Program Mission

The SoVTA Winter Adventure Program is an educational program on focused on introducing students between the ages or 7-14 to responsible backcountry and trail usage as a means to promote healthy lifestyles. The program is free of charge for students living in Dover.  SoVTA collaborates with local organizations and schools to serve participants with limited resources and limited access to winter sports opportunities. This program empowers Vermont youth to enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle during the winter. We hope that The Winter Adventure Program participants will develop a lifelong affinity for outdoor recreation and the natural areas of Dover while continuing to recreate with friends, family, and community members.

The primary goal is to expose youth to winter recreation, particularly those who might not otherwise have the opportunity.  Through the Adventure Program, we aim to help young people:

• Explore new types of healthy, affordable physical activity to help combat growing obesity trends
• Have fun while learning new activities
• Develop awareness of and enthusiasm for lifetime winter sports
• Engage with the unique history and ecology of this region
• Learn to be comfortable and warm exploring outside in winter
• Encourage their parents to get out and learn a new winter activity.

Structure of Program

This curriculum is a 3-hour program that takes place throughout eleven once-per-week sessions. The program is developed for ages 8-14 and will start January 15. The weekly programs will take place at different locations around the area. Parents/Chaperones will be responsible for providing transpiration to and from the meeting locations. Part of each session is devoted to a skills lesson, but the majority of time will be spent out moving in the woods.

Each day of the program starts with an opening circle where introductions can be made and participants can learn about the schedule for the day.  Most days this is followed by a warm-up game outside, a skills instruction and group adventure period, time to practice skills learned, and closing circle where the skills learned from the adventure will be reviewed. Snack will be provided for the children halfway through the program day.