1975 "Super
Saturday" Gymnastics Program established for LD and ADD Youth in
north Houston
1976 SOAR Program designed as part of a graduate seminar at University
of Northern Colorado
Challenged by Dr. Vincent Cyphers to move the program from paper
to reality
Facilitated first Outdoor Classroom on Galveston
Island
Other weekend courses followed in Texas hill country
SOAR adopted by north Houston A.C.L.D. as its teen outreach
initiative
1977 SOAR offered its first extended expedition
in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
1978 Instruction in snow and ice techniques are
included in second RMNP expedition
1979 SOAR receives financial support from area
Kiwanis, Lion's Club, and Exchange Club service organizations
Incorporated National Wildlife Federation
Conference into second RMNP expedition
Recognized by Texas A.C.L.D. at its state conference
1980 Developed plans for building a Ropes Course
in Cypress Creek Park on county-donated property
1981 Construct first Ropes Course in Houston,
Texas
Host first course to Smoky Mountains of North
Carolina; supplemented by staff
members from Wilderness Journey
PM Magazine" segment is filmed featuring
Ropes Course, and televised on local station
1982 "PM Magazine" segment
nationally televised
Developed Outdoor Classroom Program at
Westminster School in Augusta, Georgia
Host second course in
Smoky Mountains
Begin searching for permanent Base Camp in North
Carolina
1983 Host two North Carolina expeditions
Construct
Ropes Course in Augusta, Georgia
Offer first weekend courses
in North Carolina
1984 Conduct seminar for Haywood County, NC
teachers
Host first annual "SOAR Eagle Run" fund
raiser
Established Outdoor Learning Center in Balsam,
NC
Run four North Carolina expeditions, and one
Colorado course
Ropes Course in Houston is replaced by $160,000
Confidence Course, financed by Harris County
Offer first Christmas
Keys Adventure
SOAR makes cover story in "Good News
America"
1985 SOAR awarded grant from North
Carolina Division of Youth Services for a drop-out/delinquency prevention
program targeting "high
risk" youth
in Haywood County
Construct Low Ropes Course at Balsam Base
Colorado
Program summits six students on Long's Peak via Kiner's Route
Complete first Haywood County Pursuit cycle
Begin contract courses
1986 Receive second year
funding for Haywood Pursuit
Offer first "Academic Challenge" Program
1986 Construct High Ropes Course at Balsam Base
Begin working relationship
with Summit Academy
1987 Facilitate first Outdoor Classroom
Program for special needs students from Maryville High School,
Tennessee
Offer Family Adventure Program for first time
Begin to distinguish between LD/ADD services
and community-based services
Contracted by Jackson County Schools
for Pursuit Program
1988 Awarded grant to replicate Pursuit
Program in Jackson County Schools
Contracted by Blue Ridge
Mental Health to provide a 5-day Recreation Therapy component
to substance
abuse prevention
program in Buncombe County
Offer Spring Tortugas
Course for first time
Expand summer course offerings to include
two Academic Challenge Courses
Create Fall Semester Course
on Appalachian Trail
Begin working relationship with Chattanooga
Christian Schools, Tennessee
1989 Add study skills and esteem
building workshops to LD/ADD services
Expand North Carolina
Summer Course to include youths 8 -10
Contracted by Buncombe
County Schools to provide Pursuit services at their "alternative" high
school for high risk youths, Buncombe Community School
Facilitate
team building workshop for Jackson County School administrators
ADHD workshop by Russell Barkley has considerable
impact on LD/ADD program design
1990 Awarded grant to replicated
Pursuit Program in Buncombe Community School
Offer Llama
Trek Program for youths, ages 8 - 10
Offer Florida Keys Summer
Course for first time
Contracted by Upward Bound, Western
Carolina University for Experiential Education component
Created plans for Spring Semester Course in
Desert Southwest
Convene First Annual Western North Carolina
Symposium on Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit
Disorders
Expand Christmas Keys to two courses
1991 Offer Semester Course in Southwest for
first time
Expand Colorado Course offerings
Friends Program,
a Governor's One-on-One Program, is brought under SOAR's umbrella
Convene AEE International Conference at Lake
Junaluska
Convene second WNC symposium on LD/ADD
1992 Contracted by Talent Search, Western Carolina University, to
facilitate an experiential education component for 8th grade
programs
Convene North Carolina Community Alternatives
for Youth Conference
Expand Florida Course Offerings
Convene North
Carolina Learning Disabilities Association State Conference
Conduct workshop in Nassau, Bahamas
1993 Offer
second Spring Semester Course
Summer courses fill to capacity
(210 students)
Facilitate first Fall Semester Course on A.T.
