Rippleffect
Welcome! PLEASE NOTE - if a program is full, please join the waitlists (no fee or forms required)! Questions? Email CampsAndTreks@rippleffect.net
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Important information
For the 2024-2025 School Year, our Adventure Academy After-School Program is offering 4 sessions with unique enrichment opportunities. Check out the session descriptions below to find an exciting opportunity that meets your child’s interests. For all of these sessions, connecting youth to the outdoors and providing a space to explore, form new friendships and gain confidence is our priority!
When: Tuesdays from 2:10-5:30 and Wednesdays from 1:10-5:30 each day the Portland Public School District is in session. Families may sign up for one or two days per week.
Who: open to 2nd-4th graders at Longfellow and Ocean Ave Elementary Schools
Pickup: Participants are picked up from school in our 15-passenger bus and brought to a range of adventure locations which vary depending on the session. Parent pickup is at 5:30 at our office within the State Street Church at 159 State Street.
SESSION 1: COMMUNITY & CLIMBING (9 WEEKS, SEPTEMBER 3RD - OCTOBER 30TH)
Ready to climb and reach new heights? For this 9-week session, participants will head to our Rippleffect Outdoor Community Center to experience teambuilding initiatives, climb our rock wall, and take on our ropes course! Participants will establish a supportive community and build confidence and leadership skills through healthy risk taking. Afternoon adventures will also include learning outdoor living skills, hiking on the nearby Fore River Portland Trail, and supporting our local trail system through trail cleanups and practicing Leave No Trace Principles!
SESSION 2: ENVIRONMENTAL CONNECTION & CREATIVITY (7 WEEKS, NOVEMBER 5TH-DECEMBER 18TH)
Unleash creativity while exploring the beauty of nature by blending art with outdoor adventure! During this 7-week session, participants will build a unique community and connection to nature through creativity. Environmental art projects may range from cyanotype printing and building fairy houses on hiking trails to constructing larger initiatives inspired by Andy Goldsworthy at our ROCC! Dive into the world of art using natural materials and found objects at our local forests, beaches and parks.
SESSION 3: WINTER ADVENTURE (11 WEEKS, JANUARY 7TH - MARCH 26TH)
Winter does not stop us from enjoying the outdoors! For our Winter Adventure session, we will venture out to enjoy winter activities such as sledding, snow shoeing, winter hiking, and making our favorite winter treat - hot chocolate made on outdoor cooking stoves! This session is made for youth who are excited to spend time in the outdoors in cold conditions. Embrace the chill, explore nature, and create adventurous memories!
SESSION 4: OCEAN EXPLORERS (8 WEEKS, APRIL 1ST - MAY 28TH)
Dive into the wonders of the ocean for our Spring session! Participants will spend much of their time on the coast and at the beach examining the intertidal zone through quadrat sampling, doing beach cleanups, making seaweed art paper, plankton sampling, taking a boat ride on the bay, and more! This hands-on program aims to inspire curiosity and foster a deep appreciation for our oceanic world and the precious biodiversity it holds.