DANFORTH, Maine — Students from East Grand School’s outdoor education class recently spent an afternoon teaching medical students the basics of rock climbing and belaying.
The event was arranged by the Sunrise Health Coalition as part of their Cultural Immersion program, which helps medical personnel experience life in Rural Maine and thereby gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of Maine’s rural population.
UNE medical students had the opportunity to shadow doctors at the clinic in Princeton, observe heavy logging equipment in action, and finish the day rock climbing at East Grand School.
Under the watchful eye of instructors Dave Conley and Tammi Matula, OE students took the lead in teaching their guests the basics of rock climbing. The UNE med students learned to properly secure their safety harnesses, how to make their way up the rock wall, and the basics of safety belaying.
“Belaying is an integral part of rock climbing, which involves controlling the climber’s descent by means of a rope and pulley system attached to the climber’s safety harness,” explained Michael LaReaux, a teacher at East Grand.
When the climbing was done, East Grand’s students got a chance to talk with the medical students in an informal debriefing session. Along with discussing their experience on the rock wall, the medical students shared information on life at medical school, and gave their young instructors advice on achieving their goals once they leave East Grand.
“The experience was overwhelmingly positive on both sides,” LaReaux said. “Each group of students left with a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around them.”
East Grand School is committed to enriching the lives of its students through experiential learning, and the Outdoor Education Program continues to spread that message through community service.
