Clayton Middle makes school an adventure

Students at Clayton Middle School have some rare opportunities in the world of outdoor athletics.

Led by PE teacher Reid Anderson, the school’s Adventure Program allows students to try a variety of expensive outdoor sports for free, every Friday after school. The program is open to all Clayton students, and funded by donations and fee waivers from a number of outdoor sports companies. The program has had a great response from students, from those who try it once or twice, to the many who return week after week and year after year.

“It’s really fun to see the enthusiasm of the kids,” Anderson said. “That’s what it’s all about.”

The Adventure Program started in 2009 with a partnership between the school and Nordic Alliance. The ski company gave the school stewardship of some cross-country skiing equipment, and later a matching grant for snowshoes as well. The Utah Bike Collective has provided them with mountain bikes. This year Clayton struck up a new partnership with “Splore,” an organization that usually works with special populations, and they will be doing rock climbing, canoeing and kayaking with them. Later this year, after snow becomes more regular, the school plans to take advantage of Alta Ski Resort’s “Ski Free After Three” program, which allows free admission to the Sunnyside Lift after 3 p.m.

In just a few short years, Clayton’s Adventure Program has become a school-wide effort. In addition to all the generous outside help the program has received, the school’s own administration has helped with transportation costs, parents have lent expertise, and other teachers have stepped in to fill the gap when Anderson has been unable to take the students to activities himself.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for kids to do something they’ve never done before,” Principal Linda Richins said.

For example, some of the African refugee children at the school, who had never seen snow before participating in the program, can now ski cross-country, she said.

Also, students who haven’t mounted a bike since they were eight years old and know nothing about gears and handbrakes, have the chance to learn, Anderson said.

An official outdoor recreation class has grown out of the after school program, also taught by Anderson, which many of the same students attend. Anderson taught similar programs at Park City High School years ago, and missed them greatly when he left, so he decided to try them at Clayton, he said.

“If they can do it in Park City, we can do it here,” he said.