Outdoor Pursuits: What Is It?

Wondering what class to take next year? Or what classes can benefit you in the future? Outdoor Pursuits might be the class for you.

Cody Cushing and Grayce Page

Students+in+Outdoor+Pursuits+learn+how+to+properly+handle+a+bow.+

Cody Cushing

Students in Outdoor Pursuits learn how to properly handle a bow.

Bryleigh Conley, Reporter

Ever wonder what it would be like to take your experience of the outdoors into something greater? Now, students can learn not only learn about the outside world, but they can take their learnings to see the cultural aspects, while also turning it into a place where they can experience things they’ve never been able to experience before. So, what exactly is Outdoor Pursuits and how does it affect students in the future?

Mr. Jolliff is the Outdoor Pursuits teacher, and believes that this class will give students a better understanding of the outdoors and how students will be able to take these experiences and carry them on throughout their lives. 

In this class, which counts as a semester elective, students are given the opportunity to learn about hunting, fishing, archering, camping, and how to survive.

“There’s tree identification, building shelters, just lots of fun stuff that we do for them,” Jolliff described.

Outdoor Pursuits takes multiple field trips throughout the year including to Busch Wildlife shooting range. (Liz Hayes)

Out of the many units students’ learn in that class, Jolliff talks about how his personal favorite is the hunter education unit. He describes how his father was able to teach him the aspects of hunting at a young age, and how he looks forward to passing these things on to his students. 

In the hunter education unit, “It gives students avenues outside of a regular school day,” says Jolliff. Students also have the chance to not only experience how to hunt, but how to clear a firearm, the safety components of using a firearm, and how to properly handle one. 

Aven Conley, a freshman, describes Outdoor Pursuits as a “fun class to learn about the outdoors.” Conley talks about how he and other students are able to use the knowledge they learned and use it to survive on their own.

“My favorite things to do are learn to fire guns and learn about fishing,” Conley said.