I always appreciate when folks reach out to tell me what they have going on, and I couldn’t help but smile when I saw an email from Two Harbors educator Dan Thewis, who opened his note with: “Sarah, I am at it again….”
The last time Thewis reached out, he was “at” putting together an all-girls weight room class after hearing the need from one of his junior high track and field athletes. The class was enormously popular, with 17 students signing up the very day he printed the flyer to advertise the class.
Now, Thewis has recognized another need. He and fellow educator Annie Walters have a new idea to put into action, and they’re asking for the community’s help. The two teachers, who co-teach a middle school Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) class, are teaming up to take learning outside the classroom walls.
In class, students focus on building character traits like perseverance, self-confidence, and emotional regulation. Thewis and Walters are hoping to launch an “Adventure Club” to give their students a chance to practice those skills in real-world settings.
“We do a lot of behavior regulation, how to manage your emotions, cope with your emotions, how to appropriately act in different life scenarios,” Walters explained. “We also do a lot of motivation, self-confidence, and self-esteem building. That’s the main thing.”
Walters is in her second year of teaching and loves working with middle school students, sharing, “They feel things totally and fully, and I really enjoy helping them do that in a positive way. Helping them see how those feelings can actually help them with what they want to do.”
Thewis echoed Walters’ enthusiasm.
The blunt comments always get me,” he laughed. “The high school kids I work with are a little bit more suave and sneaky, and these kids just lay it all out there. At least once a day I get a chuckle out of them.”
The proposed Adventure Club would give the six eighth-grade boys in the class a chance to explore activities beyond school, both to nudge them out of their comfort zones and to let them practice communication and coping skills. It’s also about making up for missed opportunities.
“Some of these kids have actually missed field trips and missed some fun stuff,” Thewis said. “We want to give them that chance to get out of the school and have fun as well.”
Transportation is already secured through the district, but the teachers are seeking community support to make the program possible. They’re also applying for grants like Operation Round Up, the Two Harbors Area Fund, and the Northland Foundation’s Youth and Philanthropy program.
Local time and talent are welcome and encouraged.
“Cash is helpful,” Thewis noted, “but time is valuable as well. If anyone wants to spend time with us, they can come in as a guest speaker or share a hobby like archery or kayaking.”
Service projects are also part of the plan, with Thewis and Walters hoping to connect the students with opportunities to give back—whether it’s helping neighbors clean sheds, rake yards, or prepare for summer.
“I’ve got some connections in town, and the best way to kind of realize that joy and that generosity is to give back,” said Thewis.
For those interested in supporting the program, Thewis can be reached at his school email: dthewis@isd381.org.
