As members of the Macon No-Trace outdoor club, 36 Macon Middle School (MMS) students hiked almost four miles and climbed about 1,000 feet along the Appalachian Trail to Siler Bald last month. The group was blessed with clear skies and perfect temperatures for the hike.
Bryan Wilkinson, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics) teacher at MMS helped spearhead the club.
“If you want to change education, one of the driving forces needs to be building self-esteem, resilience, perseverance, and teamwork. This can’t always be done in the classroom. That’s why the outdoor club exists — to challenge students, inspire growth, and foster a love for the outdoors while developing essential life skills,” said Wilkinson.
We spent time on the mountain, ate some camp food provided by Rob Gasbarro, one of the owners of Outdoor 76, and shared some time with one another. Five teachers and a parent joined us. Gasbarro also imparted some of his trail wisdom with us and taught about backpacking meals. The trail food really helped make the hiking experience come to life. And, we passed one thru hiker on the Appalachian Trail (AT) who talked about how many more miles he had to go (more than 2,100 miles) to reach Maine (the terminus of the AT).
For the kids, that meant laughing and enjoying themselves in a setting many students never experience. We also took in some of the most amazing views in the southeastern United States. At 5,220 feet, Siler Bald is the seventh highest peak in Macon County. Our views included the tallest of Macon County’s majestic Nantahala mountain range. It was truly a William Bartram [author of “Bartram’s Travels”] moment of “mountains piled upon mountains” as you looked out in every direction.
Wilkinson is all about getting students – who might need this the most – out into a wild setting where learning can occur in such different and profound ways. We have hiked along the Nantahala River and to William’s Pulpit, and we have joined a stargazing event with Franklin High School’s outdoor club. We also share special features of each hike with the kids as well as universal factors, such as safety, respecting our region’s rich trail system, and Leave No Trace principles. Members of Macon No-Trace have enjoyed many life-enriching events.
We are hoping to do another hike before the school year ends. We have been brainstorming how to include as many parents as possible. Some additional outings might occur right after the school year comes to a close as well.
The joy of the energy these students possessed on the mountaintops is something they will always carry with them. We encouraged all of them to share an email that includes their reflections on the hike that I look forward to reading. One student has already written that they “never get to hang out with their friends or go do things like [the hike]. Thank you so much for this experience and I would absolutely love it if we could do something like this again.”
Macon No Trace is open to anyone at MMS. For further information, contact Bryan Wilkinson at [email protected].