Therapeutic Adventure
Adventure Learning at Its Best
Daniels Academy believes that meaningful activities coupled with supportive, trusting relationships lead to positive change. We focus on the individual’s leisure interest and strengths to support our students’ pursuit in achieving their goals, dreams, and aspirations. We purposefully and carefully facilitate quality leisure experiences, based on research and theories, so our students are able to develop personal and environmental strengths which will lead to a greater well-being. We do this by creating environments that are option-rich, challenging, and optimally engaging which will lead to a development of strengths and personal attributes that are meaningful and rewarding.
Adventure Education
Therapeutic adventure programming is especially suitable to the unique challenges our students face. Studies have shown that adolescents on the autism spectrum avoid team-based sports due to social struggles and issues with coordination. Adventure activities create an environment where young men on the spectrum can learn social skills through participation in programming where they interact with others, but are ultimately in control of their own success.
The adventure-based activities offered at Daniels Academy are rock climbing, mountain biking, archery, fishing, and winter sports. We also offer recreation based trips to various sites across the beautiful state of Utah and its surrounding regions.
Safety is the greatest priority when it comes to adventure education, and Daniels Academy goes to great lengths to ensure that every activity is carefully led by qualified individuals following a thorough risk management plan.
Choice:
Not everyone enjoys the thrill of rock climbing or maybe the patience of fishing. We understand our students are as diverse as the great outdoors so our program is built around providing choices for our students. For each season change, our students are given multiple choices for what recreation activity to learn and participate in. Daniels Academy students will then practice weekly with a trained staff the adventure skills required to participate in their recreation activity of choice. Then at the end of the season, students will demonstrate the skills they have mastered on a mastery experience.
Example Adventure Education Activities:
- Spring: fishing running, archery
- Summer: swimming, camping, paddle boarding, outdoor sports
- Fall: mountain biking, yoga, biking
- Winter: skiing, weight lifting, indoor sports
