Students from Dirigo High School in Dixfield canoe this past summer as part of the three-week Summer Outdoor Learning program. The school program was funded by a Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant from the Maine Department of Education, teacher Kaitlyn O’Connor said. From left are Savannah Tuell, Phoenix Lee, Payton McDaniel, Isabelle Zale and Leigha Roy. Submitted photo

DIXFIELD — Dirigo High School teacher Kaitlyn O’Connor and students Phoenix Lee and Savannah Tuell spoke about their experiences with the school’s Summer Outdoor Learning Program during the Regional School Unit 56 board meeting at the school Tuesday.

Six girls and one boy participated in the three-week hiking and canoeing program that included daytime activities and two overnight trips, O’Connor said. Students were provided with gear, transportation to and from the high school and meals, she said.

“The high school activities included peer familiarization, and making sure kids knew how to use tents and their sleeping pads and their sleeping bags,” O’Connor said. Students also had team-building exercises to learn about their strengths and weaknesses, and they learned some Leave No Trace lessons and how to recreate responsibly in the wilderness, she said.

The students hiked Bald Mountain in Milton Township and went to Mount Blue State Park in Weld where they paddled canoes and learned how to rescue their canoes. They also took a day trip to Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Franklin County to canoe and had two overnight camping trips, one to Lobster Lake near Moosehead Lake and to Students Island in the Rangeley Lakes Region.

Students from Dirigo High School in Dixfield and leader Kate O’Connor prepare for a canoeing trip this past summer as part of the Summer Outdoor Learning program. From left are Angelito Tuell, Savannah Tuell, O’Connor, Phoenix Lee, Isabelle Zale and Leigha Roy. Student Payton McDaniel also participated in the program. Submitted photo

“This was an incredible experience for myself and for the the students,” O’Connor said. She also shared some students quotes written regarding their experience: “I learned how to regulate my emotions; It’s OK to be uncomfortable in situations and control how you react; I gained self-worth, be more confident in my choices; my favorite part about this program is learning how to communicate.”

Junior Phoenix Lee and freshman Savannah Tuell spoke about their positive experiences with the outdoor learning program. “Our overnight trips were the best of all,” Lee said. “We had the best of times with each other and shared so much love. In my personal opinion, this was the best three weeks of my life, and nothing could ever beat that.”

The Summer Outdoor Learning Program was funded by a Maine Outdoor Learning Initiative grant from the Maine Department of Education, O’Connor said.