Summer 2020 9th – 12th Grade

Enrollment coming soon!

 

June 5-7 (Three-day): Wilderness First Aid (WFA)

9am – 6pm, Adult, grades 8 – 12 welcome

Details coming soon!! This will be a class that certifies students in Wilderness First-Aid–for the first time ever, taught by our very own Jen! This also completes a step of the Medic Track.

Instructor: Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: Coming Soon!

 

June 8-9 (Two-day): Wildcrafting and Gardening

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

Students will either meet at Jen’s house to work on the medicine garden or in local areas where we can harvest wild plants. We will do plant walks, gardening info, talk about the most abundant plants for medicine, and how to harvest/dry/store plants for use in an herbal apothecary. These classes are optional, but highly recommended! Two of these classes are one way to meet the gardening requirement for Herbalist II and/or the Provider track.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Lauren Martin

Cost: Free

 

June 8 – 11 (Half-day):  Campside Cooking

9am – 12pm, grades 6 – 12, prior fire experience required

This class builds on the fire-building skills learned in Advanced Fire. Campers will build on their fire expertise and learn how to turn a campfire into a cookfire. This class will not only teach the methods to build a cookfire, but also how to use it and what to cook on it. Students will learn how to make delicious recipes to use on their next campout! 

Instructors: Bella Zucker, Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: $105

 

June 8 – 11 (Half-day):  Mountain SOL Songwriting

1pm – 4pm, grades 6 – 12

In this class, we will take a break from wild woods adventures and relax with music! Students will learn the basic skills of writing songs, including an introduction to music theory, lyric-writing, chord progressions, and putting it all together into a fantastic-sounding song. Whether you’ve never touched an instrument or have already written some songs, this class will have something to teach everyone!

Instructors: Bella Zucker, Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: $105

 

June 8-11 (Half-day): Woods Conditioning and Competition

1pm – 4pm, grades 6 – 12

If you are interested in achieving the peak physical you, this class will help you get started and help you start or continue your athletic journey.  Using the Mountain SOL campus as a natural gym, we will run, sprint, do body weight exercises, and lift nature’s weights. Prepare to join our adventure getting muddy and in shape all around the Mountain SOL backyard. This class will be run by wrestling state qualifier and Spartan Elite Elijah Wellings-Osha. This class will most definitely get you in better shape for whatever physical obstacles you have put in front of you. We will definitely emphasize cardio but we will do many other exercises that cover the rest of the body. (This class is appropriate for before highschool, in it, or fresh out.)

Instructor: Elijah Wellings-Osha

Cost: $105

 

Take Campside Cooking and either Mtn SOL Songwriting or Woods Conditioning and Competition, plus the $25 lunch hour, to build a full-day workshop from 9am-4pm Monday through Thursday!

 

June 9 (One-day): Intro to Sumo Wrestling

4:30 – 6pm, Adult, grades 8 – 12 welcome

Sumo wrestling is not only the most distinct of Japan’s various martial arts, it is also the oldest. In this course, you will learn the fundamentals, exercises, rituals, and rules of the sport. In addition, one of the rudimentary aspects of Sumo wrestling is mastery of one’s emotions. Rikishi are expected to control their demeanor and persona in and out of the ring. Students will learn to win and lose without dramatics.

Students will be wrestling (Sumo) in this course.

Instructor: John Mouser

Cost: $20, or $50 for all 3 Sumo Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do, and Filipino Martial Arts

 

June 11 (One-day): Memory Bags Workshop  

4:30pm – 6pm, grades 6 – 12

Have you ever found something cool while hiking and wish you had someplace unique to store it? In this class we will create leather memory bags with fringed decoration. This includes cutting, dying, and sewing the leather to create a unique keepsake for each student.

This class is open to all Jaguares and students moving into the Jaguares level. Knife safety is not required. This class will count towards the Provider Path specialization in Leatherworking.

Instructor: Jason Ruehl

Cost: $35

 

June 13 (One-day): Intro to Outdoor Adventures

10am – 6pm, Adult

Have you been signing up your kid for Mountain SOL classes, watching as they learn how to do so many cool wilderness tricks and wishing you could keep up? Then this is the class for you! This one-day workshop will give you all the basic tools you need to keep up with your woods-running child, including safe hiking protocols, hamping (hammock-camping!), and intro to fire and campside cooking.

