The Educational Experience of EXTREME

"You learn so many things about yourself in climbing; how to relate to other people, how to solve problems, how to avoid problems. It's about doing what you are dreaming of. If you are dreaming about some climb or some beautiful place, you get up, go out and do it. That's what it's all about."
- Nancy Feagan, Rock Climber in Extreme

Outward Bound® USA, the renowned worldwide leader in wilderness based experiential education, and Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound, founded to integrate the principles of Outward Bound into public schools, have created ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE - the educational materials behind EXTREME.

The Outward Bound educational philosophies have been developed over the last 58 years. Both Outward Bound and EXTREME emphasize; personal challenge; respect and understanding of the environment; relationships and teamwork; understanding risk; the importance of preparation and safety and other relevant themes. Through guided reflection, various classroom activities including group discussion, journal writing, visual arts, group games and challenges, and real-world projects, ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE captures the unique educational experiences within EXTREME and presents them in a meaningful and natural manner.

"What you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius and magic in it." - Goethe

What is OUTWARD BOUND® USA?
Outward Bound USA, headquartered in Garrison, NY., is a non-profit educational organization with schools and centers on five continents. Their mission is to conduct safe, adventure based programs structured to inspire self-esteem, self-reliance, concern for others and respect for the environment. Founded in 1941, Outward Bound strives to create significant long lasting learning through intensive short term experiences, whether in wilderness, classroom or organizational settings. Their education concentrates on harnessing people's natural passion to learn and is a powerful method for developing the curiosity, skills, knowledge and courage needed to imagine a better world and work toward realizing it.

"The adrenaline rush isn't enough...it's the people you meet, their attitudes and my integration with the environment... that's what keeps me going."
- Craig Kelly, Snowboarder in Extreme

What is EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING OUTWARD BOUND?
In 1992, Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound was named a New American Schools Design for comprehensive school reform. It is a design for school-wide changes in instruction, schedule, staff development, and culture, leading to higher student achievement and character development. Expeditionary Learning takes the philosophy and pedagogy of Outward Bound and adapts them to school environments.

"For me to have the same excited feeling of learning and accomplishment that I had my first day of snowboarding, I have to continue to push myself and do things I didn't think I could do so that I have that feeling of overcoming a fear or accomplishing something."
- Victoria Jealouse, Snowboarder in Extreme

What is EXTREME?
EXTREME is a 45 minute journey into the soul of adventure featuring a cast of world champion athletes. It takes audiences to the action of outdoor adventure sports like never before; skiing and snowboarding perilous untouched mountain peaks; climbing vertical frozen waterfalls and magnificent red-rock spires; surfing some of the largest waves ever surfed and windsurfing gale force winds.

The film combines incredible adventure sport action and narration from the athletes with an eclectic, contemporary soundtrack. EXTREME shares an understanding of those who have made their passion a lifestyle and provides a unique glimpse into the relationship between nature and humanity. By capturing the calculated precision of sport and some of natures most beautiful and powerful forces on 15/70mm film (with a negative 10 times the size of traditional 35mm film, allowing images to be projected crystal clear onto 8-story-high screens) viewers will see and experience adventure as though they are actually there.

"It doesn't matter how good of a swimmer you are, you have to respect the amount of power in nature."
- Robby Naish, Windsurfer in Extreme

GETTING STARTED: A TIME FOR REFLECTION
ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE suggests many ways for educators to debrief students after seeing EXTREME. Through journal writing, poetry exercises, and visual art, students can deepen their understanding of the film's themes and make connections between those themes and their own lives.

"Twenty years of climbing have taught me to use fear as a friend and let it focus my concentration so that I can perform better."
- Barry Blanchard, Ice Climber in Extreme

INITIATIVES
Initiatives are activities that present problems or challenges that do not have a right or wrong answer. The tasks are designed to challenge the physical and mental abilities of the group's participants. The skills and qualities practiced include perseverance, cooperation, compassion, support, expression, negotiation, risk-taking, leadership and trust. The initiatives contained in ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE also include a certain amount of unpredictability that allows for spontaneity, fun and adventure while learning. Initiatives help people discover the power of learning through doing. Students experience the proverb: Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.

"Twenty years of climbing have taught me to use fear as a friend and let it focus my concentration so that I can perform better."
- Barry Blanchard, Ice Climber in Extreme

ADVENTURE IN ACADEMIC WORK: LONG-TERM PROJECTS
A sense of adventure comes from things like rock-climbing and skiing down mountains. Sustained academic projects that include a few key ingredients can also evoke a sense of risk and get the adrenaline going using intellectual and personal challenges within the school environment. The Seemingly Impossible Task, Projects With Consequence, Fieldwork, Public Performance and Service are a few of the concepts suggested for long term projects in ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE. Incorporating these elements into your classroom on a sustained basis can help students experience through school some of the challenge and adventure that the athletes in EXTREME experience through their sports.

"My biggest strength is knowing my weaknesses and trying to strengthen my weaknesses in whatever I do."
- Brian Keaulana, Surfer in Extreme

ADVENTURE WITH A PURPOSE encourages educators to use EXTREME to explore students' passions and address qualities and characteristics which enhance long term learning. The athletes in EXTREME make it clear that becoming good at what they love requires a great deal of discipline and practice. Because of their deep commitment to the sport, they strive to do it well. The same is true for students who pursue their passion for drawing, acting, or researching a topic of interest. Passion motivates people to learn the skills they need to do what they love. They become willing to practice, revise, accept criticism, persevere, and risk failing in order to succeed. Once they learn these ingredients of success, students can apply them to academic and professional achievement as well.

"The self reliance aspect of climbing can make you aware of the possibilities of doing things you never imagined. I think it makes you realize how far a human being can push themselves."
- Catherine Mulvihill, Ice Climber in Extreme

LEARN MORE:

Giant screen films are shown in some of the world's most prestigious museums and science centers and are also exhibited by theaters committed to providing educational entertainment

To learn more about EXPEDITIONARY LEARNING OUTWARD BOUND in public schools visit their web site at: www.elob.org

To learn more about OUTWARD BOUND and the courses they offer, visit their web site at: www.outwardbound.com

EXTREME opens in giant screen theaters worldwide this spring. For more information on the film contact your local giant screen theater