumni day, unless they have a specific role in organizing the camping trip or rock climbing.
8. Curfew will be set at 12 midnight, after which all students must be in their tents.
9. The trip coordinator has final authority over who is allowed to join or leave camp. No one is allowed to leave the campsite without the permission from the trip coordinator or another designated adult chaperone.
10. All trip participants are to treat one another with respect.