Leadership and Outdoor Education

UTS’ annual outdoor education events are the core of its Leadership Program. The program is vital to UTS’ commitment to producing tomorrow’s leaders. UTS employs ALIVE Outdoors, a leading experiential education organization, to coordinate and facilitate both onsite leadership workshops and outdoor activities at Camp Wanakita, Camp Weldon and Pioneer Camp.

F1 & S6 YMCA Geneva Park

Located near Orillia, YMCA Geneva Park plays host to an overnight trip for F1 and S6 students in mid-September. The S6 students organize the trip, designed to introduce the newly arrived students to UTS' familial atmosphere and cherished traditions. The F1 students are inducted into one of the 4 UTS Houses, and they participate in a variety of activities designed to promote the positive spirit of the school and of their particular House.

F1 & F2 Camp Wanakita

Camp Wanakita in Haliburton is host to the F1 and F2 programs, which run at the end of February or early March. S5 UTS students apply to participate as counsellors for this trip. The F1 program focuses on community building, as students learn what it means to be a part of a community and what their role is within it. The F2 program focuses on Team Building, as students engage in activities in which they have an opportunity to be both leaders and team members. The program involves both leadership workshops as well as outdoor winter activities. ALIVE Outdoors staff, UTS Staff and S5 Counsellors work to teach, model and reinforce the expectation for all students to demonstrate respect, cooperation, risk-taking, resiliency and the positive encouragement of others.

M3 Leadership Retreat

In M3 we focus on student well being and self care. The aim is to provide the students with a tool box of options that will help them manage the stresses of a busy academic and co-curricular schedule. Every great leader needs to be able find balance in their life in order to have the most success. The M3 program runs at Pioneer Camp near Bracebridge in late September or early October. Students will also have an opportunity to do a variety of outdoor activities, such as archery and mountain biking, as well as camp crafts.

M4 Leadership Retreat

Located in Haliburton, Camp Weldon will run for 3 days towards the end of September. This retreat provides students with the opportunity for group discussions surrounding concepts of leadership, and challenges students to reflect upon, identify and share both personal leadership strengths as well as areas for growth. Students set goals for leadership contribution back at UTS and actively begin to harness their own leadership strengths through activities at the camp. ALIVE Outdoors staff and UTS staff promote learning and support expectations as students engage in leadership workshops, games and various outdoor activities, such as canoeing or climbing.

S5 Leadership Training Program

Located near Bracebridge, Pioneer Camp runs for 3 days in early October. This retreat focuses on the importance of mentorship, modeling leadership and putting leadership skills into practice. This camp provides training for those students undertaking leadership roles within the school as well as those interested in applying for a counsellor role at the F1 or F2 Wanakita camp. Students engage in a variety of activities and discussions which focus around leading others. Students are challenged to overcome conflicts and mediate difficult conversations through a series of discussions and role play activities. ALIVE Outdoors staff and UTS staff support the students as they learn to design and deliver a workshop, a campfire and a reflective closing presentation regarding the camp experience. Students also engage in a myriad of outdoor activities, from canoeing and kayaking to archery and tennis.