North Carolina Expedition:

This course was developed with suggestions and recommendations of parents and students. We created a course which is eighteen days in length and provides enhanced outdoor skills training, along with new adventure experiences. Students will experience both High and Low Ropes challenges, a variety of rock climbs, an extended backpacking trip, a caving experience, and an opportunity to learn the basics of guiding rafts while on white water rivers.The course begins at Balsam Base with a focus on developing a sense of team and trust within the group. The ropes course is their first stop for adventure. Utilizing new found map and compass skills, along with planning/organizational methods, students are given the opportunity to plan and implement their own backpacking trip in either the Great Smokie Mountain National Park or Pisgah National Forest.

As they return from backpacking, students test their individual limits at a variety of rock climbing routes throughout Pisgah National Forest. In addition, they experience the impact of the individual upon the group as they mountain bike through Dupont State Park. Upon completion of their above-ground explorations, students travel to Worley's Cave in Tennessee where they learn about geology and explore the depths of a "wild" cave.

Next on the agenda, students will have a chance to learn about Water Morphology (the study of swift water movement) as they raft down the Nantahala River. Just around the corner waits another rafting trip on the Ocoee river in Tennessee (Site of the whitewater venue for the 1996 Summer Olympics). The course concludes with an amazing experience in Gee Creek, Tennessee, as the students complete their climbing and caving adventures.

For more information on Balsam, NC
http://www.haywood-nc.com/

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Philosophy: SOAR believes all individuals identified with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit disorder (AD/HD) possess inherent talents and gifts. These abilities can mean incredible success in adulthood once these students negotiate the challenging obstacles of childhood, adolescence, and a traditional education system, usually unable to respond to individual learning styles.

Therefore, the SOAR model is based on two fundamental principles. First, youth with LD and AD/HD flourish when they are encouraged to focus on their strengths in an experiential setting. The second principle acknowledges that success can be generalized by encouraging our students to develop and utilize strategies, enabling them to compensate for those challenging characteristics of LD and AD/HD. To this end, SOAR staff strive to ensure success for each student across a wide range of experiences. Such success, in turn, builds essential self-esteem and self-confidence.

Based on these two foundations, SOAR participants develop problem solving skills, effective communication strategies, increased self-awareness, and social skills. Program activities include a broad base of wilderness adventure experiences that empower students to make healthy choices, learn more about themselves, overcome challenges, and establish relevance from these experiences to other aspects of their life.

SOAR's Specialty Courses are open to SOAR alumni and students with the maturity and experience level to be successful on the course. Acceptance is conditional on the approval of the course director. Most specialty courses are led by one of SOAR's year-round staff including Richard Peters, John Willson and Joe Geier.

SOAR’s programs are designed to allow students the opportunity to increase their independence while away from home. Independence is gained through self-motivation and life skills instruction. With this in mind, we involve our students in many decision making processes, such as setting individual goals, developing group guidelines, as well as trip and meal planning. This also comes into consideration when developing SOAR’s communication policy, detailed in our Parent Handbook.

SOAR is dedicated to serving the needs of individuals with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit disorder (AD/HD) and is proud to be the finest:

LD Summer Camp and ADD / ADHD Adventure Summer Camp