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Our Sponsors:
The expedition was led by Doug Eischens, a social worker from Edina High School and Aaron Carper, a biology and environmental science teacher at Volunteers of America High School. Funding for transportation, consumables, and stipends were provided by the West Metro Education Plan (WMEP), an organization in Minneapolis promoting activities with the purpose of addressing the issues of integration, student success and acceptance of diversity in the western metropolitan communities. All camping equipment was donated by REI of Bloomington through coordinator Don Begelle.
Goals:
1. Students will plan and implement all aspects of the trip, including equipment, logistics, and food, water, and first aid. Physical and mental health considerations will be a focus, as will group cooperation, accountability and individual responsibility.
2. This trip will promote acceptance of differences by providing an opportunity for students from a suburban mainstream high school to live and work closely with diverse students from an inner-city alternative school. This experience will promote the development of caring relationships, trust, a sense of belonging and self-worth, understanding and acceptance, and students will benefit from a positive relationship with adult male role models. We believe interactions with different people, ideas, and experiences will promote learning by providing them with an enriched perspective in their individual lives.
3. This program will bring students from diverse backgrounds together to learn in the Minnesota’s Northwoods, an authentic and, for many, unfamiliar setting.
4. Students and staff will get together prior to Expedition to plan and collaborate, as well as following the Expedition to reflect on the lessons learned from this experience.
5. Students will be highly engaged from the initial meeting and throughout the Expedition. Students are responsible for planning all aspects of the Expedition, and then implementing them.
Itinerary:
Thursday, May 15
- Edina High School (EHS) students meet at EHS at 7:45 am
- Bus departs from EHS at 8:00 am
- Bus arrives at Volunteers of America High School (VOAHS) at 8:30 am
- Bus departs from VOAHS at 9:00 am
- Stop to eat lunch at restaurant in Duluth and SHT office in Two Harbors
- Arrive at Pincushion Mountain Trailhead parking lot on Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) overlooking Grand Marais. MN at approximately 3:00 pm (directions: take 61N to Cty Rd 12/Gunflint Trail—take left on Cty Rd 12 to Cty Rd 53—take right to parking lot)
- Hike north 2.3 miles to Devil Track River
- Camp at Devil Track River, preferably west campsite
Friday, May 16
Saturday, May 17
- Hike north 6.7 miles to the Lake Walk, camp on the beach.
Sunday, May 18
- Hike .75 mile to HWY trail exit
- Meet bus at 12 noon on shoulder of Hwy 61, north of Kadunce River and north of north branch of Cty Rd 14 (east leg of Lake Walk, where SHT intersects Hwy 61)
- Stop for lunch at McDonald’s in Two Harbors
- Arrive at VOAHS at 6:00 pm
- Arrive at EHS at 7:00 pm
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