It was an outdoor classroom, an experience in learning by doing known to educators as "experiential education."

But for the six Joint Base Lewis-McChord teens taking part in a Cutty Sark Wooden Sailing Ship Adventure to the San Juan Islands April 30 to May 1, it was mostly just fun.

The second in a series of "high adventure" outings with the new Military Teen Adventure Camps Program, the two-day trip saw the teens and their chaperones embark on a Puget Sound voyage aboard a 52' classic ketch wooden sailboat, the S.V. Cutty Sark. Captained by John Stone, who has been sailing more than 48 years and offering teen trips on his boat for the last 20, the adventure allowed the teens a hands-on experience in manning the helm, keeping lookout, navigation techniques, hoisting sails and more.

Stone stresses that he's not teaching the teens to sail - he's teaching them how to communicate, think about things in a different way, and learn rudimentary navigation. "The kids aren't even aware that as they go, they get more efficient and more confident," he said.

The group sailed from Whidbey Island through Deception Pass to James Island State Park, a small, uninhabited island in the San Juans.  Once docked, the teens unloaded their gear and then pulled together to form a cohesive team. They discussed where to set up their tents, when to eat dinner, where to hike and more. Trip leaders watched from the sidelines as the teens struggled with some issues, intervening only when safety was an issue.

Though sailing, setting up camp and hiking were fun, the excursion served a more important purpose. "It's about life skills development," said trip leader Kevin Powers, director of the Washington State University Extension 4-H Eco-Stewardship Program, who has been leading teens on trips such as this one for more than 10 years.  "One of the first is communication, which leads to cooperation, which leads to trust."

In addition to learning the difference between "port" and "starboard," how to start a Coleman stove and how to wash dishes without running water, the teens took away an array of skills including communication, problem solving, building trusting relationships and working in a group, Powers said. "Being allowed to fail is something that's not being taught enough anymore," said Aaron Hansen, a 7th grade social sciences and language arts teacher from Wenatchee and one of the trip's leaders.

The teens, many of whom had not met prior to the trip, also forged friendships.

"I learned that I can be a leader if I put my mind to it," said Natashae Martin-Palmer, 16, a Steilacoom High School sophomore who had never been camping before. "Being in nature is not as bad as I thought," she added. "And I got to meet new people."

Once the tents were pitched and supplies organized, the group essentially had the island to themselves to hike, play games, and enjoy the sunshine. At dusk, they feasted on S'mores while listening to Stone's engaging and animated tales while huddled around the camp fire. The next morning, the group broke camp and sailed back to Whidbey Island, taking a detour to watch Steller sea lions, harbor seals and other wildlife.
Compared to some other groups, the JBLM group was "seamless," Stone said. "I've had some pretty good kids, but this group was darn near close to the top."

Military Teen Camps

The Military Teen Adventure Camps Program is funded by a grant from the Department of Defense and works in partnership with the Office of Military Community & Family Policy and U.S. Department of Agriculture/National Institute of Food & Agriculture. Locally, the program is facilitated by the Washington State University Extension 4-H Youth Development Program. The program kicked off last month and includes several  trips around the country over the next year- including backpacking, white water rafting, kayaking, skiing and sailing - offered at little to no cost to military teens aged 14 to 18. Travel, food, instruction and most equipment are included.

"The goal is to get teens out into the woods and let them have an adventure, make friends that share their experience and learn some technical and life skills along the way," said Kevin Wright, State Program manager, 4-H Youth Development. 

Upcoming trips in the Washington area include:

Cutty Sark Wooden Sailing Ship Adventure: San Juan Islands. May 14-15, Sept. 17-18 and Sept. 24-25.

Ropes Course/Methow River Rafting in Chelan and Okanogan counties, June 15-19.  Two days on the 4-H Challenge Ropes Course followed by whitewater rafting on the Methow River near Winthrop.

Mountains to Sound Adventure Camp, Robbinswald , June 26 - July 2. Build a team on a low ropes course, then either backpack in the Olympic Mountains or on the coast, sea kayak, canoe or row traditional longboats in Hood Canal and Puget Sound.

Camping/hiking/wilderness trips, July 11-15, July 25-29, Aug. 8-12 and Aug. 15-19. Camping, hiking, rock climbing and more in various Cascade Mountain locations.

Outward Bound Experience, Aug. 1 to 5. Visit Mazama Outward Bound Base Camp and be immersed in a wide range of wilderness skills and activities such as hiking, camping and rock climbing

For more information and registration about any of the trips, visit http://4h.wsu.edu/adventurecamp/ or contact Kevin Powers at (509) 667-6540 or e-mail kcpowers@wsu.edu. For more information about the Cutty Sark, visit www.svcuttysark.com.