Community

The semesterlong OA experience fosters meaningful relationships between students, creating a tight-knit community and lifelong friendships. We provide a strong, nurturing environment where everyone is treated equally with respect, honor and compassion. Each OA student is vital to the community and responsible for completing daily tasks that keep the school running smoothly. Students and staff work side-by-side to gather firewood, maintain trails, harvest vegetables and prepare meals.

The Outdoor Academy houses students in winterized, wood-heated cabins, all with indoor plumbing and hot showers. Each student has a bed and several shelves for storage. A resident lives in each dorm and is responsible for students throughout the night and on weekends.

Morning Watch

Each morning before dawn, students gather in silence in front of the Sun Lodge. Spacing themselves a few yards apart, they hike to the top of our campus’ ridge line, and together they watch the sun rise. This is how students and staff greet the day and come together as a group each morning. Previous students have considered this to be one of the most special bonding times they have at OA.

Daily Schedule

Students have time every day to participate in a number of activities aside from classes, allowing them to further develop personal skills or interests, or to take advantage of OA’s natural resources. Popular options include swimming or paddling on the lake, playing tennis, practicing skills on the climbing wall or playing group games such as Ultimate Frisbee. Our surrounding cities, Brevard and Asheville, provide cultural opportunities such as art festivals for students to enjoy. Students often organize their own music gatherings and performances.

Work Crew

We believe a community is best supported and maintained when all members - students and faculty - actively participate in the numerous ongoing daily and seasonal jobs. We work together to maintain our land and facilities. Students begin each day with a daily chore, such as sweeping the cabin or picking up the school laundry. Time is dedicated each week to larger projects, such as splitting firewood or working at a local farm.

Meals

At The Outdoor Academy, we believe that healthy foods are a cornerstone to a healthy lifestyle.

Students work with a chef to prepare food for every meal, and dine on meals prepared with fresh meats and dairy products, and natural and organically grown produce such as garden-fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unrefined sugar, honey and olive oil. All OA meals are wholesome, low in sodium and fat, and desserts are served in moderation. All students participate in setting tables, preparing meals, cleanup and composting. Vegetarian, vegan and other special diets are available upon request at each meal.

Student Responsibility

Living in a small school community requires everyone to be thoughtful and caring in their words and actions.

Outdoor Academy students balance their preferences as individuals with their responsibilities as members of a group. Over the years, the school has promoted individual initiative and opportunity while also expecting students to consider consequences on individual and group levels. Trust, honesty and accountability are basic expectations of daily life at OA.

Building a community in which members actively participate is a significant part of our program. Our code of ethics calls for behavior that is respectful, kind, compassionate and tolerant. Students are expected to demonstrate diligence, integrity and self-determination in their academic work. Any serious breach of these expectations, specifically incidents such as cheating, plagiarism, dishonesty or harassment, will result in dismissal from the school. Policies are clearly outlined in the student and parent manuals.

Dress and Appearance Codes