Students share their knowledge of paddling
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
With spring, comes the opportunity to paddle rivers and streams throughout Aroostook County, New Brunswick or wherever you want to go. Recently, students with the East Grand Outdoor Education Class under the direction of Maine guide Dave Conley, shared their knowledge of canoeing with their peers at Hodgdon High School’s Health Fair.
“I’ve been down the St. Croix six times,” said second-year student Cleve Kenyon. “Once with this class and then I went with some other groups of little kids from different schools. We taught them how to canoe the first week and then the next week we took them down the St. Croix.”
Paddling is a lifelong sport and the East Grand Outdoor Education Class students are building the fervor with others.
“People ask me about the whole class,” said Kenyon. “They wonder [about it] and are somewhat shocked to think I can do all of this and get graded too.”
But, Kenyon also adds, students not only have canoeing skills, but they cycle and rock climb [on the indoor climbing wall] along with building their orienteering skills and learning about winter camping and outdoor survival.
For senior Ben Latvis, being on the water is second nature, as his father is a Maine guide.
“I’ve been on the water since I was little,” he said. “But, this class helps me buff my knowledge.”
The East Grand Outdoor Education class also provides a mentorship program, according to Latvis.
“It involves a lot of students from the outdoor education class,” he explained. “We work with younger classes in East Grand. It’s an early introduction to the outdoors. We take them canoeing and winter camping. It’s a good experience for life.”
Freshman Mitchell Bartlett is just the complete opposite to classmate Latvis. Bartlett isn’t a swimmer and hasn’t spent time on the water.
“I was really afraid of the water, deathly scared,” he said. “Now, after a couple of times of canoeing, I love it.”
Bartlett’s first experience was going down the St. Croix and it was a bit nerve wracking.
“At the beginning it was good,” he recalled. “Then, we hit some bad rapids. I was kind of scared, but after we got down Little Falls, it was fun.”
At first, Bartlett was a bit skeptical whether he could conquer his fears.
“When Dave told me I would get used to stuff I was scared of, I was like, that is not going to happen,” said Bartlett. “But, I am now.”
Kenyon said he and his classmates are surprised other schools don’t have an active outdoor education class.
“We are used to having the program in our school,” he said. “But, others say they would like to do this, but their school doesn’t offer it.”
So many start paddling with their families, friends or wait for an opportunity like an outdoor education class.
“We take the skills we’ve learned and teach them to other people.” Kenyon added. “We like to share the knowledge so other people can learn to do stuff as well as we do.”
For first-year student Andrew Gilman, watching Conley and his students since he was an eighth-grader, peaked his interest.
“I saw Dave and those guys on trips and I knew I wanted to do it,” he said. “By teaching our skills, we are giving people life lessons.”
