Cooking & Nutrition - AC2 Group - Expedition #1

Words & Photos from Zephyr F.

We began our first day by rushing towards the Barnacle house kitchen. After a quick introduction, we learned how to prep and cut vegetables (after thoroughly washing our hands, of course). We packaged an assortment of tomatoes, roasted peppers, roasted yams and other veggies. We learned how to make turkey meatballs and three different ways to fry and prepare potatoes. We stopped only to participate in an animated game of foosball before continuing to cook. We were taught how to make chia pudding and nutrition bars for a healthy snack. Three members of our group also learned how to make over night oats with berries, honey and coconut. By the end of the first day, our food was prepped and ready for the morning, where we would begin to organize and make three separate meals.

Bright and early the next morning, we set out our containers of food and began making french toast with homemade butter, berry syrup and caramel sauce. Once we had finished cooking, we unpacked our overnight oats and took a break to eat a snack. For lunch, we all got to make a number of different foods such as peanut curry, wraps with chicken, egg rice and fried noodles. Before we could eat all this food, we took a quick walk outside to enjoy the warm sunny weather and talk about what we wanted to make for our final meal. We decided on rice paper wraps with an assortment of of vegetables and the remaining meats. We learned three different techniques in soaking the rice paper and decided on which one worked most effectively. We were left with bags of nuts and caramel and decided to make peanut butter to try alongside our chocolate chia pudding.

To end the day, we brought samples of our food to the other cooking group, and let them guess what we had made with their eyes closed. A highlight was definitely watching them attempt to guess what simple foods that we had set in front of them. Overall, it was a highly educational two days, where we learn how to make easy homemade foods and formed lasting friendships.

Guitar Making - Expedition #1

Words & Photos by Anna A.

During our two fascinating and adventurous days of guitar making we learnt about the different types of electric guitars and how the unique tones shape each guitar's soul and their way of communicating music to the world. On our first day our instructors, Trevor and Travis, guided us through the different shapes of guitar and the differences between telecasters and stratocasters and then left the final decision to us on choosing between those two. After the decision was made, we finally got our hands on the wood and carved our guitar bodies. We then hammered the frets in the neck of the guitar and continued shaping the body.

On our second day we talked about the type of pickup/ tone we wanted our guitars to have with our instructors along with their final color as well. We then learnt about the physics behind it and had a brief history session on guitars. We were then left with the question: “To bevel or not to bevel” which really depends on what you want your guitar to look and feel like. It was a very enriching experience as we learnt how to work with different tools and applied our math skills to a very joyful project such as this. Our instructors were very caring and patient. I’m looking forward to next month's sessions on guitar making and can't wait to get together with my group again! The atmosphere is quite dynamic and the creativity and uniqueness in everyone's work makes it much more fun! It definitely is the highlight of my grade 10 at SMUS.

Sailing the Salish Sea Cohort - Expedition #3

Words & Photos - Ava G. & Jason L.

Our third expedition day started in the classroom with Mr. Kerr, learning to read charts. We used dividers and protractors to plot exact locations using latitude and longitude as well as degrees relevant to other landmarks. We also tested our knot tying skills, creating reef knots, sheet bends, round turns and two half hitches, finally attempting to tie bowline knots behind our backs. We all look forward to putting these skills to use during our final sailing expedition.

In the second half of our day we went whale watching with Eagle Wing tours. The skies were grey and misting, but thankfully it didn’t rain for our three hour tour. The boat was a large catamaran with plenty of outside space as well as a cozy, indoor compartment. Just as we were leaving Fisherman’s Wharf, the captain received a radio transmission about whales nearby. Within fifteen minutes, we found a pair of humpback whales feeding in a bay. We watched as they surfaced between dives for krill. It was really incredible to see these massive animals up close as they gracefully navigated the waters despite their grand size. The crew on the boat were quite excited about one of the humpbacks, as it was a juvenile they hadn’t identified before. After following them for some time, we changed directions and went south, further into the Juan de Fuca Strait. We were looking for pods of orcas. Although we didn’t find any, it was really fun to look at Victoria and the island from our unique perspective. On our way back, we went along the coastline, waving at hikers along the East Sooke Park trail. Our last stop was Race Rocks, a cluster of islands just off the the southernmost tip of the island. There we saw Harbour seals, California sea lions and Steller sea lions. Overall, the day was really eye opening and we learned a lot on and off the water. 

Fly Fishing Cohort - Expedition #3

Words & Photos: Hemmesh P.

