Welcome to Orienteering!
With Spring in full bloom in New England, our Elevate Youth Odyssey participants were able to venture outside and explore the sport of orienteering. Orienteering is a timed scavenger hunt in the woods where participants have to use map reading skills, landmarks, and their athletic ability to find marked checkpoints in a designated area. Our school groups from the Thomas J. Kenny School and James W. Hennigan School, along with Club participants from the Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester and West End House of Allston, were all able to participate. Our groups honed their navigation skills in their local parks before heading to the Blue Hills for a full orienteering game.
Our day at Blue Hills was facilitated by Navigation Games, a local organization that enables access to the sport of orienteering. Together, we were able to practice how to correctly position our maps to our surroundings, learn how to read a compass, and embark on a full orienteering course. Big thank yous to Ethan and Barbara for their superb instruction and map-making abilities!
When running the full ‘score-O’ orienteering course, our groups split into small teams of three, with an adult guide to assist them throughout the Blue Hills. Together, we used our labeled maps and compasses to search for over twenty flags placed around the recreation area. Some were in trees, some on hillsides, and some were even placed near picnic tables.
Our participants used teamwork to figure out where on the map they were, and what landmarks they could use to identify their location. Students were able to learn that markers like bodies of water, roads, and topography were great ways to orient themselves. Many students learned how to use a compass for the first time- and they were pros!
We ended the day by Houghton’s Pond, and our Odyssey participants were able to celebrate their orienteering prowess by swimming and playing by the beach. Every group was able to correctly identify at least 5 checkpoints, and adults and kids alike enjoyed getting outdoors in a creative new way.
Check back soon for more updates on Elevate Youth trips!
