Experiential Education in District 51
OWL: It's YOUR Lab!
Located 47 miles west of Grand Junction, in the heart of Colorado's canyon country, the Outdoor Wilderness Lab is ideally situated to provide unique outdoor learning experiences that last a lifetime. With sandstone buttes, open skies, and West Creek running through the center of campus, students engage with the natural environment and people surrounding them in new and creative ways, making their learning both meaningful and lasting.
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Middle Schools
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Select your school below to register for your trip to OWL:
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Medical Needs
For overnight trips to OWL, please do the following at least two weeks prior to departure to OWL:
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Ensure your school's medical records are up to date.
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Complete all needed "medication forms" listed below.
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Submit all medication forms to your school's nurse or health assistant.​
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Submit all medications to your school's nurse or health assistant.​
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Communicate (as needed) to your OWL Team Teacher that your child has a medical condition that requires attention, care, medication, etc... during your trip.
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For medical conditions that require special care, please ensure that a meeting is held with the following people included: your school's OWL Team Teacher, school nurse, principal, yourself, and your student (OWL staff as needed) to develop a care plan that best supports your child's needs.
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Forms (English)
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Request for Medication/Medical Procedures- Must be completed for ANY medications your child is bringing to OWL (both prescription AND non-prescription medications) or any special procedure to be done while at OWL.
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For prescription medications, the form must be signed by a doctor.
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Formularios (Español)
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Formulario para solicitar medicamentos / procedimientos en la escuela- Debe completarse para CUALQUIER medicamento que su hijo traiga a OWL (tanto medicamentos recetados como no recetados) o cualquier procedimiento especial que deba realizarse mientras esté en OWL.
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​Para medicamentos recetados, el formulario debe estar firmado por un médico.​
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Special Needs
OWL welcomes ALL students. If a child can attend public school, they can attend OWL. However, the learning environment at OWL may present unique challenges for some students that don't exist in a standard school environment. So to help every student be as successful as possible during their time at OWL, we ask that you do the following no later than two weeks prior to your child's departure to OWL:
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Ensure that a meeting is held between all relevant parties to form a plan that will ensure your student's success. The meeting should include: The parent, student, OWL Team Teacher, and at least one of the following: special ed teacher/ case worker, social worker, counselor, and/ or principal.
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Communicate the plan to all relevant parties including OWL staff.
Sample Schedules
Day Trip & School Site Visit Schedules
Day Trip
School Site Visit
Frequently Asked Questions
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What options for financial assistance are there? Each middle school in District 51 has scholarship money available. In addition, each school is encouraged to fundraise individually to support their students. Contact your OWL Team Teacher and/ or principal for more information on how to apply or ways to get involved!
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Is OWL just for 6th grade students? At this time, OWL's goal is for all students in D51 to attend OWL during their 6th grade year. We'd like to expand that goal to provide services to other grade levels as soon as possible! We also encourage all students to apply to be a High School OWL Counselor.
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When is my student's trip to OWL and do they have to go with their middle school? Students attend OWL in either the fall (Sept-Oct) or spring (Mar-May) seasons. Yes, your child must attend OWL with their home middle school. Contact your OWL Team Teacher for more information on your school's specific trip.
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Are cell phone allowed? Cell phones and other electronics are NOT allowed at OWL. There are 3 reasons for this: 1) There are no outlets in the tent-cabins to charge electronics. 2) Bringing valuable items to an environment where they can get lost, stolen, or broken can lead to unnecessary problems that detract from the positive experience of your child and others. 3) Your child's visit to OWL is a chance for them to "unplug" from the electronic world they're often surrounded by in their daily lives. It's a healthy opportunity to be free from the distractions and be present with the people and the natural environment surrounding them. If you're concerned about keeping in touch with your child, you may call OWL's office at any time or contact your OWL Team Teacher for additional options.
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Can my student bring their own food? If your child has specific medical/ dietary reasons that they require alternative food than what is provided at OWL, please be sure your school nurse knows so a care plan can be written that best supports your students needs. Alternate foods included in this plan are allowed. All other outside food is NOT allowed.
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Can my child bring pocket knives, fishing poles, and/ or their own archery equipment? No.
Middle Schools:
OWL works with students from 10 middle schools across the Grand Valley and in Gateway. For more details, CLICK HERE
High Schools:
OWL works with students from Central High School, Fruita Monument High School, Grand Junction High School, and Palisade High School, training them to be High School OWL Counselors. For more details, CLICK HERE
Elementary Schools:
OWL works with and visits elementary schools in the district to lead activities with 5th graders. These presentations help spread awareness of the program, and prep 5th graders for OWL the following year when they start middle school. For more details, CLICK HERE