Colorado program offers online students a chance to challenge themselves outdoors
Mar 2, 2025
Since the pandemic forced students to attend class online in 2020, most students have long since returned to the classroom. However, some Colorado students who chose to remain in online classes are finding new ways to challenge themselves outdoors.
Although many students enjoy taking classes online, it can present its own struggles.
Talya Zimmer and Malachi Strong of Colorado Springs each have their own reasons for choosing to go to an online school.
“I really appreciated the fact that the teachers could give more one-on-one help of students,” said Zimmer.
“I liked it, helped me learn a bit more,” said Strong.
While they like attending Destinations Career Academy of Colorado, they will admit there is one drawback.
“It’s a bit lonely, I don’t really have any friends,” said Strong.
Hunter Stafford is a geography and outdoor leadership teacher at the school. He grew up in Denver and says being outdoors with friends and family really helped him as a young man.
“It just helped me appreciate, just like the beauty of the wilderness in Colorado,” said Stafford.
That’s why he decided to start teaching an outdoor leadership pathway for his students. It gives them a chance to get away from the screen and challenge themselves in ways they may have never before.
“It’s challenging to learn resilience when you stare at your computer all day and do online assignments. I find that true resilience can oftentimes happen when we’re hiking a 13,000 foot mountain and a student has never left Denver before,” said Stafford.
Through the pathway, kids go on four trips and earn their wilderness first aid certificate. They also explore careers in the outdoors.
“In Colorado, there’s a lot of these jobs available,” said Stafford.
Talya and Malachi said they probably won’t switch their career paths, but this outdoors leadership class has helped them grow.
“I realized that working as a family is really important. Like as a group, we have to get our things together if we have struggles,” said Zimmer.
And having fun is also an important part of school.
“I was like, this is great. I get to go outside and play with people,” said Zimmer.