‘Desks of grass and walls of trees’
Beyond the Gates is a special and integral part of the Shawnigan Journey, taking our Grade 9s off campus to experience other aspects of Vancouver Island, including the region’s rugged wilderness. A key element of the BTG program is the Capstone Expedition to the West Coast of the Island, where students hike the West Coast Trail and kayak the Broken Group Islands. Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jessica Dick wrote this reflection last spring after accompanying one of the groups on the West Coast Trail.
Beyond the Gates is a feeling you can’t put into words
It gives us times and moments that others may think are absurd
The trees, the sun, the wind, and the rain
The freedom, the rules, the risks, and the gain
Trust by some watching eyes
To wield a knife or climb up high
There’s fire and sticks that can be torches
There’s falls, there’s mud, there’s water that forces
There’s flowers, there’s fungi, there’s peace and calm,
With time to think, to be, and to do no harm
Desks of grass and walls of trees
Learning with nature, feeling the breeze
Take your turn and problem-solve
Realize you are brave and full of resolve
To form strong bonds and compromise
To react, be responsible, and to your surprise
You grow and learn, and just feel better
Be thankful that the West Coast Trail wasn’t wetter
So go out in the sun and find the shade
Knowing all these friendships were made
Now you can build a bridge and slide in the mud
Then sit around a fire and share with your bud
You have it within you and can make others see
Just how special Beyond the Gates can be
Ms. Jessica Dick is in her second year as Outdoor Education Coordinator at Shawnigan Lake School. She has a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of New Hampshire and an MA in Environmental Education and Communication from Royal Roads University, and has been an experiential educator for more than 10 years, including five years working in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Tibet. Jessica believes that by nurturing our relationship with nature, we can explore alternative forms of education in adventurous, respectful and thoughtful ways.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
