Risk Philosophy

Oregon Episcopal School Outdoor / Experiential Education Risk Philosophy

As a school grounded in inquiry-based learning, and as part of our larger mission to foster students’ growth,  OES engages students and adults with communities and environments beyond OES. In part through these experiences, we acquire confidence to try new endeavors, resilience to overcome hardship, and an appreciation for the Pacific Northwest and other environments.

OES brings students into situations and environments of challenge, unfamiliarity, and risk because we believe these experiences foster intellectual, physical, social, emotional, artistic, and spiritual growth. We take students away from what is comfortable and familiar to help them to establish a sense of place in the Pacific Northwest and develop our essential competencies. We recognize that the world is filled with real risk and that we cannot and should not remove all risk. Our goal is to identify, educate about, and then mitigate risk, so as to allow students to fully benefit from these experiences and reap the rewards from them.

Rewards come in the form of strengthening community bonds and building connections through shared experiences. When students and adults collaborate, demonstrate empathy, create lasting memories, and support their peers, our collective potential is more fully realized. When that joy is further shared with parents and staff, our community becomes even stronger-- and we can use our power for good to make the world more just and equitable.

Finally, we seek to nurture understanding of complex and connected environments. When students cherish a place, and when they find a connection to it, they will actively steward these resources. Being environmentally aware and acting sustainably are both shared ideals and an active commitment at OES.