Canoeing at Summit Achievement
Summer is a beautiful time of year to be in New England. Longer days and warmer weather make it possible to explore different parts of our field area while our students are out on their weekly “expos.”
During the summer months, our adventure therapy programming expands to include canoeing! Rather than always going out to hike and backpack as with more traditional wilderness therapy, our students have the opportunity to try canoeing and participate in trips that take them over water. Campsites are lakeside during these expeditions and our groups love camping on the beach!
As the only program of our kind that offers canoeing as a regular part of our programming, we see so many benefits to it! Canoeing offers the opportunity to practice communication in a different way because canoes are a two-person vessel, so students must learn to work one-to-one with another person. This is a change from a backpacking trip or other work with a bigger group, and it means more areas of growth for students who struggle with interpersonal relationships. Our canoeing program also offers the opportunity for students to be in nature in an entirely different way.
Summit co-owner and CEO Nichol Ernst elaborates:
“Canoeing is an ancient art that allows students to move through the wilderness in a different fashion than backpacking. When done correctly, there is an effortless flow that allows students to move mostly silently through some of the most pristine wilderness Maine and New Hampshire have to offer. It emphasizes teamwork, challenge and interpersonal dynamics in a way that is vastly different from hiking. The campsites utilized on canoe expeditions introduce students to beautiful sunsets, the sound of the loon, and the ever changing mood of the lakes and waterways that make this region famous.”
Our canoeing program is made possible because of our hybrid model, which incorporates both activities and academics on our campus, as well as time out on expo in the field. Our students are packing up to go out on expo every week rather than living in the wilderness for the entirety of their stay like they might at a traditional wilderness therapy program. Packing up each week and planning for their group’s expedition is a great opportunity to practice key executive functioning skills and transitions– which are often areas of struggle for our students.
When the summer comes to a close and canoeing is no longer possible, our community looks forward to the beautiful fall foliage that we’re so well known for here in the Northeast. The vibrant colors and refreshing weather makes for one of the best times of the year!