Lyriah Barbeau, a sixth grader at Boothbay Regional Elementary School, shows off her favorite tree to climb, which she discovered during the Hearty Roots’ outing club after school this winter. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

In many Midcoast communities, Boothbay included, teachers and guidance counselors are embracing what is known as social and emotional learning (SEL), a process through which students can become more aware of their feelings and learn to better regulate and relate to others. 

For kids feeling excluded, embarrassed to raise their hand or angry about home dynamics, proponents of SEL argue those feelings aren’t insignificant. If anything, they are indicators that tools to boost self-awareness, emotional regulation and stress management could help improve academic focus. 

This winter, thanks to LincolnHealth’s Community Health Improvement Fund (CHIF) support, Boothbay Region Elementary School (BRES) announced the start of an after-school outing club for sixth to eighth graders in collaboration with Hearty Roots.

Lyriah Barbeau holds a chunk of ice and explains that different freezing points formed the crystal layers as moisture solidified underground. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

Misha Barker and Erin Quinley, Hearty Roots staff, created the program inspired by the five core competencies defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), plus an additional one: nature.

“There’s growing evidence SEL strategies are effective,” Quinley said. “We’ve seen it firsthand; the outing club requires student engagement and relationship-building that comes naturally during outdoor play.” 

Barker agreed, emphasizing there are definitive advantages for children spending time away from screens and enjoying the fresh air. While being nature-deficient in Maine is hard, she feels many kids crave free play between structured school days and extracurricular engagement. And that’s what this program aims to offer. 

The club is held three days a week and features low-energy activities (friendship bracelet making and journaling) and practical skill building, like learning to light fires and carve wood. Through contemplative practices, such as the habitual gratitude circle at the end of each session, students unknowingly de-stress, reaching an emotional stasis before heading home. 

When The Times Record visited the BRES campus on Jan. 9, a special invite was extended to tour Iceland, an imaginary forest civilization with three townships and a shared political system. Trapezing through the trails, students slid off their gloves to “dig for diamonds,” revealing ice crystals from swampy patches and a stick fort. 

“They’ve joked about starting a fundraising project for solar-panel fort roofs,” Quinley said. “That shows you how aware they are about the environment and teamwork. This group is incredibly trustworthy, so we pretty much let them run free — keeping only a few non-negotiables in mind, like staying in the line of sight and not climbing past double their height.” 

Jillian Higgins, a seventh grader at Boothbay Regional Elementary School, peeks out under the new outdoor classroom tent during an outing club session on Jan. 9. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

A firepit and outdoor classroom to mark club territory

Shawna Kurr, principal of BRES, applied for the CHIF grant to encourage students to use campus trails and address transportation and cost issues with local after-school options. As a parent of a Hearty Roots camper, she felt it made sense to choose Barker and Quinley to design the program.

Each day is unique. Students choose an active engagement (teamwork), adventure and more reflective activity before concluding with a gratitude circle. 

On Jan. 9, six BRES students huddled in a circle under the new tent for a snack break while sharing their favorite part about the outing club. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

“The club is entirely student voice and choice run,” Barker said. “We give the kids lots of space while maintaining strong safety parameters. Without us hovering, they develop interpersonal skills and, we’ve found, rise to meet our expectations.” 

While the club operates independently from the school curriculum, the SEL skills gained are meant to help students achieve their highest academic success, arriving at class the next day with a fresh mind. 

The program’s benefits have also materialized. Thanks to a $6,000 donation from Paul Columbe, a fire pit and a 16-by-24-foot outdoor classroom have been established just beyond the playground to mark club territory.

Amidst biting winds on Jan. 7, Tom Dewey and Scott Jaural, BRES facility managers, pitched the canvas tent. They thawed the frozen ground with a torch and, using a jackhammer, drilled the holes for stakes. 

“Soon, instructors will use the outdoor classroom, too,” Barker said. “I can already see science teachers excited to head out this spring and conduct some weather classes.” 

Jillian Higgins and Audrey Robinson, seventh and eighth graders at Boothbay Regional Elementary School, proudly stand in “Iceland,” an imaginary civilization they created in the trails behind the school’s playground. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

‘It’s cool to make friends here’

On Jan. 9, six clubgoers huddled in a circle under the new tent for a snack. The tundra-like wind whistling outside occasionally lifted a corner, prompting a squeal. 

“If they had it their way, they’d never be inside,” said Quinley, rubbing her fingers to stay warm. Turning to the students, she asked them to share their favorite part of the program between bites of granola bars. 

Isaac Meyers, a seventh grader at Boothbay Regional Elementary School, demonstrates how he slides down trees “safely” during outing club on Jan. 9. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

Though Jillian Higgins and Audrey Robinson are in different grades at school, they have become close friends. They work together during outing club to plan and build forts. Lyriah Barbeau often assists them, finding secret passageways in the trees to help them expand their civilization. 

“My favorite part has been making new friends,” Isaac Meyers said. “We don’t get much time to play during recess, and it’s way more fun running through these trails than my boring backyard.” 

Touring the campus, Barker explained how the freedom of being outdoors often allows more genuine self-expression, leading to deeper relationships. There are no social pressures or expectations. Kids can show up as themselves and are accepted “unconditionally.” 

Offering gratitude at the end of the day allows the kids to express appreciation for something non-material; they are paired off and must look their partner in the eye and deliver a compliment. 

“It’s cool to make friends here,” Quinley said. “Middle school is a trying time. Kids try to understand their emotions, let alone bother understanding their peers. We figure out our feelings together during outing club and grow closer because of it.” 

Before getting picked up, Jillian thanked Audrey for eating lunch at the library with her, Lyriah thanked Isaac for finding new climbing trees, and Grayson Wade thanked Quinley for helping him decompress when he felt upset earlier in the afternoon. 

“It’s not perfect,” Quinley said. “And we don’t try to make it. … Maybe that’s why a program like this works?”

Surrendering to the magic

It’s tough to measure SEL development since many of the skills aren’t tangible. For the most part, Barker and Quinley deem a session well done if everyone leaves safe with (hopefully) a smile. 

On Jan. 9, 2025, during the gratitude circle that concluded the outing club, Lyriah Barbeau thanked Isaac Meyers for finding new climbing trees. Laura Sitterly / The Times Record

“Playing without direction requires emotional intelligence, interpersonal skills and high-risk assessment,” Barker said. “It’s actually really difficult. As mentors, we focus on basic safety, pushing the kids to create the rest of the experience themselves.” 

Quinley also finds that magic happens when she takes the back seat. 

“The less I talk, the better I’m doing my job.” 

As spring approaches, the two hope the weather attracts more club-goers, particularly those at school waiting for sports practice who could join in for an hour or so instead of scrolling on their phones. 

Barker will host a similar program for first through eighth graders at Great Salt Bay in Damariscotta from February through March. If necessary, a discount will be available. To enroll a child, visit the outing club events page on the Hearty Roots website.