HUDSONVILLE, Mich — World maps and whiteboards are what you usually see in classrooms. For one course at Grand Haven High School, that's not the case.
They call it, 'outdoor ed', and it has been at Grand Haven Schools for some time. "Everyone's motivating you," explained Kaylyn MacFaddenn, a senior at Grand Haven High School.
It's a classroom, where grades rarely fall but, you might. “It doesn't matter if you fall or if you crash or anything, it's just about knowing that you gave it your all,” emphasized MacFaddenn.
For one lesson, the class made it out to Action Wake Park in Hudsonville. “We just learned how to wakeboard, and the cable Park is perfect for that,” said Derek Warner, Physical Education Teacher at Grand Haven High School.
By a quick pull, students are propelled into something they probably haven't done before.
“I tell the kids, in the first day, I'm gonna expose them to a huge variety of things that we do.” explained Warner.
While the classroom is different every day, the goal stays the same. “For them to find at least one thing that they really love that they'll continue to do in their 30s, 40s and beyond,” emphasized Warner.
For some of the students, they already found that thing. "My favorite, personally, surfing. We go surfing down at Grand Haven Beach," said Noah Reinecke, a senior at Grand Haven High.
With minimal pressure and countless voices of encouragement, there's always a lesson to learn. “You're gonna have to fail a bunch before you start to learn something," said Warner.
Grand Haven High School plans to hold outdoor ed courses throughout the school year. With even courses of skiing and snowboarding in the winter.
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