For day 3 of the Fly Fishing Cohort we went out to a trout hatchery in Duncan where we learned how they made the fish that they spawn triploids instead of diploids. We saw all of the mechanisms that they used to feed the fish, how they remove the waste from the water, and how they re-oxygenate the water. This was a very informative part of the day which allowed us to explore behind the scenes of the fishing industry and think about topics relating to sustainability of the fish in our rivers.

Afterwards we went for lunch and then went to the Cowichan River. We were going to fish if the water wasn’t too high but it was about 2 feet above the bank so we walked for a bit, learned a little about the types of salmon and the types of flys and rods we should use for the salmon. We learned from our guide, Ian Muirhead, about the river ecosystems we will be exploring for the rest of the year in the cohort.

School Grounds Coffee Company - Expedition #3

Words & Photos: Malik S.

After much anticipation and waiting, The Grade 10 Experiential Program day 3 was finally here. Day 3 began with the School Grounds Coffee Cohort ride-sharing with our pals from the Sports Analytics Cohort to get downtown to the Victoria public market at the Hudson, in a sustainable fashion. 

Debriefing for the day was kicked off in the funky and fun but under utilized Hudson Market, where the cohort was split into four groups, all tasked with taking to the streets of Victoria and doing some market research and competition scouting on 4 different cafes each. Each of the four carefully selected cafes for each group was chosen to indulge us students in the greatest variety of coffee and cafe experiences Victoria has to offer. Each student from each group was given one particular cafe they would do an in-depth analysis on. 

Countless cups of coffee and plates of baked goods later, the Cohort reconvened in the public market, where we set about sharing our findings from the day. While gathering our thoughts, as well as potential ideas we could poach, we simultaneously indulged ourselves in a delicious meal of our choosing from the market. 

Once the words were spoken and bellies filled, we filled back on to the school bus to journey to Level Ground Coffee roasters, the largest coffee roasters on Vancouver Island. 

At Level Ground, we were welcomed by one of the founders, Stacey, and he gave us a fantastic tour of their facilities. We started in the offices, moved to the cupping rooms, then the loading bay, packing area, and roasting facilities. It was a great learning experience and we got to ask lots of questions and go behind the scenes of a large scale coffee roaster.

Stacey finished off the one of a kind experience with an engaging and inspiring presentation that dived into the sustainability aspects of the business, and how Level Ground became a carbon-neutral large coffee roaster. The presentation also allowed for us interested in business to engage in conversation with Stacey about the commercial side of things.

Overall, the day was a lot of fun and an experience we can learn and take from in the future, one we certainly won’t forget. This experience has helped propel School Grounds to new levels, which you will soon get to see for yourselves.

Ridgelines & Coastlines: Hiking - Expedition #3

Words and Photos - Fabian S.

We started our day early in the morning. At 5:15. We met at Crothall and went by bus to Mount Washington. We were on the bus for about three hours and slept mostly. When we arrived we got our skis and poles. Then we had to wait for about 30 minutes until the lifts started. Then we all got divided into groups and went skiing or snowboarding with a guide. We skied the whole morning with them. Then we had lunch which was really good and after that we went skiing again, but this time without the guide. We had a lot of fun in the snow and had a fabulous skiday. At about 3:30 pm we left again and went to SMUS again. We played games on the bus and talked very much. The day was one of the best days in our cohort.

Ridgelines & Coastlines: Paddling - Expedition #3

Words and Photos from Owen V.

The third expedition day for the Coastlines To Ridgelines paddling began with a terribly familiar sound, that is my alarm. To be more specific, my alarm set for 4:20 am. We were to meet at Crothall for 5:15 and be leaving by 5:30, with the goal of making it to the mountain by roughly 8:30. After 3 hours of excruciatingly early bus riding we arrived at the mountain and were split into our lesson groups. From there we made our way down to the rental building and excitedly found our equipment. Upon getting fully geared up we headed out to the slopes only to realize, as beginner snowboarders, that we were in over our heads. 5 minutes of questionable technique and splendid falls later our instructor, Api, arrived. We then made it down to the “magic carpet” where in Api was able to work with us one on one, identifying our most basic technique flaws, of which there were many. Upon the completion of our hour and a half lesson  we were set free to stumble our way down the mountain in whichever way we saw fit. Roughly two hours later we made a quick stop for lunch and to check in with the chaperones. The afternoon was full of more falls, beautiful blue skies, and ultimately a complete crash in everyone's energy for the bus ride home. All in all the day was a complete success, and a pleasant shift from the otherwise paddling based cohort.

Sports Analytics - Expedition #3

Words & Photos from Jonathan N.

