School Counseling: Adventure Based Education (ABE)

                                                                                                                                  Adventure Based Education

Counselors at Woodbury School have managed an adventure program (ABE) for all middle school students for the past 20 years. Students in all grades participate in classroom adventure experiences held indoors or outdoors depending on weather.

The purpose of ABE is to help students work with one another in their classrooms and with their teams in the best way possible, by participating in fun activities designed to bring out individual and group strengths. Students use the Full Value Contract (see below and click on the document for further details) as a way of working with one another in ABE as well as during the rest of the school year. Students are presented with a different challenge each week - a puzzle of sorts - and only by working as a team can the problem be solved and the students feel successful. 

All counselors have participated in trainings through Project Adventure and High Five, internationally known companies that teach adventure skills and classroom curriculum. .

All students participate in activities as we pride ourselves and focus on "challenge by choice."  Every activity is designed in such a way that everyone can play an important role in the group's success, and no one is forced to be put into a situation that makes someone feel uncomfortable or unsuccessful. The following Full Value Contract helps to ensure that every student walks away from a challenge feeling a sense of accomplishment:

Full Value Contract

Be Here

Be Safe

Be Honest

Let Go and Move On

Have Fun

Listed below are the two adventure-based organizations Woodbury School uses to maintain our course and licensure.  Click on the image to connect you to their respective web sites to learn more about adventure based educaiton right here in New England!