Why doing hard things still matters❄️

Winter Skills Camp: Why Doing Hard Things Still Matters ❄️

Just wrapped up another unforgettable Winter Skills Camp with our Grade 9 Outdoor Leadership students — an experience that reminded me why real challenge still matters in the lives of young people.

For two days, these students stepped fully away from screens, notifications, and the constant noise of daily life. No phones. No scrolling. Just cold air, teamwork, and the kind of quiet that lets you actually hear yourself think.

And in that space?
They thrived.

They built their own tarp shelters and slept in them overnight.
They cooked their own meals.
They managed their gear, stayed organized, solved problems, supported each other, and embraced discomfort — all on their own.

In a world that often makes everything easy, this camp asks students to lean into the opposite.
To do hard things.
To be uncomfortable.
To try, fail, try again, and figure it out together.

And watching them rise to every challenge… it’s hard to put into words how proud I am of them. Their resilience, their excitement, and their ability to come alive once the distractions fall away. That’s the magic of Outdoor Leadership.

Huge thank-you to the incredible ETOL students from Mount Royal University for your guidance, wisdom, and leadership. Experiences like this don’t happen without you.

Already counting down to our next adventure. 🥾🏔️