Instructors: Katie Zucker, Benjamin Tower, Bella Zucker

Cost: $60

 

June 15-16 (Two-day): Wildcrafting and Gardening

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

Students will either meet at Jen’s house to work on the medicine garden or in local areas where we can harvest wild plants. We will do plant walks, gardening info, talk about the most abundant plants for medicine, and how to harvest/dry/store plants for use in an herbal apothecary. These classes are optional, but highly recommended! Two of these classes are one way to meet the gardening requirement for Herbalist II and/or the Provider track.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Lauren Martin

Cost: Free

 

June 15-18  (Half-day): Forts, Forts, Forts!

9am – 12pm, grades 3 – 12

This multi-age workshop is all about having fun in the woods! One of our favorite things to do here at Mountain SOL is build forts and debris huts. In this workshop we’ll use our imagination and create forts big and small across the property, learn how to use different natural materials to make structures, and experiment with the different resources available in the area.

Instructors: Bella Zucker, Bethany Boback

Cost: $105

 

June 15-18  (Half-day): Computers in the Woods!

1pm-4pm, grades 6 – 12

In this class, you will be introduced to computer coding (no prior experience necessary!). Who says you can’t have your electronics when you’re in the wilderness? In this camp, we will learn how computers can work with the woods to make the woods more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. We will design our own database and set up a web page where we can view it. This class is also a sneak peek at a new afterschool program that will start next year, our own Mountain Dev Team!

Instructor: Katie Zucker

Cost: $105

 

June 15-18  (Half-day): Stealth and Camo

1pm-4pm, grades 6 – 12

More advanced aspects of stealth and camo, play a couple of stealth and camo games, and we will most definitely get dirty!  We want everyone who would like to learn as well as everyone who already knows. Even if you think you are already good at camouflage, there is always more to learn.  There will be two different groups so that no matter what level you are at, you will leave feeling accomplished and sneaky!

Do not bring nice clothes.  Elijah will not let you use a ghillie suit so piece together your own woodsy colored raggedy clothing.  You will get covered in mud.

Instructor: Elijah Wellings-Osha

Cost: $105

 

Take Forts and either Coding in the Woods or Stealth and Camo, plus the $25 lunch hour, to build a full-day workshop from 9am-4pm Monday through Thursday!

 

June 16 (One-day): Intro to Jeet Kune Do

4:30 – 6pm, Adult, grades 8 – 12 welcome

Jeet Kune Do, “The way of the intercepting fist” is a mixed martial arts philosophy developed by the personal experiences Bruce Lee. Lee officially founded this formless system on July 9, 1967. This class will focus on a contemporary methodology geared towards self-defense or combative situations. The class is largely based on skills & drills taught & used by the world’s foremost JKD instructors.

Instructor: John Mouser

Cost: $20, or $50 for all 3 Sumo Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do, and Filipino Martial Arts

 

June 20 – 21 (Saturday-Sunday Overnight): Mountain SOLstice celebration!

10am-10am, All ages welcome!

Join us for a Mountain SOL summer solstice campout party! This is a chance to hang out with our older Mountain SOL alumni as we gather our Mountain SOL community to celebrate our natural world on the longest day of the year.

Cost: Free

 

June 22 – 25 (Full-day):  Navigation Levels 2-4

9am – 4pm, grades 6 – 12

In this workshop, held at Coopers Rock State Forest, campers will be separated into three groups according to their current level of navigation and map-reading skills: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Students will hike through the forest exploring the land and improving their knowledge on map and compass navigation. These classes can also be used as credits for the mapping and navigation requirements in Mountain SOL afterschool programs.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Bella Zucker

Cost: $175

 

July 22 – 25 (Half-day):  Insect Camp

1pm – 4pm, grades 3 – 5

Join us in discovering the crawling-wiggling-flying-weaving and burrowing insects that live among us. We will be looking under logs and rocks and in the trees or under leaves. We will be using tools to safely capture and observe insects just like entomologists. We will be identifying and discussing the “awesome-ness” of each specimen and the important role they play in our ecosystem. Lastly, we will create our very own insects!

