Middle School has a wonderful block of time every Friday for a few hours and we’ve already done a variety of worthwhile activities. We call it “Fun Friday,” and the possibilities are endless (within our time block of course). In the first few weeks we focused on team building with some initiatives that were fun and challenging, but forced team work and communication. Then we did some just straight fun activities such as capture the flag and large scale hide-and-go-seek tag. Fun Friday can also be used to enhance projects that are being done in the classroom or to have guest instructors come in to share their expertise. The past few weeks we have split into electives. The options were nature hiking, book club and mountain biking. I can’t speak to the other electives, but I can say that I have thoroughly enjoyed the mountain biking group.
These kids are strong! Plus, their trail and group etiquette were out of this world. Our first week we did a few different loops around Ruth Arcand just to get out there and see where we were as a group. Well, the group was amazing. They were fast, they communicated with people walking on the trail, they made sure we stayed as a group and were all heading in the correct direction. It was impressive. The next week school was cancelled due to weather and the week after was headed up by Mr. Johnson due to my absence. I heard that it was just as successful as the first week. A particular student was given the lead role and knocked it out of the park. He made sure that the group stuck together and lead with confidence.
Our final day, yesterday, was at Kinkaid. Having Ruth Arcand in our backyard is awesome, but those trail aren’t created for biking. The trails at Kinkaid are. They are specifically engineered for bikers to challenge themselves in different ways and to recreate in such a fun and unique way. Not many places offer these experiences right in the heart of the city. We chose to do a one-way loop called Bowling Alley and safety was our number one priority. There was instruction on how the elements (snow, ice and mud) can effect abilities and we focused on riding safely. There were a few small crashes, but all in all it was a successful day. Huge shout out to Mr. Corbin for helping us drive over there.
If your student is interested in the wonderful world of mountain biking or downhill biking please let me know. There are some great programs here in Alaska that can help teach the skills needed to enjoy the hundreds of miles of trails Anchorage and the surrounding area have to offer. There are also programs that focus on winter riding. Fat tire biking has become hugely popular and has opened up a whole new world of winter recreation. Just another way to get out and exercise in this beautiful state.