Awarded grant for "M.A.D.E. in Jackson
County," a
Substance Abuse
Prevention Education Program
Convene fourth WNC symposium on LD/ADD
1994 Offer
third Spring Semester Course
Offer Jamaica and Alaska Alumni
Courses for first time
Summer courses fill to capacity (265)
Awarded
grant to replicate Buncombe Pursuit model at Central Haywood
High,
Haywood County's alternative school
Co-author grant for "Discovery Program" in
Jackson County Schools, a program designed to prevent/reduce
the rate of juvenile crime
Talent Search expands SOAR services to 7th graders
Pursuit programming also expands to Clay and
Cherokee Counties through the
acesetters Program
Complete sixth shelter at
Balsam Base
Second year funding for "M.A.D.E. in
Jackson County"
Peer review conducted by Southeast Association
for Experiential Education
Convened fifth annual WNC symposium
on LD/ADD
SOAR staff participate in a Jamaica staff training
1995 SOAR receives funding for a Service Learning
Component to Haywood County Pursuit Program through Learn and
Serve Grant
Field fourth Spring Semester Course in the Southwest
"M.A.D.E. in Jackson County" is
re-funded for two additional years
Remodel kitchen at Balsam Base to
meet specifications of
a commercial kitchen
Remodel food storage room, and add on
new equipment room and tool room
SOAR is licensed as a summer
camp (new requirement by state of North Carolina)
Offer Wyoming
Alumni Course for first time
SOAR collaborates with YMCA to
use Camp Hope for Academic Challenge Program
1995 Summer courses
fill to capacity (272)
Collaborate with Beacon College to offer
10 day Jamaica Course
Add fourth van to transportation fleet
Run a
reconnaissance of Belize for programming in 1997
1996 Pursuit
Program in Buncombe County receives Governor's Award for Academic
Excellence
Offer two new Summer Courses: North Carolina
Horsepacking and North Carolina Alumni
Complete seventh shelter
at Balsam Base
Expand High Ropes Course
Summer courses fill
to capacity (324)
Receive Learn and Serve Grant to fund Service
Learning Component in Haywood County Pursuit
Field two teams
on Appalachian Trail Semester Course
Buncombe County receives
moneys to fully fund Pursuit
SOAR collaborates with Buncombe
County YWCA to rewrite Buncombe County Pursuit to focus on
needs of females
Offer SCUBA option to students in Christmas
Keys Course
Ten students certified in Scuba
1997 Begin celebration
of 20th year
Offer three new summer courses: Belize Alumni,
AG Horsepacking, Keys Scuba Alumni
Expand summer offerings
to fifth session
Create Activity Staff positions for summer
sessions
Purchase four additional acres near Balsam Base
for parking area
1997 Field fifth Spring Semester in Desert
Southwest
Full-time staff participate in 5-day Covey training
Begin plans for new activity building
Are able
to bring all insurance under one policy
Talent Search services
expanded to 7 schools
Extensive rewrite of Staff Manual
Hire largest
staff ever - 5 Administrative, 3 Logistics, 6 Coordinators,
3 Teachers, 34 Field staff
SOAR collaborates with Boy Scouts
to use Camp Hope
Continue volunteer work for LDANC and LDAA
1998 Internet site is established at soarnc.org
SOAR video completed
Add Relief Coordinator
position to summer staffing
High Ropes course is re-built
8th Shelter is
built
Reach maximum census (400)
Academic Challenge
is hosted at Balsam Base
North Carolina Expedition (3 week
course) is added
Begin affiliation with Southpark Academy in
Charlotte, NC
Learn & Serve America Service Learning
Program expands to 3 counties
New fall semester course in Idaho
Appalachian
Trail Semester Course begins journey at Katadin
SOAR receives
accreditation through Association of Experiential Education
(AEE)
1998 Reconnaissance of Costa Rica for Summer
1999 Course Offerings completed
Largest Florida Christmas Keys
Course to Date (44 students)
1999 Brochure printed in Color
1999 Pursuit included
in 30th District Governor's Crime Commission Intervention Grant
Project Pursuit expands to Swain County
SOAR
receives a Pepsi Challenge Grant to fund the Haywood County
Mentoring Initiative
Operation ASPIRE is created under the
SOAR umbrella as a Supervised Day Program
serving court involved youth in each
of the seven western North Carolina counties
Establised SOAR Community
Based Services office in Waynesville
Conducted staff training
in Yellowstone; Covey theme – First
Things First
Added new LD/ADD Director position, Director
of North Carolina Programs
SOAR year-round staff increase from
thirteen to twenty-one
Complete SOAR Field Staff Manual
Add new Low
Ropes Course elements
Completed ninth shelter
Change course name of
Academic Challenge to Academic Discovery
Conducted a successful
