EDGE Academy

EDGE: Experiential education fostering personal growth and academic success

EDGE is a unique experiential outdoor program in which students fulfill Grade 11 and 12 academic credits for English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Physical and Health Education. The EDGE program is focused on bolstering student academics, personal growth, leadership skills, and a sense of belonging for all participants through collaborative learning experiences, both inside and outside the classroom. Students connect directly with the natural world through place-based learning activities which enable them to integrate their learning into the wider world and to make personal connections. The physical and social environment that is created in the EDGE program supports the development of the Core Competencies – intellectual, personal, and social & emotional proficiencies that all students need to develop in order to become collaborative and critically thinking life-long learners.

Students have the four EDGE courses scheduled together in Semester 2, and have their four other courses in Semester 1. This timetable structure facilitates participation in outdoor experiences without affecting students’ non-EDGE classes and allows these experiences to occur in what is usually the better weather part of the year. Please visit the EDGE website wgssedge.weebly.com to explore the outings, class schedules, and basic equipment requirements. See a promotional video here.

Students will be required to pay a fee of $775 for their year involvement in EDGE. This fee will be divided into two instalments. The money covers the cost of transportation, toll or ferry costs, camp and accommodation registrations and expenses. The only additional cost will be food during the overnight trips.

NOTE: The EDGE program is open to French Immersion students! French Immersion students in the EDGE program typically replace Human Geography 12-EDGE (the Social Studies 11 requirement) with Exploration en sciences humaines et sociales 11 (the Bilingual Dogwood requirement).

There is an application process for consideration for participation in EDGE. The program has a limited enrollment capacity. Please complete the EDGE application form before the February deadline – see the form for details.

Students in the EDGE program will enroll in the following courses:

• English First Peoples Literary Studies and Writing 11-EDGE
• Human Geography 12-EDGE (or Exploration en sciences humaines et sociales 11)
• Outdoor Education 11-EDGE
• One of the following Math options:
  • Foundations of Math 11-EDGE, or
  • Pre-Calculus 11-EDGE, or
  • Pre-Calculus 12-EDGE

Students will indicate these options during course selection in MyEdBC.

Due to limited enrollment in the EDGE Academy, school administration will determine the students who are chosen for the program and establish a wait list, as necessary.