ASD high school students test their outdoor skills in the Hatta Mountains.
A group of ASD juniors and seniors put the skills and knowledge they acquired in the classroom to the the test this week during a two-day trek and overnight camping trip in the Hatta Mountains.
The students are enrolled in ASD's Outdoor & Adventure Learning class, a physical education course designed to strengthen and develop students' leadership skills and ability to work as a team in challenging situations, here preparing and managing an outdoor expedition.
For the majority of the semester, the course focused on classroom instruction: students planned for the camping trip and trek, learned basic outdoor survival skills, prepared for emergencies, and studied sound environmental practices.
During the last week of the semester, however, the classroom setting shifted to rugged mountain terrain an hour and a half from Dubai. Out in the field, and with minimal assistance from instructors, students had to put into practice what they learned in class: proper use of outdoor gear; setting up camp and preparing meals together; first aid; hiking through varied terrain while navigating from one point to another using GPS instruments; and minimizing their impact on the environment while camping and hiking.
Other activities during the expedition included field lessons on local rock formations, plant and animal life, culture, and irrigation methods. The students also practiced what to do if separated from the group.
At the end of the trip, students and instructors met to review the expedition, assessing the group's dynamics, preparedness, and effectiveness in the field.
The camping and trekking expedition is the core of ASD's Outdoor & Adventure Learning course, but the class also offers students other exciting activities, including skiing and snowboarding, kayaking, sailing, and indoor skydiving.