alumni course in Costa Rica
Reached summer census goal of 400
with 408 students enrolled
Purchase new van; now have five vans in SOAR
fleet
Renew AEE Accreditation
Mail survey to SOAR
families regarding potential Family Support staff position
Field Fall Semester Course in Yellowstone for
second year
1999 Complete networking of Administrative Team
computers
Conduct reconnaissance of Wyoming for possible
SOAR Western Base
Complete Summer 2000 Plan of Action by December
1st
Move into Y2K with no significant glitches;
SOAR is now a Microsoft Word office
2000 Field two full teams
for Semester Course in Southwest
Conduct Florida recruiting
trip for first time in ten years
Add new 150 foot Zip Line
to High Ropes Course
Complete 2nd Edition of SOAR Field Staff
Manual
Haywood Pursuit receives prevention funding
for Afterschool / Mentoring program
Purchase Wyoming property
for Eagle View Ranch
Complete tenth shelter
Surpass summer census
goal of 445 and serve 461 youth
Facilitate first Maine Alumni
Course
Add fifth staff member to summer staff teams
Each summer staff team has their own van
New
horsepacking vendor, Sandy Bottoms Trail Rides, is excellent
Renew AEE Accreditation and begin preparation
for 2001 Site Visit
Begin implementing Five Year Plan for Eagle
View Ranch
Begin second year for Operation Aspire and Swain
Pursuit
Begin construction on Eagle View Ranch Covered
Dining Area / Bathhouse Facility
Complete Summer 2001 Plan
of Action by December 1st
2000 Begin construction of Balsam
Base Bathhouse Facility
Complete extensive expansion of SOAR
web site
Begin fund raising drive for Eagle View Ranch
Conduct first Lullwater Outdoor Classroom
2001 Add Admissions Assistant position to Administrative Team
Haywood
Pursuit is awarded a grant by Pigeon River Fund
Double size
of Shelter 3
Haywood Pursuit Afterschool Program is funded
for second year
FRIENDS Program moves to Big Brothers / Big
Sisters of WNC
AEE Accreditation Site Team Visit results in
Five Year Renewal of Accreditation
Haywood Pursuit receives
the Governor's Award for Excellence
Eagle View Ranch Covered
Dining Area and Bathhouse Complex is completed
Eagle View Ranch
Mountain Top Arena and cabin tent platforms (4) are constructed
New septic system installed at Balsam Base
Host
first Wyoming Standard courses at Eagle View Ranch
Scout Canadian
Rockies for Summer 2002 course
Add third director for North
Carolina summer programs
Aspire is invited to move its Haywood
and Macon offices to the HUB in Jackson County
SOAR staff present
at two international conferences (LDA and AEE)
Develop Wyoming
Expedition, Academic Discovery, and Family Adventure courses
for 2002
Host first Fall Semester Course in Yellowstone
out of Eagle View Ranch
2001 Implement new semester course model
with stronger academic emphasis
Complete 2002 Plan of Action
by November 1st
Implement family component to both fall semester
courses programs
Purchase Suburban and John Deere tractor for
Eagle View Ranch
Institute a retirement plan for full-time
employees
WNC Symposium on LD and ADD Celebrates its 12th
Year with over 500 conferees
2002 SOAR celebrates its 25th
Anniversary (1977 - 2002)
Complete new bathhouse complex at
Balsam with twenty-five foot climbing wall
Begin working with
Hidden Lake Academy
Unite the Triple E Ranch and Eagle View
Ranch properties
Build two additional tent platforms at Eagle
View Ranch to bring total to six
Offer two additional tiers
of courses at Eagle View - Horsepacking Expedition and AD
Offer
Canadian Rockies Specialty Course for first time
Begin offering
dayrides on horseback from Eagle View Ranch
Add mountain biking
to North Carolina Expedition courses
Offer two SCUBA courses
during summer
Utilize Camp Sawyer for Florida Keys courses
after a seven year absence
Set new summer census mark of 486
students
Pilot Rock added as a climb site
Sailboat donated
by the Post family
Acerage adjacent to Balsam Base donated
2002 Modify Semester Course on the Appalachian Trail program to
strengthen academic component
Aspire offers full academic credit
to its students and consolidates Cherokee base to HUB
Southeast
Coastal Spring Semester is planned for Spring 2003
Update database
server and software
2003 Plan of Action exceeds four hundred
and fifty action items
2003 Southeast Coastal Spring Semester
enjoys great success
New Semester Course enrollment mark of
twenty-four students is set in Spring 2003
Eagle View Ranch
works with Dubois schools for second year of team-building
workshops
New Century Scholars programs in Jackson,
Swain, and Macon choose to fund L&S
services
SOAR supports LDANC by publishing Newsbriefs,
the state newsletter
SOAR staff present more than twenty regional,
