and adjust. Engineers, entrepreneurs and programmers also understand the need for failure, building in a process to test prototypes and learn from them in any design or invention process. Getting things wrong, or facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, can teach concepts and skills that allow persons to succeed in a variety of contexts in the future.
Unfortunately, most school experiences reinforce( whether knowingly or unknowingly) the importance of being right. Through excessive focus on grades and the rewarding of achievement with awards, schools show the risk of failing is too great. In today’ s academic environment, getting things wrong too often has a direct negative effect on a student’ s future. While many curriculums and programs like the International Baccalaureate provide opportunities for repeat assessment, reflection and growth, schools on the whole overwhelmingly value one-time performances, percentages and points.
Lessons from Outside the Classroom To compensate, many schools look to supplemental programs to generate opportunities for growth through challenge and possible failure. Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature- Deficit Disorder, says that“[ a ] n environment-based education movement--at all levels of education--will help students realize that school isn’ t supposed to be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world.”
Activities in the outdoors are more than just opportunities to run around in the woods or learn about a new ecosystem. These experiences create situations that help foster communication, confidence, community, cooperation and compassion. These skills, developed in the outdoors and nurtured in the face of challenge or in the wake of failure, transfer incredibly well to more traditional learning environments and to success in life.
With this aim in mind, this past February, several Lyford Cay International School( LCIS) students took to the waters surrounding New Providence in pursuit of the Governor General Youth Award( GGYA) Program’ s Gold Certification. As part of the GGYA, participants develop important skills, contribute valuable service to the community, participate in physical recreation activities and embark upon adventurous journeys.
LCIS students decided that they would attempt to circumnavigate the island of New Providence in a 4-day kayaking exercise with students from Lucaya International School who were also pursuing the award. This was the first time GGYA students would attempt a kayaking expedition for the Gold Certification. On February, 15, 2015, Luke Pyfrom, Gabby Hollaender, Jana Ward, Tiera Ndlovu, Michael Mindorff, Ben Willoch and Matthieu
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Bouef, were scheduled to depart from Montagu Beach to kayak approximately nine miles a day and camp at various locations throughout New Providence. Although students had a rescue boat on call, four faculty mentors, and miles of practice, the group realized nature’ s indifference to their well-wrought plans when a change in the weather threw their trip into jeopardy a day before the scheduled departure.
“ It took a solid month to get it all confirmed and then right before our trip, Mr. Armstrong informed us that the swells would be too dangerous for us to paddle in,” said 11th grade student, Tierra Ndlovu.“ That morning, when he told our group, we were terrified because at that point our entire route had to be changed. We would need new campsites( official and emergency) and new permission letters to go out. In that moment, the trip seemed impossible with the chaos.”
The Governor General Youth Award( GGYA) is a program based on the Duke of Edinburgh’ s award. It was set up in The Bahamas by HRH Prince Philip over 40 years ago to encourage youth building skills in the outdoors. It is a noncompetitive award that allows participants to set and achieve goals in the areas of community service, fitness, outdoor skills, and adventure journeys. GGYA fosters many positive personal development traits in youth, including:
• confidence
• self-motivation
• connection with the greater community
• willingness to try new things
• new friendships
• teamwork
• positive self-concept All Grade 9 students at LCIS must participate in one GGYA camping trip.
2009
GGYA BEGINS AT LCIS
OVER
STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED
ISLANDS
VISITED:
ISLANDS
CIRCUMNAVIGATED:
MOST LUXURIOUS CAMPING MEAL:
STEAK ON A STICK
LARGEST HUMAN PYRAMID ON THE BEACH:
CLASS OF 2018 | 23 STUDENTS