"Our enthusiastic crew was filled with excitement (Riley's smile tells us all!) coming into our third Experiential day of the year, which we were announced that we would learn more about how to work with Excel effectively to analyze different sports.

We were very fortunate to have a working space in Downtown Victoria, which was different from the last two Experiential days when we mostly worked at the school. The plan for the day was to look at several basketball players and teams. The highlight of our day was analyzing the statistics of an NBA legend who we recently lost in a helicopter crash, Kobe Bryant. Kobe was not only my favorite player growing up but he was also my role model, whose actions inspired me to work hard every day. Rest in peace, Kobe, Gianna and the victims in that helicopter crash. You will be missed! 

Mr. Geddes and Mr. Bates showed us some basic Excel skills to calculate the average of Kobe's different aspects of his game, including Points Per Game, Free Throw Percentages, etc. According to these numbers, it is certain that he was dominating the game at his prime. However, with Kobe's free throw percentages of 83.7%, Mr. Geddes made an interesting assumption that if Kobe was more efficient with his free throws, particularly above 90%, he could potentially surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leading scorer. With sports analytics, we could have a deeper insight into the way players play the game. 

We ended our day by predicting the brackets of the upcoming NCAA March Madness based on the previous year's results. We were divided into 4 groups, representing four regions in the tournament. Our group was assigned to Eastern teams, which are considered the best in the US. Accordingly and surprisingly, we predicted that Liberty would have the best chances to make the Final Four. We really look forward to the tournament to see if our predictions are accurate.

Today gave us a different perception of how statistics can really change the sports industries."

Writing & Visual Art: One Wild and Precious Life - Expedition #3

Words and Photos from Anya N. & Maheq B.

We started the day by driving out to Mary Lake. There was a small house that we borrowed out and we went inside to get to work. After looking around for a little bit, we got ready to do some landscape collaging. But before that we decided to have ten minutes of silence while listening to some nature music. This helped us to relax our bodies and our minds. After that we looked at an artists work of collaging and saw his techniques. We discussed the importance of space, and different shades. We started collaging while using what we saw from the lake. After having a snack, we got back to work and continued our collaging until lunch. After lunch, we cleaned up and started with some creative writing. This time we each got a dictionary and flipped to a random page and picked three words. We did this five times so we had at least had fifteen words when we finished. Then we just had time to write whatever came to mind using these words we found. After twenty minutes of writing we put all our work into a bag and everyone picked one to read out. It was amazing to see what people came up with from just flipping a page in a dictionary. We did this again, but unfortunately ran out of time so we couldn’t share our work. However, we all had a fun and relaxing day spent at Mary Lake.

Clay & Glass Fusion - Expedition #3

Words and Photos from Sam M.

On our third expedition day of Clay and Glass Fusion, we marched upstairs to the Art Room where we were joined by Ms. Cecil who guided us through the process. of creating pottery without the use of a wheel. We started off our adventure by first glazing all our pieces that we made on our first expedition to the pottery studio. Once all the pieces were carefully glazed with love they would be left to dry for a few days and would soon be fired in a kiln to let the glaze completely melt onto our pieces.

Afterwards we were on a new mission of creating pinch pot animals to accompany pieces. During the process Ms. Cecil demonstrated to us how create pinch pots by forming a sphere and poking a hole in it while pinching the edges. Each of us were at liberty to craft our own creations and pieces even when above and beyond in delivering their creativity. 

Soon after we finished our lunch break around noon, we embarked on yet another quest of created textured slabs and coiled pots. While these pieces may seem plain and simple with a little bit of imagination they were crafted into beautiful works of art.

I think today was a good day for all of us because it gave us a chance to test our creative spirits as well as a comfortable environment that let us talk to people we usually do not get to see in a normal school day.

Singers, Songwriters & Bands - Expedition #3

Words and Photos- Alana N.

Today was a day to focus on writing and sharing  authentic, and original songs.

We had a lovely guest for the day, Anne, an avid songwriter. She helped us first thing in the morning, to get a boost into the world of songwriting. We sat in a circle and all had to write everything we thought of for lyrics, without stopping our pen from moving. Even just from a small activity, people who had never song written were creating lyrics. She showed us how to build off one idea to another as well as add melody, as well as a harmony. We broke off into groups of three or four and gave group writing a chance. We collaborated using each other's unique skills to create an original piece. We shared the songs to our whole cohort and it was a huge success! In under an hour all the groups had gotten a solid foundation for an amazing song and were contributing to a collaborative songwriting experience. After lunch we split into smaller groups of two or three. We were inspired by Anne’s suggestion to write a song channeled around an emotion. By the end of the day, after a few hours of composing, trial and error, we had four songs with great potential. The special thing was all the songs were so different from the next, and were inspired by a different emotion. This was an extremely productive day, and I can positively say there is so much potential for our original songs to come!

