The Power of Student Ownership in Outdoor Projects

Establishing Student-Led Experiences

For years, I ran "initiative activities" like raft building. Students would build something, cross a river, get drenched, and then dismantle it. It was fun, but ephemeral.

Recently, I shifted the approach. We had a school camp on a campus with no mountain bike tracks, so we tasked the students with building one from scratch. This wasn't just a game; it was a real construction project that would become a permanent fixture.

From Classroom to Construction

We started in the classroom. The students designed the track themselves, debating obstacles, drop-downs, berms, and water features.

My Role: I stepped back. I only intervened for safety (e.g., overruling a dangerous "criss-cross" design).

Their Role: They took complete ownership.

The Engagement Surprise

I expected them to be leaning on shovels after an hour, complaining it was boring. Instead, they worked for six hours with endless energy. Some didn't even want to stop for lunch!.

The teamwork was natural and completely unforced—far better than any artificial "team building" game I've ever run. Why? Because it was their track.

The Legacy Effect

By the end of the day, they had a rideable course with rollovers, muddy berms, and a winding boardwalk. They rode it with pride, and over dinner, the only discussion was how to extend it further.

This highlights a key principle for experiential education: students thrive when they are building something real. The pride they felt came from knowing their work would last well beyond their time at camp.

When planning your next school excursion or activity, ask yourself: are the students just consuming the experience, or are they creating it?