Experiencing Nature

On October 25th, the day before break, we took our Grade 11 students on a CAS hiking trip to Neuwaldegg. CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) is a requirement of the Diploma Programme and allows our students to step outside their comfort zone.

The students engaged in the CAS strand “Activity” and reflected on the two CAS learning outcomes: Global Engagement and Ethics of Choices and Actions. The trip was organised by Mr. Poetscher and the students were accompanied by Ms. Znaidi and Mr. Perry.

Inspired by the Japanese concept of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing), the students wanted to experience the beauty of Vienna surrounding our school and enjoy the calm space nature has to offer. This showed them one way of spending their free time in nature and possibly coping with exam stress. They also chose to enjoy the hike technology-free, so the use of phones and headphones was avoided in order to make the most of this experience and fully emerge themselves in nature with all their senses. The conservation of nature is a global issue and in order to engage with this, students must see and experience nature first hand. Grade 11 left the school in the morning and returned for lunch, which gave them a good 4-hour timespan to explore and indulge themselves in nature.