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North Carolina Academically Gifted:
The Academically Gifted course was designed to meet the special needs of our students who are both LD and Gifted. This course is similar to the NC Standard program, however, incorporates an experiential/environmental project based on the interests of the students and is longer. Additionaly, students journal throughout the program to help reflect maximize the growth protential of this profound experience.
The course begins at Balsam Base with a focus on developing trust and a sense of team within the group. Students have a chance to experience SOAR's ropes courses, and learn more about themselves in the process. Utilizing new found map and compass skills the next phase of the course allows the students the opportunity to plan and implement their own backpacking trip in the Great Smokies. Following backpacking, students will have the opportunity to rock climb.
Upon their return, students have an opportunity to learn about water morphology, the study of swift water movement as they raft down the Nantahala and Ocoee Rivers. Students will then have an opportunity to go caving. The course concludes as each student is able to share lessons learned and goals accomplished with their teamates.
Quick Facts:
Dates:
Session I: 7/2 - 7/19
Session II: 7/23 - 8/9
Students: 7
Days: 18
Tuition:$3,300
Ages:12 - 15
Gear Guide
Gear List
Itinerary
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Philosophy: SOAR believes all individuals identified with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit disorder (AD/HD) possess inherent talents and gifts. These abilities can mean incredible success in adulthood once these students negotiate the challenging obstacles of childhood, adolescence, and a traditional education system, usually unable to respond to individual learning styles.
Therefore, the SOAR model is based on two fundamental principles. First, youth with LD and AD/HD flourish when they are encouraged to focus on their strengths in an experiential setting. The second principle acknowledges that success can be generalized by encouraging our students to develop and utilize strategies, enabling them to compensate for those challenging characteristics of LD and AD/HD. To this end, SOAR staff strive to ensure success for each student across a wide range of experiences. Such success, in turn, builds essential self-esteem and self-confidence.
Based on these two foundations, SOAR participants develop problem solving skills, effective communication strategies, increased self-awareness, and social skills. Program activities include a broad base of wilderness adventure experiences that empower students to make healthy choices, learn more about themselves, overcome challenges, and establish relevance from these experiences to other aspects of their life.
SOAR's Specialty Courses are open to SOAR alumni and students with the maturity and experience level to be successful on the course. Acceptance is conditional on the approval of the course director. Most specialty courses are led by one of SOAR's year-round staff including Jonathan Jones, John Willson and Logan Walters.
SOAR’s programs are designed to allow students the opportunity to increase their independence while away from home. Independence is gained through self-motivation and life skills instruction. With this in mind, we involve our students in many decision making processes, such as setting individual goals, developing group guidelines, as well as trip and meal planning. This also comes into consideration when developing SOAR’s communication policy, detailed in our Parent Handbook.
SOAR is dedicated to serving the needs of individuals with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit disorder (AD/HD) and is proud to be the finest: