A PROJECT LED THROUGH THE REV
Get Outside After School Activity Program (GO-ASAP)
“Almost immediately I noticed the difference in the way that (my son) was acting,” said the father of a participant. “He was super excited every week to be a part of the program.”
ACADEMIC RESEARCH
“The GO-ASAP program is an exemplar of how a rural community can promote adolescent health through outdoor activity.” Read how GO-ASAP changed the behaviors of middle school students.
Participants, parents, and EOU student mentors share their enthusiasm for GO-ASAP and talk about the growth they’ve seen participants have in exploring the outdoors and outdoor activities.
ABOUT
The Get Outside After School Activity Program (GO-ASAP) offers middle school students activities including hiking, paddle boarding, rock climbing, mountain biking, and cross country skiing.
“It’s to get kids outside and to teach them lifestyle physical activity,” said EOU Professor of Health and Wellness Kelly Rice-McNeil, developer of GO-ASAP. “It’s a non-competitive, positive atmosphere to show them that you don’t have to be in a gym, you don’t have to be in a sport to be active and to be outside and engaging in healthy behaviors.”
Since its first year in 2016, the program has been offered at three locations - La Grande Middle School, Baker Middle School, and through the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) Recreation program.
The goal of GO-ASAP is to provide students with an opportunity to get outside, build positive community, and learn physical activity skills that will carry forward as lifestyle choices.
UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Four Eastern Oregon University students are hired as paid student GO-ASAP interns. These mentors lead the middle school students in exploring outdoor recreation and activities.
GO-ASAP started in 2016, thanks to a grant secured by Eastern Oregon University’s Dr. Kelly Rice from the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. She combined her professional world with her personal passion of outdoor activities, after numerous conversations with parents, teachers, and schools in the area.
TEAM
This program has been offered at Baker Middle School and La Grande Middle School. As Spring 2024 programming comes together, more information will be posted.
PREVIOUS LA GRANDE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS:
Jessica Frazier, EOU MAT student
Taylor Light, EOU Capstone student
John Bittinger, EOU Capstone student
Alaina Wright, EOU Capstone student
Josh Mendoza, EOU Capstone student
Mikayla Cordle, EOU Capstone student
Aldo Riva, OHSU Nursing student
Kylie Kennedy, OHSU Nursing student
LMS COMMUNITY PARTNERS:
REV Center Liaison: Julie Keniry
Wallowa Resources Education Program
EOU College of Education
EOU Health and Human Performance Program
EOU Outdoor Adventure Program
OHSU Nursing Program
La Grande Parks and Recreation Department
Center for Human Development
Grande Ronde Hospital
La Grande School District
What a past GO-ASAP mentor has to say about the program
Kylie Kennedy joined GO-ASAP as part of the nursing school population health clinical rotation. The program led Kylie to develop friendships with the other GO-ASAP leaders. At the same time providing her the opportunity to witness the middle school students develop and grow.
“It is a great population of students to work with, they are so eager to get to know and learn from you. This age is a time of learning who you want to be and as leaders we get to be a part of that journey. We have a lot of influence on these students, and I absolutely love learning from them every time I am with them.” — Kylie Kennedy
Interested in becoming the GO-ASAP Mentor?
The REV is seeking EOU students interested in being the student coordinator or one of four student mentors who will be tasked with supporting the GO-ASAP 2025 season. Contact Ashley Innis to learn more.