Daniel Saadatmandi

Staff Reporter

Coast is Gleneagle’s outdoor program, with many different activities and events which takes students all over B.C and teaches them many skills. Due to the pandemic, many of the activities were cancelled. However, following the grade 9 meet and greet that happened on November 26, it seems as though teachers are confident of COAST’s comeback for next year.

COAST as defined by one of its teachers, Madison Watt, a Food Studies teacher, COAST stands for “Coquitlam outdoor academic school team, an outdoor program meant to teach kids about life skill like first aid, canoeing, and kayaking. With six other formal courses which provide more traditional education for courses like Math and English.”

Students sign up for COAST in grade 9, then in the second semester of their grade 10 year they go on a variety of different trips from short day trips to longer overnight trips, finally, they go on a 10 day long final trip where everything they learn is put to the test.

However, with Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown, it resulted in many of the activities, specifically the overnight trips, being cancelled. But with Covid-19 beginning to drop off, and the amount of people with vaccines increasing, Watt is hopeful that they will be able to do all the COAST programs next year.

On November 26, the grade 9 meet and greet happened, which, according to Krista Bogen, another COAST teacher “was a chance for any grade 9 to come down an learn more about COAST.” It was very successful, with both teachers reporting that 50 grade 9 students came, with many seeming to be very interested. Also, at the meeting were around 30 ex-COAST students from previous who came to tell their stories of COAST and give out cookies to grade 9s for extra motivation.

In conclusion, the teachers of COAST are confident of the program’s comeback thanks to fact that Covid-19 is slowing down and the large amount of students interested in the program. It seems as though COAST will make full comeback next year.

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