Posted by Leslie S. Goldberg, M.Ed., CEP on Wed, Jul 21, 2010
No, this blog is not about a new concept for a high school. Nor is it about getting intoxicated in the woods. “Wilderness high” is the incredible feeling that participants with a successful wilderness experience feel upon completion of a specialized outdoor therapeutic experience. The feelings of confidence and competence, the feelings of “can do” rather than “can’t do”, the feelings of excitement and optimism… the transformation is simply amazing for these students who had prior feelings of hopelessness and helplessness before participating.
As an educational consultant for 25 years, I have seen the growth and changes in the industry, but the power of this experience 
remains the same. There are some down sides, however, to this incredible sense of power when leaving such a program. Since wilderness cannot last forever, participants must necessarily move on to a longer term therapeutic program, a school, or home. Please don’t misunderstand; this is not a bad thing, but parents, adolescents and young adults must realize that they will be the “newbies” at the next step, whatever that looks like. For example, if it is a therapeutic program or a new school, the student will typically begin at the bottom of the social and academic ladders, having to gain respect and privileges all over again. If they are going back home or to a former school they will have to work doubly hard to “prove” themselves.
A barrier to success? Absolutely not! A challenge? Sure. This transition is actually a life skill that everyone will experience when entering a new job, school/college, or relationship. The most important lesson is that this occurrence is inevitable and the more preparation on the part of the student and the family, the better. There will be no surprises when the honeymoon period wears off and the reality may induce some brief regression and old behaviors. If we are all prepared for this, however, we can remind ourselves that this is, in fact, what we knew would occur and that it will be over quickly if we, the collective transition team (students with parents, educational consultants, therapists, etc.), handle it collaboratively and productively.
Posted by Karen Plescia, M.S. on Mon, Jul 27, 2009
Ah, the lazy, hazy days of summer. Remember what it was like to look forward to summer as a kid? Three whole months! No school. No homework. Long hours of daylight. Lots of ice cream. My mother usually made sure to fill up a couple of weeks with day camps and rec programs so that my brother and I wouldn't drive her to the brink of insanity but these were carefree months.
Eventually, as a teenager, summer meant that I could work more hours to earn money that I would spend hanging out with friends at the mall or the movies or the local coffee shop. Not to pay bills; we didn't have cell phones then. If we had, I either wouldn't have been allowed to have one, or I'm sure my father would have introduced me to bill-paying as a teen. Even though I was "working", those three whole months of summer were still a vacation. They allowed me a break from the routine of getting up early, completing the compulsory number of hours in a school day, and committing several after-school hours each day to various school or community activities.
And so why am I surprised that I have to nag, beg, cajole and bargain with students to work on their college admissions essays over the summer? When I meet with students and parents each spring, to a person (students included), the number one stated objective, far and above all others, is "to be done with the college admissions essays and hopefully applications" before school resumes in September. The concept is great. The reality is that high school seniors-to-be want those three whole months to be as carefree as teenager can be in today's world.
But my job is to rain on their parade, be a party pooper, and stand-in for their parents as "nag" or "bad guy" on all things college-related. If I am successful at my job (which I am in most cases), students have, at the very least, completed the heavy lifting parts of applying to college before the first day of their senior year. The activities "resume" is done, the Common Application is 90% finished (with maybe just a few college supplements left to complete), and the major essay(s) might still need a tweak or two, but they're largely done. I try to make it as painless as possible. We tackle things in small pieces that usually require just a few hours' commitment each week through July and August. I don't hear many complaints, and those I do hear usually come from the students who procrastinate.
When September rolls around and my students go back to school, they realize how much further along they are in the application process than their peers. They don't experience the stress of trying to get essays written while studying for the SATs or completing the Common Application late at night when they're exhausted after a sports practice. That's when they realize that the minor intrusion on their three whole months off was well worth it.
It's mid-July, and I'm in "nag mode" right now. I won't breathe easy until next spring when all the admissions decisions have been received. Then I'll take one whole month before starting the cycle over with a new group. Ahhh, May!
Posted by Joshua C. Doyle, M.Ed. on Wed, Jul 15, 2009
"What about my summer!?!?!?!?"
How often do we hear teenagers say that they need..., they must have... they deserve to have a fun summer, free from stress and responsibility. They argue that a job, summerschool, chores, and accountability during the summer constitute cruel and unusual punishment. They must have a "summer off." I am still waiting for a convincing argument as to what teenagers are taking the "summer off" from.
What is scary is that many parents actually fall for it!!!! They often succumb to their child convincing them that a "summer off" is imperative for their well being and if they don't have this one summer to themselves the consequences will be irreparable. How else are they going to get ready for the rigors of the fall?
As parents... we like to see our kids happy. However, what a teenager may define as happiness can often result in unhealthy choices, made without the maturity to realize the consequences of actions. Having a significant amount of unstructured time can lead to risky behaviors that can start an adolescent on a downward spiral very, very quickly.
I have seen a number of times where there has been a moderate to significant amount of regression in adolescents who are "taking the summer off." The expression "too much free time on your hands" is NOT a healthy thing, especially for an adolescent.
I have also seen many instances where teenagers have had structured, busy, and productive summers that provided them with a much needed boost of confidence, accomplishment, and pride. Adolescents who stay busy by going to summer schools, participating in outdoor summer programs, getting jobs, or even engaging in service initiatives are generally the ones who hit the ground running in the fall while others are often playing catch-up thanks to short-sighted choices.
Ask yourself as parents if you are really serving your child's best interest in allowing them to have their "summer fun." Why not consider providing your child with an amazing opportunity to learn the importance of hard work and integrity. Those are things that they will take with them wherever they go.
Don't regret putting your children's learning on hold so they can wander into the wrong crowd, experiment with or start using drugs and alcohol, or even make poor choices that can, in fact, be... irreparable...