AdvenChair Levels the Playing Field for Outdoor School Students
Graham, an Outdoor School student, participates in everything he wants to do thanks to the AdvenChair hiking chair
For more than 60 years, Oregon’s outdoor schools have offered life-changing educational experiences, allowing 5th and 6th graders to immerse themselves in hands-on science projects in the wild. For children with disabilities, however, trails and rugged terrain have always made participation an uphill battle, if not utterly impossible.
But thanks to AdvenChair, the pathways to outdoor learning are now wide open for every student at the Northwest Outdoor Science School (NWOSS).
“We are so grateful for our partnership with AdvenChair,” said Akari Jensen, Principal of NWOSS. “We have been able to provide access for at least ten different students this school year for reasons spanning from a physical disability to injury-related mobility issues.
"Having the AdvenChair on hand not only allowed all of these students to participate in the hiking, games, and field-based science activities, but to build connections and camaraderie with fellow students and staff members." The AdvenChair team was instrumental in helping the school make the most of the chair.
“The AdvenChair team made our entire staff feel more prepared to meet our students’ needs, as well as to be advocates for disability justice in our own lives. They led trainings with our staff and are always available to help us when we have questions about the AdvenChair. Outdoor School would not be as accessible without them!”
Principal Jensen also reports that AdvenChair is very easy for staff members to use, adjust and maneuver. And Geoff is there every step of the way when they have questions.
“Not only that,” Jensen says, “Geoff occasionally came up to the Portland area from Bend to meet directly with students who would need to be fitted for the chair in advance of their week at Outdoor School. The impact of this was palpable. I watched these students see themselves in Geoff and realize that their disability is not a barrier to doing amazing things.”