Instructor: Chris Schwinghamer

Cost: $105

 

June 23 (One-day): Intro to Filipino Martial Arts

4:30 – 6pm, Adult, grades 8 – 12 welcome

FWD is the culmination of John Mouser’s years of training and experience, and is developed from Jeet Kune Do and the Filipino martial arts of Kali. The program focuses on weapon familiarization, teaching the student the essentials for using actual weapons (sticks), as well as improvised weapons such as branches, bottles, pipes, or anything that may become a life-saving asset in a threatening situation. Students learn essential reaction techniques to transform themselves from a victim mindset to a survivor mindset. They progress through training in reaction drills, countering & close-quarter drills. Students also train in the worst case scenario, what to do when you are unarmed and faced with a weapon.

Instructor: John Mouser

Cost: $20, or $50 for all 3 Sumo Wrestling, Jeet Kune Do, and Filipino Martial Arts

 

June 27 (One-day):  Apocalypse Survival

10am – 4pm, Adult, grades 8 – 12 welcome

In this class, you can learn how to plan to survive the apocalypse! You will learn strategies such as what to pack and how to pack it, and you will learn skills like building alarm systems and camouflage. You will leave this class with a worst-case plan and your own specialized 20-minute packing list!

Instructors: Jason Ruehl, Katie Zucker, Benjamin Tower

Cost: $60

 

July 6 – 9 (Half-day): Fire-Building 101/Advanced

9am – 12pm, grades 3 – 12

In this class, Paula teaches Fire 101 while Benjamin teaches Advanced Fire.

Fire 101: Ages 9 – 12

This workshop introduces campers to the basics of fire-building: site preparation, fire components (fuel, heat, oxygen), fuel gathering and tinder/kindling construction, fire maintenance, and fire safety and responsibility.  Campers will take home their own basic fire starting kit!

Advanced Fire: Ages 12 and up OR currently in Mtn Zorros

Campers’ focus will be on making fires under wet conditions, making scout fires for safety and warmth, and continual development of campers’ fire-making kits. Campers also will learn more about native plants to use for fires. This class does not teach bow drill or hand drill fire-making but rather teaches to use skills under more demanding situations. While we take kids as young as 12, the subject matter is appropriate for high school students.

Instructors: Benjamin Tower, Paula Taylor

Cost: $105

 

July 6 – 9 (Half-day):  Intro to Sur-thrival

1pm – 4pm, grades 3 – 8

This class will build on the basic woods skills learned in Woodscraft and Wildery or Mountain Mallards. Students will learn knot-tying, basic tarp shelter building, and campsite set-up. They will also participate in scenarios to practice their skills!  

Instructors: Bella Zucker, Bethany Boback

Cost: $105

 

Take both Fire-building and Intro to Sur-thrival, plus the $25 lunch hour, to build a full-day workshop from 9am-4pm Monday through Thursday!

 

July 9 (One-day):  Knife Safety I

4:30pm – 5:30pm, grades 6 – 12

Learn the basic safety protocols for using lock-blade knives and hatchets. What are the parts of a knife called? What is the safest way to split a twig? How do you keep your edges sharp? This class will teach you all of this and certify you to carry a lock-blade knife at Mtn. SOL!

Instructors: Jason Ruehl

Cost: $20

 

July 20-21 (Two-day): Herbalist II: Internal Prep

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

7/20 – Learn what internal preparation herbalism is! Also learn what precautions we need to take when we prepare herbs to go in our bodies. We will go over our Materia Medica along with information about which plants we have in our garden and what plants we can use.

7/21- We will learn how to make a variety of basic teas and tinctures! We will use herbs such as nettle, boneset, alfafa, echinacea, chamomile, lemon balm, poke, astragalus, white sage, and cleavers to create concoctions that support the immune system.

Instructors: Lauren Martin, Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: $100 for all 3 Internal Prep classes

 

July 22 – 25 (Full-day, Fri-Sat Overnight): Hamping for Happiness!

9am – 4pm, grades 6 – 12

Discover the latest craze in outdoor adventure – “Hamping” – or camping with hammocks!  Campers will learn where best to set up hammocks, how to tie sturdy knots and how to hang tarps to sleep comfortably, warmly and safely outdoors all night.  Includes an overnight on the MLA campus on Friday evening and hamping certification. Both beginning and advanced students will learn more hamping skills in this workshop.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Elijah Wellings-Osha

Cost: $175

 

July 23 (One-day): Knife Safety II

4:30pm – 6pm, grades 6 – 12, Knife Safety I completed

Focusing primarily on fixed blade knives (not folding knives), axes, and hatchets this class goes beyond the basics and teaches specific techniques for the care and use of these tools. After taking this class, students will be allowed to carry fixed blade knives and hatchets at Mountain SOL functions.

