True North: Rite of Passage

The True North: Rite of Passage program is a 1, 2, or 3-year program which can be customized to meet the particular needs of your school, class and community.

As youth enter adolescence, they long for deep relationships with their peers, distance from trusted and familiar adults, experiences in the wider world, and exciting challenges – sometimes danger.

They try on personas like thespians, searching for an identity that feels right inside and fits with their peer group. They want more than anything to both “be real” and well liked, and they need, with a passion, to test their capabilities and feel their own strength.

Adolescents long for a magic mirror to gaze into – one that reflects back an authentic, socially acceptable, confident version of themselves.

Nature Awakens Essential Parts of the Self

At Wild Earth’s True North: Rite of Passage, we meet the developmental needs of preadolescents and adolescents as they emerge.

We provide an inspired environment in nature for learning and expansion away from the familiarity of classroom and home. Immersed in the natural world and free of their material identities, youth settle and relax into personal authenticity and uplifting peer-culture.

Nature awakens an ancient part of the self, one that remembers humanity apart from creature comforts, climate controlled environments and technology.

Experienced Staff, Multi-Generational Leaders

While teens individuate from the adults they’ve known and loved since childhood, they’re often hungry for exposure to inspiring, youthful adults.

True North’s staff of skilled and multi-generational leaders help create emotionally safe spaces where youth can honestly and frankly ask questions about sensitive issues like their changing bodies, attraction and peer pressure, and discuss their excitements and anxieties about the life stage they’re entering.

Safe, Contained Risk-Taking

Through safe experiences full of perceived-risk, youth can test themselves and find the edges of their capabilities.

These individual and cooperative experiences take the form of exciting group games full of teamwork, or tests of patience and bravery like walking blindfolded through the forest toward the sound of a drum.

The True North: Rite of Passage culminates with a 24-hour solo, in which each teen is supported through an individually tailored experience. We trust this right of passage will leave them each feeling more confident, empowered and prepared for the next stage of their life.

Year 1 – Introduction to Earth-Living Skills and Group Unity

Format:

• Fall: One-day wilderness program
• Storytelling classroom visit two weeks prior to spring program
• Spring: Three-day program (sleep-out)
• Follow-up teacher phone call and activity suggestions for classroom teacher

Curriculum:

• Self-care & competence
• Fire-making
• Outdoor-cooking
• Shelter building
• Awareness of self, empathy for others & responsibility for personal conduct
• Quickness & aliveness of body and spirit
• Service to others and the Earth through caretaking of camp
• Community celebration

Year 2 – Building Competence in Earth Living Skills & Group Experiences

Format:

• Storytelling classroom visit three weeks prior to spring program
• Spring: Five-day program with four overnights
• Follow-up teacher phone call and activity suggestions for classroom teacher

Curriculum:

• Group sleep-out away from main camp
• Intermediate self-care & competence
• Small camp setup, caretaking
• Friction fire-making
• Outdoor cooking
• Primitive shelter building
• Quiet-mind through night-time adventure experience
• Preparation for solo-experience
• Quickness & aliveness of body and spirit
• Awareness of self, empathy for others & responsibility for personal conduct
• Service to others and the Earth through caretaking of camp
• Community celebration

Year 3 – 24-Hour Solo Experience & Celebration

Description: True North culminates with a 24-hour solo, in which each teen is supported through an individually tailored experience. In preparation, teens will set intentions for their solos and refine the skills they’ll need. Equipped with items of their choosing (water, knife, food, blanket, matches, friction-fire kit, etc.) each teen spends 24-hours alone at one location selected by True North staff. Students are welcomed back by staff, classmates and teachers, and supported to integrate their experiences.

Format:

• Storytelling classroom visit three weeks prior to spring program
• Spring: Five-day program with four overnights
• Follow-up teacher phone call and activity suggestions for classroom teacher
• Follow-up class visit in playground or local park

Curriculum:

• Advanced self-care & competence
• Shelter-building
• Fire-making
• 24-hour solo experience
• Service to others through storytelling
• Group celebration

Start a Conversation about True North for Your Group

Wild Earth is happy to work with you to customize our program for your school or group. Call us at (845) 256-9830 or email info@wildearth.org.