News
Beyond the Gates connects to place
“Place” is an important concept at Shawnigan, as we often give consideration to our location and its relevance to Vancouver Island, Canada, and the rest of the world, and our Beyond the Gates program for Grade 9 students is a big part of our efforts to do that. On Wednesday, the program took all 89 Grade 9 students to locations around the Shawnigan Lake area to learn more about the unique part of the world where we live and put it in a larger context.
Divided into three groups, the students rotated through three sites: the Kinsol Trestle, the Shawnigan Lake Museum, and West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park, making observations and relating them to the five themes of geography: location, place, region, movement, and human environment interaction, which are part of the Social Studies 9 curriculum.
The Kinsol Trestle is located in the Koksilah River valley, a 7km drive west of the School. At 44m (144 feet) high and 188m (617 feet) long, it is the largest wooden trestle in the Commonwealth, and one of the tallest free-standing wooden structures in the world. Students didn’t need to worry about dodging trains, as the trestle has not been used for railway traffic since 1979. It underwent extensive restoration beginning in 2007 and reopened to the public in 2011, becoming a major tourist attraction in the region. During their visit, students walked to the bridge and across it, and described it within the context of the five themes.
The Shawnigan Lake Museum is located in Shawnigan Lake village, just over 1km east of the School, and it shares the history of the Shawnigan Lake area. At the museum, the curators and docents provided an overview of the history of the Kinsol Trestle, and students engaged in the hands-on learning opportunities throughout the museum such as using a pulley system to mimic the machines used to haul heavy logs to build the structure at such a great height. Interacting with typewriters, rotary phones, telegrams machines, and record players, the students brought some of these artifacts to life.
Ms. Emily Coolidge, the Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education, who is heading up many of the BTG initiatives this year, made a conscious effort to have the students work with the broader community, which took place at West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park, alongside the geographical component of the exercise.
“Because it is December and the season of giving, we wanted to incorporate some service into Beyond the Gates,” Ms. Coolidge explained.
West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park is a 6km drive from the School, around the west side of the lake (as its name implies), and is best-known at the School as the base for the Shawnigan Regatta each spring. Here, students worked with the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Connections Society, which links members of the wider community to elders from Cowichan Tribes, one of the local First Nations. As part of the QCCS’s Xpey’ (western red cedar) Restoration and Protection project, three guardians gave the students an introduction to the cultural significance of xpey’ and how planting xpey’ is an act of reconciliation with the land by honouring the lives of children and generations lost due to colonization. They planted xpey’ (western red cedar) saplings and learned as much as they could about place in a limited time at the park, while also giving back to the land with reciprocity.
“Some students were so excited about their cedar planting that they asked to visit West Shawnigan Lake park again to check on their saplings. It’s those kinds of experiences that help students connect to this place and create unforgettable memories,” recalled Ms. Coolidge.
The Kinsol Trestle is located in the Koksilah River valley, a 7km drive west of the School. At 44m (144 feet) high and 188m (617 feet) long, it is the largest wooden trestle in the Commonwealth, and one of the tallest free-standing wooden structures in the world. Students didn’t need to worry about dodging trains, as the trestle has not been used for railway traffic since 1979. It underwent extensive restoration beginning in 2007 and reopened to the public in 2011, becoming a major tourist attraction in the region. During their visit, students walked to the bridge and across it, and described it within the context of the five themes.
The Shawnigan Lake Museum is located in Shawnigan Lake village, just over 1km east of the School, and it shares the history of the Shawnigan Lake area. At the museum, the curators and docents provided an overview of the history of the Kinsol Trestle, and students engaged in the hands-on learning opportunities throughout the museum such as using a pulley system to mimic the machines used to haul heavy logs to build the structure at such a great height. Interacting with typewriters, rotary phones, telegrams machines, and record players, the students brought some of these artifacts to life.
Ms. Emily Coolidge, the Heimbecker Inspiration Chair for Experiential Education, who is heading up many of the BTG initiatives this year, made a conscious effort to have the students work with the broader community, which took place at West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park, alongside the geographical component of the exercise.
“Because it is December and the season of giving, we wanted to incorporate some service into Beyond the Gates,” Ms. Coolidge explained.
West Shawnigan Lake Provincial Park is a 6km drive from the School, around the west side of the lake (as its name implies), and is best-known at the School as the base for the Shawnigan Regatta each spring. Here, students worked with the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Connections Society, which links members of the wider community to elders from Cowichan Tribes, one of the local First Nations. As part of the QCCS’s Xpey’ (western red cedar) Restoration and Protection project, three guardians gave the students an introduction to the cultural significance of xpey’ and how planting xpey’ is an act of reconciliation with the land by honouring the lives of children and generations lost due to colonization. They planted xpey’ (western red cedar) saplings and learned as much as they could about place in a limited time at the park, while also giving back to the land with reciprocity.
“Some students were so excited about their cedar planting that they asked to visit West Shawnigan Lake park again to check on their saplings. It’s those kinds of experiences that help students connect to this place and create unforgettable memories,” recalled Ms. Coolidge.
We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.
Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful Pacific Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
