We came for the fish and left in joy: A day with students from Valley Pathways

“How do you stay warm?” I ask, holding up a bag of snacks before we get out of the van and step onto the ice. “EATING SNACKS!” the students shout. We spill out of the van, clutching our snacks and into our winter classroom. The winter is hitting our face, the kind of snap that makes you feel alive.

“It’s beautiful out here today,” Says Director of Operations Amanda Montavon, standing on the ice with nearly a dozen students from Valley Pathways School.

“Hey guys, before we go on the ice,” Ruby Williams Onward & Upwards Field Guide says, gathering the group tight around her. “Lets talk about ice safety...Did I forget anything?” Ruby directs her attention to me. “What temperature does water freeze?” I ask.“32 degrees!” the students shout. “Even with thick ice, overflow on a warm day can be dangerous,” I add, “Allright lets get out there.”

“Hey Rusty, can you help me put on my spikes?” George asks, wrestling with his cleats.

I’m already huffing and puffing. “Uh... you might want to try putting them on yourself,” I say. “I’ve never seen these things before.” My frustration towards the cleats bleeds through the tone of my voice.

Amanda Montevon is watching me with a sparkle in her eye. “Do you want me to put those spikes on for you?” she asks, her voice dripping with humor and sarcasm. I take a breath. “Just put your foot in here and slip it on,” she points. And just like that, humbled and grateful the spikes slip into place.

“Where are the fish?” George asks, scanning the ice. I pointed George to a spot where a few days earlier there was blood on the ice. The holes frozen shut, with three feet of new ice. “Can I use the auger?” Asks George after trying to chip through the ice using the ice pick first, but then after a brief lesson on the electric auger drills his own hole. Soon another student lines up to drill their own hole

“My feet are cold!” says one student. Izaya grins proudly, “Mine are warm, because I’m wearing these boots!” Onward & Upward outfits students with snow pants, puffy jackets, gloves, and boots; if they want them; so everyone has a chance to be comfortable if they choose.

Chase moves from hole to hole with a scoop, helping classmates clear ice from their lines. No one asks him to. He just sees what needs doing and does it.

“I got a nibble,” says George, using the pole he made earlier in the week. The lessons aren’t about catching a fish. The fish don’t matter today. The students drill, scoop, and wait. They help

one another, fashion their own poles, and laugh when things don’t go perfectly. Out here on the ice, they belong, they are a group, this is a memory; learning that this is something they can do again, now or years from now, with friends and family.

I asked some of the students if they had been out fishing, some had, one student mentioned his grandpa used to take him when he was a kid. Another talked about doing a charter with his mom one time.

On the ride back, I turn to Justen in the passenger seat. “You’re the DJ.”

He tunes the radio to Welcome to the Jungle. “Bet you could karaoke this,” he says with a grin. This is funny. “I don’t quite have Axel Rose’s range.” I reply laughing.

When Creedence Clearwater Revival drifts in, I start to sing the old catchy tune, “...someone told me long ago...”After a bit Justen joins in “...I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?” Then others also start singing the chorus. Soon, the whole van is rocking in chaos laughing and singing.

A quiet unexpected lesson near the end of the day, lingering in my mind. Joy appears at unexpected times and places, patience is rewarded, and shared moments of laughter and music joyfully lift our spirits. If we measure our lessons by the metric of laughter, today was an A+ day in joy.

As the last line of the song is sung. “I want to know, have you ever seen the rain? Comin' down on a sunny day...” We wheel into the school dropping the students off, several students shake my hand before rushing off to their next class.

Back at base, we unload our vans, put away the gear, get ready for the next week, plug in the battery for the auger, freeze the shrimp, and keep the milk cold for the students' cocoa. Ruby lays down on her back, looking up at the vaulted ceiling of the Dome, happy and content with her work, “I am tired.” She sighs with a smile before making her long drive home. It was a good day out fishing for everyone, we only got one nibble, but that nibble was more than enough.

Onward & Upward’s curriculum creates safe, inspiring, nature-based experiences that spark curiosity, build friendships, and support growth. Lessons are designed to be meaningful, relevant, and engaging; connecting students to what they care about and want to do. Through experiential learning, we foster mindset shifts that help students develop openness and healthier ways of living.