Sustainable Oceans: The World is Your Oyster - Expedition #3

Words and Photos from Diego D.

Our third journey in World is Your Oyster: Sustainable Oceans cohort was informational and relaxed.  We began the day at early in the morning with a long and twisty two-and-a-half-hour car ride to the VIU Deep Bay Marine Field Station, a facility for shellfish research, operated by Vancouver Island University. The weather was showery and cloudy, making the voyage just another car ride in rural BC. Us students, maximized the opportunity to sleep and we did so in a manner that the only noise present was the fuzzy radio audio. Upon arrival, we admired the modern cylindrical design of the station and were greeted by a friendly lady who was beneath a giant skeleton of a grey whale calf that was hanging from the ceiling. The skeleton nearly the length of the entire facility! She guided us to a laboratory-like classroom and briefly outlined our day as we ate our lunches. We first acknowledged the size of grey whale and were informed about the homologous structures that both humans and whales share. We then were guided to the algae growing area, where university students breed and keep track of several algae species native to BC. The scenery was like that of mad scientist laboratory with several kinds of algae solutions ranging from bright yellow, neon green, and burgundy red. Afterwards, we observed the growing centers for the youth oysters. The tour guide, Breanna, then explained that the oyster industry in Canada is focused on making the environment a priority rather than their revenue considering the amount of money needed to care for one seed when the mortality is nearly 95 percent is extremely high. In addition, she explained that the oyster seeds, which appear like gravel, will spend one year inside their “growth barrels” and then be released into their monitored hatcheries in the water. There were dozens of barrels each with exactly 250,000 baby oysters each. In fact, the hatchery compound is the fourth biggest as well as the lead provider for seeds to all other oyster hatcheries in Canada. After seeing all the different rooms and learning about what happens behind the scenes of raising oysters, we went down to touch tanks, which were on the final floor of the three-story building.

The architecture of the entire building was fascinating and at any moment one could look up and observe the humongous grey whale skeleton. We then observed and touched crabs, sea stars, anemones, and sea cucumbers. After a few minutes of respectfully poking at sea life, we were instructed how to safely shuck an oyster. The fun facts told to us were unbelievable. For example, once a year hundreds of contestants travel to BC from all over the world in order to attempt to break the oyster shucking record of 200 oysters in 10 minutes. Furthermore, we learned how to identify different organs within the oyster and their significance. Unfortunately, we did not consume any shellfish, but the wildlife in the touch tanks did. In fact, several hermit crabs would compete to obtain the slightest bite of oyster. At the end, we learned to appreciate marine wildlife even more and the baby steps needed to ensure the success of a business while keeping the environment as the number one priority. We also made sure to thank Mr. French for the long drive to the facility and back. All in all, a very fun and unique experience.

Fashion Design & Industry - Expedition #3

Words and Photos from Devon O. & Owen S.

We began our day at derby, eager to meet with our cohort once again. We started by watching videos covering the destruction of the fast fashion industry and the damage it causes the environment. Following the videos, we had a discussion on sustainability. We learned ways we can repurpose and reuse our old clothing, rather than throwing it out. The main method we learned today was called Sashiko, which is a decorative form of repairing holes or rips in clothing by embroidering. We practiced this skill all morning on scrap fabric, mending the distressed pieces. We also reworked old tee shirts by cutting long, thin strips of the fabric, and then weaving them into friendship bracelets! Soon enough, it was lunchtime and we took a break to enjoy a meal with friends.

In the afternoon, we welcomed Caitlin French, an artist based out of East Vancouver who came to give us a workshop on natural dyes. We learned about the origins of many natural dyes, and how popular colours such as purple and red came from Central America. After passing out samples of five different, vibrant colours, Caitlin discussed what natural materials were used and the complicated process to create such colours. We extended our conversation on the fashion industry and sustainability, discussing the importance of taking care of the land when cultivating natural dye materials. Caitlin showed us how she dyed pieces of wool with marigold flower. We learned that rusted metal “saddens” (a dye term for darkening a colour) the yellow fabric to a green. Towards the end of the day, we went outside derby and looked on the ground for pieces of rusted metal that we could use to make prints on the pieces of fabric Caitlin had left with us. In our next meeting, we will certainly use those pieces of metal to create original prints. We had an incredible and educational day, setting us up for our own future endeavours in natural dyeing, and helping us to think of methods we will be able to use in our own fashion designs at the end of the year.