Activities
Wilderness Education Program/Environmental Studies
Day Hike/Stewardship Program
Once a month, a group of 6 students spends a full school day on a volunteer project. During the fall semester 2008, work was done on the following projects:
- Students and Teachers Restoring a Watershed (STRAW): This program, funded by The Bay Institute, connects teachers and students with watershed restoration projects throughout the North Bay Region. Our students have been involved in this program since Spring semester, 2008, and have worked on planting trees, building erosion control systems, installing dry-water irrigation systems, and worked with younger students from other schools as mentors on some of the projects.
- Sonoma Ecology Center, Sonoma Garden Park: Students volunteer at the Sonoma Garden Park roughly once every two months in an effort to obtain education and exposure to local, community gardening practices and techniques. Our program continues to develop a meaningful and productive relationship with the Sonoma Ecology Center, and this resource has the potential to educate our students much more thoroughly through their various internship programs.
Twice a month a group of 6 students participates in a full school day trip in which they visit one of the many natural preserves, state parks, regional parks, or national preserves in the region. The goal is to expose students to diverse natural settings and teach them about the flora, fauna, natural and social history of the particular preserve. Students are also expected to hike anywhere between four and twelve miles during the day trip, depending on the itinerary for the day. Examples of destinations include the following:
- Point Reyes National Seashore
- Jack London Historical State Park
- Bouvarie Preserve
- Hood Mountain Regional Park
- Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
Backpacking Program
The Wilderness Education Program continues to send out three backpacking trips each year. The trips are during the last weeks of April, July, and September, and each trip entails backpacking in a remote California wilderness for a three or four-night stay. Students typically carry 40 to 50 pounds and hike anywhere between 10 and 25 miles during the trip.
Educational activities during the backpacking trips include descriptive and reflective journal writing on a daily basis, student-led readings from a variety of texts such as wilderness first aid, geology, natural history, poetry, minimum impact camping skills, and navigation. Students also receive instruction in leadership, teamwork, map and compass reading, cooking, and bear-prevention camping skills. During these trips students make keen observations of their surroundings, identifying various forms of flora and fauna, observing natural water systems and watersheds, and occasionally fishing.
The backpacking program also teaches our students a variety of life skills. Participating students are closely involved in every stage of planning, implementing, and closing out the trips. These activities include itinerary planning, food planning and preparation, equipment management and packing, and the various jobs of unpacking, cleaning up, and storing gear after the trip.
4-H Program
Each year, there are over 20 boys vying to be members of Hanna's 4-H Club. The 4-H leader, Mr. Dave Redden interviews each youngster and gives them an opportunity to experience the 4-H and Agriculture Program before the final selection of 5-6 4-H members is made. Boys are chosen for membership based on many factors including which youngster could most benefit from the experience and his desire to participate in this unique, hands-on learning adventure.
Mr. Redden shares, “Hanna’s 4-H and Agriculture Program is more than caring for animals and learning about agriculture. It is about learning to be consistent, responsible and dependable, qualities that will serve the boys well throughout their lives. It is also about providing the boys with a special experience that they will remember forever.
The Winter 4-H and Agriculture Program offers the boys an opportunity to raise baby calves. Arriving from a local dairy, only hours old, the boys welcome the calves to the 4-H barn.
The Spring 4-H and Agriculture Program welcomes the arrival of baby lambs. When they first arrive at Hanna, they are away from the flock, scared and worried about their new surroundings ~ not unlike the boys when they first leave their families and enroll in our program. The boys raise the lambs and learn to show them in preparation for the Sonoma County Fair and Livestock Auction.
With any kind of program or effort it is important to have goals. Hanna's 4-H and Agriculture Program has two levels of goals: Short Term Goals: Provide a new learning experience for the boys and an opportunity for the boys to build skill levels. Long Term Goals: In addition to building skill levels, the project seeks the opportunity for boys to become 4-H advisors, providing guidance, instruction and role modeling for the 4-H participants joining in the next year. Each 4-H participant learns to be an Ambassador of the 4-H and Agriculture Program during Open Houses and campus tours and become involved in the agricultural community through their experiences during the year and through the Sonoma County Fair and Livestock Auction.
Recreation Program & Interscholastic Sports Program
Success in sports can be a turning point for our boys. Often it’s the first time they experience self-worth and self-confidence.
From swimming to baseball, the Physical Education and Recreation staff provides a comprehensive curriculum designed to teach skills and keep the boys engaged in a full range of physical activities. In addition to focusing on improvement in coordination, speed, strength, flexibility, health, and self-confidence, the program also fosters teamwork and sportsmanship, with interscholastic team competition in baseball, volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis, and wrestling.
In addition to sports, Hanna offers a wide range of recreational activities including photography; arts and crafts; music and drama; fishing and camping; special trips and events ranging from an annual Family Fun Day to concerts, talent shows and outdoor adventures.
Intramural Program
The lunch-time intramural program is very popular at Archbishop Hanna High School. Three sports are played at lunch, including touch football, basketball, and “whiffle” ball baseball. Teams are chosen in the fall, winter and spring. Creative team names are chosen. Faculty members participate. Mr. Filice and Mr. Thompson supervise the program. Standings are posted and announced daily. Championship t-shirts are awarded to the championship team each season.
Student Council
To add to the enriching experience that Hanna Boys Center strives to create. A Student Council was established several years ago. Each cottage and group home elects a boy to represent them on the Student Council. The Student Council participates in many activities including supporting the athletic competitions by running the snack bar, holding campus rallies, and discussing ways to enhance after school, weekend and summer activities. The Council also assisted with the creation of the dress code which helps eliminate any kind of gang reference or styles on campus.