state, and national workshops
SOAR staff participate in Brehm's
20th Anniversary celebration
Haywood County JCPC eliminates
Haywood Pursuit early intervention services
ASPIRE pursues
Medicaid funding
Celebrate 15 years of Outdoor Classrooms with
Chattanooga Christian School
Plan for new 2004 Specialty Course
in Big Sur region of California
Sailboat is moved to South
Florida for use by Florida Keys programs
Semester Course students
build a log cabin at Eagle View Ranch
2004 SOAR celebrates
20 years at Balsam Base
Currey Ingram Academy expands their
outdoor classroom programs with SOAR
2004 Aspire receives Medicaid
certification
Balsam and EVR are wired for DSL
SOAR secures
Shoshone National Forest Day Ride Permit for Eagle View Ranch
Summer enrollment exceeds 500 students for the
first time
Eagle View Ranch summer enrollment exceeds 100
students
Enclose a pasture area for horse herd at Eagle
View Ranch
SOAR offers its first California program - Big
Sur Specialty Course is a great success
SOAR returns to Costa
Rica
Celebrate 15th Annual Western North Carolina
Symposium on LD and AD/HD
Decision to pursue accreditation
with American Camping Association
2005 SOAR achieves ACA Accreditation
for both Balsam and EVR
Staff begin using Gallup StrengthsQuest
program to highlight talents and strengths
SOAR purchases new
kayaks and kayak trailer
SOAR offers California Standard courses
for the first time and all three courses fill
Create two new
Balsam Base
positions - Logistics Director & Semester
Course Coordinator
Create new Administrative position - Marketing
Director / Assistant Comptroller
Haywood County JCPC resumes
funding Pursuit early intervention services
SOAR completes
certification to conduct in-house lifeguard training and
certification
Eagle View Ranch adds riflery and Mighty Bucky
as program activities
Llama Trek begins programming in Panthertown
with English Mountain Llamas
SOAR sets new summer mark at
557
Aspire moves to Folkmoot Center
Two new specialty
courses add to the brochure - Peru and Wyoming Advanced Horsemanship
Admissions team visits Eagle View Ranch
SOAR
begins Outdoor Classroom programs with Key Learning Center
and Triad Academy
SOAR staff make sixteen presentations at
local, state, national, and international
conferences
SOAR staff exhibit at twelve
regional and national conferences
Balsam is wired for WiFi
and NovaNet Distance Learning System
30th Disctrict court
counselors visit Eagle View Ranch
2006
Ed Kesgen is elected as SOAR’s Board President and Dale
Harris joins the Board
Jonathan and Wandajean announce plans to retire from SOAR in 5 years
Marion Elizabeth Franklin Memorial Playing Field is built at Balsam
Base
Equipment cabin is completed at Eagle View Ranch
SOAR offers the Peruvian Amazon / Andes Adventure for the first time
Eagle View Ranch offers an Advanced Horsemanship Course for the first time
Eagle View Ranch students participate in the Dubois Rodeo
SOAR sets new summer mark of 591 students
Balsam Base is home to the first tree ROPES Course in the U.S. with a continuous
belay
John Willson presents at CHADD International Conference
SOAR website is redesigned
SOAR develops on-line registration capability
SOAR sets new Semester Course mark of 44
Aspire endorsed by the LME & adds Community Support & Diagnostic Assessment
services
Aspire certified as a North Carolina Non-Public School
Pursuit Program Handbook developed
Decision made to field two Southeast Coastal Semester Course teams for Spring
2007
2007
SOAR celebrates its 30th Anniversary
First Westmark Outdoor Classroom conducted in the Florida Keys
Balsam Base Semester Program certified as a North Carolina Non-Public School
Director of Marketing position created
New semester cabin constructed at Balsam Base
Decision made to run all semester programming out of Balsam Base
Decision made for Aspire to become it’s own organizational entity
2008
Complete conversion of Duplex to Semester Course School House
SOAR is Re-Accredited by American Camp Association
Aspire launches as its own organizational entity
All Semester Programs consolidated to Balsam Base
First NC Whitewater Intensive Course conducted
First WY Rock Climbing Intensive Course conducted
Decision made to add 18-Day Northern California Course for Summer 2009
Decision made to collapse NC & FL courses into 4 sessions beginning Summer 2009
SOAR receives donation for canoes and trailer for Balsam Base
SOAR receives donation for five Frisbee golf baskets for Balsam Base
Decision made to utilize Vanguard School as the site for new FL traditional summer camp
courses
Decision made to eliminate all SOAR weekends, except Family Weekend
First Chatham Academy Outdoor Classroom hosted in Savannah, GA
