Joe has a creative mind and a genuine aptitiude for working with youth. His excellent experience and teaching abilities are valued assets in his position as an expert trainer for the Making Tracks active transportation safety education program.
Cheyenne Dickinson, Community Advisor, Active and Safe Routes to School, Ecology Action Ctr.             

ALTERNATE  PROGRAM 

“promoting academics and enhancing self-esteem”

At this time we are sending a letter of gratitude to Joe Quercia’s Outdoor Adventure & Recreation Association.  During the 2007-2008 school year Joe volunteered his time with the Alternate Program students at Digby Regional High School. 

On numerous occasions Joe has been at our school facilitating team building exercises and outdoor survival skills, such as proper gear and how to use it and orienteering and compass work. 

In return Joe allowed us to visit his property on a regular basis where our students were able to bank volunteer hours helping him with work that needed to be done at his facility.  Our group built a deck platform and debris shelters, and cleared paths through the woods. The students also enjoyed fun activities such as playing disk golf and learning how to shoot a bow and arrow.   

Thank you Joe for helping the Alternate Program provide more experiential based curriculum for our students.  Every one enjoyed the school outing and always looked forward to going to your outdoor adventure and recreation facility.  From our experience with you our group has learned to take risks, problem solve, and to cooperate and function as a team. Thank you also for providing the end of the year school trip for us. The barbecue and swimming were a great finish.   

Yours truly, Geraldine Amirault, AP Facilitator, Digby Regional High School                                                           Cathy Banks, Youth Mentor, Digby Regional High School

This program was a great opportunity for all students to learn in a new way, a way that they benefit from, a way that they learn best and that is hands on! My students really enjoyed this program and I feel that we have been really lucky to have been given the opportunity to participate. They have gained skills here. This program will be the memory that these students will ahve of grade six for the rest of their lives. A big hats off to Joe Quercia and his helpers. The students not only learned a great deal but I did as well. Thanks so much.
Nicole McCarthy, Grade 6 Teacher, South Centennial Elementary.

Dear Joe

When I first me you I wasn't sure if I wanted to go out to your place and build trails and debris huts, but after I went a few times I realized that me and you have a lot in common, we both like to be outdoors and build things out of whatever we can find. So I am going to take the time to thank you for all of the activities that you took your time to plan.

I don't know how someone could take their time to please a bunch of teenagers and I don't know how you did but you did, so thank you for teaching us how to build debris huts and play frisbee golf, it was awesome.

I hope we come out this year because it beats going to school by a long shot.

Sincerely, T.J. Amero, Grade Nine, Digby Regional High School.

My thoughts I love that Joe chose our school to do this AWESOME program. I think that it is a great time to do hands on learning activities and I hope other classes get to do great things like this. My favorite part of this program is trying to work together which is sometimes frustrating. I am really sad to have to leave peers n gears and stop learning new things. I love taking and putting bikes back togeher. And trust me your really get dirty here. Well I think Joe is trying to talk to us so I got to go. Bye I hope the other classes have as much fun as we did.
Kayla Grade Six Student