RRHS program honoured for its excellence

By Ken Johnston
Editor

Tuesday evening the fledgling Outdoor Activities Class (OAC) at Rainy River High School was recognized for its excellence by the Rainy River District School Board, who held its meeting at RRHS.
OAC instructor/teacher Guy Arpin gave the board a presentation that involved photos of last year’s program. They went on two major trips, one was an overnight dogsled adventure and the other was a canoe trip in the spring.
Arpin said OAC is entering its fourth year and has become very popular with students. It began about six years ago when former RRHS vice-principal Casey Slack called Arpin to put together a wish list to make the program a reality. Once the list was written the board of education purchased 16 fibre-glass canoes and added a section to the RRHS time-table for OAC.
Arpin said he received a great deal of direction from Atikokan High School teachers Peter Burton and Mike Crassey. They also offered to help out when it was time to go on canoe trips. “You have to have at least a level three Ontario Recreation Canoeing and Kayaking Association certification to take kids out,” he explained last week.
To get that instructors have to have at least 500 km of canoe trips in the capacity as a leader. This past spring Arpin achieved that goal with the help of Atikokan leaders again. Now he is qualified to take the class on trips without the aid of Crassey and Burton.
Arpin is the only certified level three instructor in Rainy River and Fort Frances. However, he said that some teachers did take some training this past summer from the Fort Frances area. Locally he said that RRHS librarian Rebecca Tolen, teacher Rebecca Himminen and former student Ben Lucke have also level one and two certifications.
With the class being so popular, Arpin said it means they have to take the members of it in two groups on the winter dog sled trip. “We had 16 kids in the class and one group of 10 went then another group on two separate weeks. Aurora Borealis Dog Sled Adventures, hosted by Burton Penner, can only take 10 students at a time.
Canoeing, the ratio of leaders to students is 8-1. That is 8 kids to one instructor. Of the leaders has to be certified level three.
Previously they had taken trips in the Quetico area to accommodate the Atikokan instructors. Will they now go on trips on the Rainy River and/or Lake of the Woods?
Arpin said that LoW is not very canoe friendly. “You are at the mercy of the weather. It can get very rough out there.” He said he may consider something in the Nestor Falls area, but noted that Quetico is ideal for canoeing. Especially since no motorized boat traffic is allowed on it.
Arpin said that the course is not just learning about canoeing or dog sledding. It strongly enhances a persons character. “I get the kids to write a reflection journal after the trip. One kid who was rough and tough actually said, ‘I would like to take my family on a trip like this.’”
At first there were more guys than gals interested in it. Now that has reversed. There is also a waiting list to get into it.
Arpin said he learned about the dog sled experience from Sioux Lookout teachers who offer a similar program at their high school as well. “We also have been working with Big Island to learn about the lake. We canoed under the guiding of Isaac Seymour. Then Big Island cooked a big shore lunch for us. We really have had lots of input into this program from a lot of people.”
In addition to the support of other schools, the board of education, other teachers, there is now a movement to make the course a dual credit program. Students taking it and successfully completing it will be able to get high school and college credits through RRHS and Confederation College. “It looks like they are going to hire a college instructor and it will then be a dual credit program,” said Arpin last week.
Arpin said that he would love to do ricing or a medicine walk with First Nations communities, but right now the course is in the second semester and ricing is done in the fall. However, he is looking at adding geocaching next semester.
“I am open to suggestions and expert volunteers from the community who might have skills to share with the students,” said Arpin.