One of the main aspects of this program is the educational component. How I share this experience with my students is very important. I decided that the best way to start was to have my students go through some of the same training that I experienced in Alaska. I wanted to have my students feel like they were going to Antarctica themselves. I described many of the things that we learned about surviving in the wilderness. We discussed what the trainer called the "Rule of Threes". You can go 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food, and 3 months without companionship. The students were then asked a series of questions about hypothetical situations to see how they would handle different crises. It was interesting to see what choices they would make when faced with life and death situations.
We talked about what you should do when you are in the wilderness and something happens. The first thing is to prioritize what needs to be done. You then need to determine if there are any hazards that must be dealt with such as an avalanche or a wild animal. The next thing you deal with would be any injuries. It is always a good idea to take a CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation class as well as a first aid course. It is now time to find or make a shelter from the wind, water, and cold. You also will need some type of heat. You can either make it yourself by exercising or you can start a fire with something. You will also need energy in the form of water and food. You can collect and purify water and search for food. Next you need to try to find a way to let the world know where you are so that you can be rescued. The last thing you need to do is rest.
I decided that it would be fun to have the students do one of the activities that we had done during our wilderness training. It involved using a large trash bag to make a poncho to protect yourself from the elements. The students had a good time and put their own spin on the activity.
These are my students doing their version of wilderness training. From left : Sharon, Jasmine, Antonio, Michael (inside bag), Garon, Wayne (inside bag), Rashad, and DeQuires.
It turned out that our training was not just for class. This past week several tornados landed in our area. This is not something that usually happens in the Hampton Roads area. We are more likely to get a hurricane because of the fact that we are surrounded by water. Luckily all of our students and staff were spared any of the tragedy. However, most of my students were home when the tornados landed and experienced first-hand what it felt like to deal with a crisis situation. They all handled themselves well and I am very proud of each and every one of them.
I have been to see the area that was hit hardest by the tornados. As bad as it looks on the television and in the newspapers, it looks even worse in person. I was amazed at the amount of destruction that was done in a matter of minutes. It made me realize that things can change quickly and that I need to remember to take all of this training seriously. Antarctica is an amazingly beautiful place that deserves to be respected. I appreciate all of the time and expertise that is being shared with me and I promise to put it to good use.
I'd like to share a picture that was taken by my principal, Chris Nierman, the day after the tornados landed. This is a picture of a variety store in Driver, Virginia, which was the hardest hit area. There were over 145 homes and businesses destroyed and over 1200 more were damaged and yet no one was killed or even seriously injured. Everyone here agrees that this area is truly blessed. Looking at the picture you realize just how true this statement is.
A variety store in Driver, Virginia that was hit by a tornado on April 28, 2008.
The tornado did have an effect on us. We had planned a field trip to a local museum to see an exhibit on remotely operated vehicles or ROV's. This is the first step in our process to build our own underwater ROV. However, the aftermath of the tornado caused school to be closed on the same day as our field trip. You don't have to worry because we have rescheduled our field trip for next week. We will get right back on track to build our ROV and I will of course keep you posted on all of the details.