The Alevin gathered up for an opening meeting at North lake
Samish Trailhead and expressed excitement to be venturing out into the
Southeastern forests of Chuckanut Mountain. Our intention for the day was to
ascend the trail until we were outside of Whatcom County Parks boundary so that
we would be able to work on a myriad of fire skills until dusk. We would end our
day with a sit spot before heading down the trail under the moonlight.
Before we left the mentors asked the group to take turns
reading sections of a definition of “Expeditionary Behavior” coined by Paul
Petzoldt. “Expeditionary Behavior” or “EB” for short is set of behavioral
concepts that can help the group cooperate and obtain goals. The mentors asked
the group to hold to these principles during our exploration revisiting some of
the behavioral and interpersonal issues we had been experiencing throughout the
season.
Expeditionary
Behavior:
· Serve the mission and goals of the group.
· Be as concerned for others as you are for yourself.
· Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
· Support leadership and growth in everyone.
· Respect cultures you contact.
· Be kind and open-hearted.
· Do you share and stay organized.
· Help others, but don’t routinely do their work
· Model integrity by being honest and accountable
· Admit and correct your mistakes
The boys re-familiarized themselves with the steep topography
of the trail as they zigzagged back and forth up the power line grid and
through the second growth forest. Coming to a junction in the trail half the
boys decided to go directly up the power line clearing while the others took
the gradual trail. Those who took the clearing ascended quickly and rested for
lunch at the ridge line, the Explorers who took the gradual path slowly
“accordioned” out along the trail. The fast hikers in the front of the
accordion let a mentor know that they were going to meet the second half of the
group at the top of the trail and cruised up the hill. Arriving at an
unexpected second junction, the slower group was unsure if the rest of the faster
Explorers had gone the right way. Staying put at the junction the group sent
one mentor out to unite with the group at the top clearing, do a head count,
and report back. The mentor was pleasantly surprised to find the rest of the
group exactly where they said they would be.
Sending scouts back down to let those at the junction know
that they could proceed, everyone connected at the top of the hill. Although
the group had made a critical navigation error everyone had stuck to the plan
and we came out of the experience unscathed. It was powerful to witness this
leadership in the Explorers and great to debrief the experience and share some
stories of navigation challenges the leaders had undergone in the wilderness.
After some food and water the mentors helped the group as
they struggled through a decision of where to set up base camp for our fire
skills session. The boy’s inability to make a decision stemmed from the failure
of anyone in the group to take a leadership role and from a few group members persistently
distracting their peers. Once the
Explorers had identified the forest resources we would need to harvest in order
to have a fire they scouted a target location and soon fell back into
distraction. After a strong nudge from mentors the group settled on a location.
Some key tasks needed to happen if the group was going to have a primitive
fire: make a tinder bundle, harvest dead Western hemlock of varying sizes, and
dig a safe fire ring down to mineral soil.
The mentors stood back and observed the group’s process and
quickly noticed the same division in the group that they had tracked time and
time again. Half the group was engaged with the process, really learning and
experimenting with technique, while the rest of the boys avoided the process
and goofed off. This behavior not only affects the participants who directly
participate, it also creates energy within the group that pulls others away
from experience.
Those who were engaged in the process did an excellent job
of creating a safe fire space, harvesting and organizing their fuel, and
putting together a tinder bundle. Although it took a few tries the boys got a
small but hardy fire going. We made a pot to hang for tea and put together
apples, brown sugar, and butter to cook over the fire.
Calling the entire group together the mentors took a moment
to talk with the group about the interpersonal dynamics they had been
witnessing and our division as a group. Circling back to our “EB” guidelines we
discussed how sarcasm and the attitude of being above it all (too cool for
school) did not serve the mission and
goals of the group or support
leadership and growth in everyone.
This was a great segway into a conversation about the
Alevins’ transition this summer from Explorers Club to the Four Shields.
Mentors cautioned the boys that this was not a decision to take lightly and
that a commitment to continuing on in the program meant showing up each outing
with focus and engagement. In the Four Shields you get what you put into it,
and the last thing we would want for the participants is to force them into an
experience they did not want to be there for. As the weight of the conversation
set in for the group so did dusk. The mentors encouraged the group not to use
their headlamps and let their eyes adjust to the fading light.
It was fascinating to assess the varying comfort levels of
the group members in the forest at night and was a great time to chat about
which animals were the most active in the crepuscular hours. Sharing a few
stories of encounters with mountain lions to group started to get squirrely and
anxious to make their way down the power line clearing. Holding the group to a
strong closing circle we shared our thanks and had a great time trying to
navigate the steep terrain down to the parking lot. This was a powerful edge
stretcher for the group and helped us make a cohesive finish to the outing.
Parents, we encourage you to talk with your boys about their
experience over the last few outings and try to collect some feedback for us about
the interpersonal dynamics within the group. As a group the Alevin must figure
out a way to overcome this sense of division within the group’s climate and
curb their sarcastic and disengaged behavior in their last three outings of the
BEC. Our aim as mentors is to bring a strong close to their experience in the program
and for them to head out into the world as genuine, compassionate, connected,
and caring arriving adults and men in the world.
For more photos from the outing please visit the Alevin’s
photo gallery from the day.