Instructors: Jason Ruehl

Cost: $20

 

July 27-28 (Two-day): Herbalist II: Internal Prep

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

7/27 Monday we will focus on digestion. We will learn about balanced vs. imbalanced digestion, and how daily life can affect healthy digestion. Today we will learn about herbs including ginger, dandelion, and cranberry.

7/28 Tuesday we will learn how to help out in a fall/winter herbal clinic! We will learn what to expect out of a clinic, and we will learn how to prepare herbs for it. We will make infused honey and vinegar today, and we will also make tinctures today.

Instructors: Lauren Martin, Bella Zucker

Cost: $100 for all 3 Internal Prep classes

 

August 3-4 (Two-day): Herbalist II: Internal Prep

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

8/3 Medicine Prep I: Today you will get to put together your own tincture! We will offer different herbs to choose from. Some tinctures you might make include lymph mover tincture, sleep tincture, Lauren’s “feel-good” tincture, linden tincture, tummy tincture, and more!

8/4 Medicine Prep II: We will learn about methods of infusing honeys and ACVs, including heat vs no heat, storage of infusions, and oxymels. Students will again be able to make their own custom infusion!

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Lauren Martin

Cost: $100 for all 3 Internal Prep classes

 

August 3 – 6 (Half-day): Games

9am – 12pm, grades 6 – 12

Join Elijah and Jen in the last week of camp to play endless amounts of wilderness games.  We will play old favorites as well as test out new games. Prepare to get dirty, play hard, and come home tired.  Elijah says bring your competitive side and he will reward you with treats! Jen says there is space for those who aren’t all about the competition as well!

Instructors: Elijah Wellings-Osha, Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: $105

 

August 3 – 6 (Half-day): Medic

1pm – 4pm, grades 6 – 12

In this workshop we will work with students to improve their medic skills. We welcome students with no prior first aid experience to come learn the basics of primary survey, and we also welcome students who already have the basic skills to improve, practice, and learn even more! Students will participate in engaging scenarios that build their practical and teamwork skills and come away with increased self confidence in their first aid abilities.

Instructors: Bella Zucker, Benjamin Tower

Cost: $105

 

August 3 – 6 (Half-day): Tracking

1pm – 4pm, grades 3 – 12

This tracking class will be for the beginners among us. Campers will be able to learn the four ways animals move and tell-tale signs when tracking. By the end of this week, we’ll be able to follow a trail and determine what animal was walking through the property.

Instructors: Elijah Wellings-Osha, Jen-Osha Buysse

Cost: $105

 

Take Games and either Medic or Tracking, plus the $25 lunch hour, to build a full-day workshop from 9am-4pm Monday through Thursday!

 

August 8 (One-day):  Spinning and Weaving

10am – 2pm, Adult, grades 6 – 12 welcome

Learn how to spin wool and weave it into cloth! In this workshop you will use a hand-held spinning tool called a drop spindle to turn wool into yarn. Then you will use that yarn to create fabric on a mini loom! We will have a picnic lunch of sandwiches, so please bring any other food you would like to eat (NOTE: Mountain SOL is a nut-free campus; please double check nothing you bring has peanuts!).

Instructor: Katie Zucker

Cost: $40

 

August 3-4 (Two-day): Review and Test for Herbalist II: Internal Prep

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

8/24- Wrapping up our class, we will do a seed/plant start swap, calculate volunteer hours, sort out independent study options, and review our Materia Medica.

8/25- Test: After a brief review and survey, we will take our Internal Prep test.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Lauren Martin

Cost: $15

 

August 17-18 (Two-day): Wildcrafting and Gardening

5pm – 6:45pm, All ages welcome!

Students will either meet at Jen’s house to work on the medicine garden or in local areas where we can harvest wild plants. We will do plant walks, gardening info, talk about the most abundant plants for medicine, and how to harvest/dry/store plants for use in an herbal apothecary. These classes are optional, but highly recommended! Two of these classes are one way to meet the gardening requirement for Herbalist II and/or the Provider track.

Instructors: Jen-Osha Buysse, Lauren Martin

Cost: Free