Wednesday – Day trip descriptions

A Day in the Life of an EMT
Interested in saving lives and helping others? This program will include information on the broader EMS system, how different agencies operate, and the specifics of RPI Ambulance. Participants will get hands-on experience with equipment used by RPI Ambulance including the stretcher, backboards, airway kits, and the ambulance itself. Participants will even get to partake in simulated calls so that they will truly have lived a day in the life of an EMT.

A Puzzled Past 
Hockey Line, The Meanest Man on Campus, Dutchman’s Shoes, Alma Mater … are you curious? These four RPI Traditions are part of the rich history and distinctive campus life. Guided by alumni, your team will explore historic campus destinations and learn traditions while collecting puzzle pieces along the way. During this interactive journey across campus, you will hear peculiar and zany stories about RPI’s past – get the inside scoop and hear firsthand about RPI’s past from those that came before you. At day’s end, your team will work to put all of the pieces together to win great RPI prizes. This program involves walking — sneakers are recommended.

A Taste of Cappella  
Dive into the challenge of learning and performing contemporary a cappella music as you are taught an entertaining set of songs from three of Rensselaer’s a cappella groups: the Rensselyrics, the Rusty Pipes, and Partial Credit. Singers and vocal percussionists have an opportunity to shine in a concert on the second evening, performing songs specially arranged by the group members. This program is ideal for individuals with some prior singing experience and those interested in vocal percussion.

Abada-Capoeira Martial Arts 
Axe! For over 400 years, native Brazilians have practiced the martial art of Capoeira along the sunny sands of Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. Capoeira is the martial art of evasion, performed with mostly kicks, and dodges rather than blocks. If you have ever wanted to learn or study a martial art, this activity is the beginning of that journey. Capoeira promotes flexibility, balance, strength training, and endurance in many innovative ways. We will have Capoeira workshops, music sessions, and a history overview on the culture of Brazil, the Portuguese language, and Capoeira’s origins. Anyone who wants to get a good workout outside, and maybe learn something, is welcome to participate. So come join the Abada-Capoeira RPI family and learn something new and exciting. Bom dia!

Camp Chingachook 
The Camp Chingachgook experience consists of various activities intended to help you get to know your classmates while challenging your personal limits and comfort zone. Participate in activities such as canoeing, archery, team building activities, and the climbing tower. When choosing this program, you will be asked to rank your choices of activities on the registration form, with 1 being your first choice. Camp Chingachook release form for confirmed students

Camp Sloane
The Camp Sloane experience consists of large group activities intended to help you get to know your classmates and practice group problem-solving and communication skills that will help you further your ambitions as engineers, entrepreneurs, and in your personal lives. In smaller groups you will rotate through a series of team low and high ropes initiatives. For more information on Camp Sloane itself, visit www.camp-sloane.org.

Camp Sloane Individual High Ropes Challenge
This activity is an option only for those students who took advantage of the two-night overnight program at Camp Sloane. It is an opportunity to challenge yourself on a “higher” level and engage in advanced team high ropes elements and individual high ropes initiatives that are not part of the overnight program.

Chimney Corners
Join us for a day of outdoor activities geared toward helping you get to know your classmates better. The Chimney Corners camp is located on 1350  acres in the Berkshires. The morning will consist of small group activities including team builder and icebreaker games, so all students start off on equal footing. After lunch, you will be working on the low ropes course, encouraging group work and communication. There will also be a small amount of free time where you can enjoy swimming and canoeing!  Please join us for a fun filled day. For more information on Camp Becket-Chimney Corners itself, visit http://www.bccymca.org. Chimney Corners release form for confirmed students

Day Hike & Barbecue
This trip will focus on discovering some of the back-country hiking trails in the area, specifically in Grafton Sate Park. This will be a novice trip with no previous hiking experience necessary. Trails will be moderately flat with beautiful scenery. The hike will last roughly four hours and will be followed by a barbecue at the pavilion area of the park. Swimming will be available in the adjoining pond for those wishing to cool off.

Day Sailing 
Come join the Rensselaer Sailing Club for a day of cruising and casual racing on Saratoga Lake. Students will have the opportunity to improve their sailing skills through on-the-water games and activities, and the day will culminate in relaxed short-course racing. Participants should have sailing experience, and be prepared to spend a day on the water.

Destination Dance
Experience a day of dance with the RPI Dance and Ballroom Dance clubs! Students will have the opportunity to learn jazz, hip hop, swing, and salsa with instructors and upper-class students in this workshop. Throughout the day, you will rotate through all dance styles. This will be a great opportunity to meet new students, learn some fun dance moves, and get acquainted with these two clubs. Hope to see you in the studio!

Engineering Speed  
Working with members of Rensselaer’s Formula SAE team, faculty from the School of Engineering,  students will have the opportunity to design and build a small go-kart from scratch. Teamwork will be essential to complete this project, and students will be able to test drive the go-kart on the second day of this activity. This is a great program for anyone interested in engineering! Experienced and non-experienced students welcome!

Envisioning Sustainability
Join faculty and staff from the new Sustainability Studies minor program for a day of sustainability exploration at Grafton Lakes State Park! The minor, new for 2009, was created to advance understanding of the complex ecological, technological, and social interactions that contribute to environmental sustainability. To learn more about sustainability, join us for a day of activities to include hiking, swimming, team building, a lunch presentation on local ecosystems and biodiversity, and an open discussion of the big sustainability challenges facing the world today.  If you are interested in learning how to shape your Rensselaer education so you can make a positive impact on the environment, this is your chance!

Fanfare 2013  
Interested in musical performance at Rensselaer? Come join us for two days of fun, excitement, and music making. While meeting fellow musicians of the Class of 2013, you will have the opportunity to learn challenging new music in a relaxed setting. The program will culminate with a concert on Thursday night in the RPI Union, where fellow classmates will be invited to hear you play. This is an excellent time to get to know your fellow classmates, meet and talk to upperclassmen, and learn about the many performance opportunities at Rensselaer. Though you are encouraged to use your own instrument, you are invited to inquire about borrowing one from RPI.

Flat Water Kayaking 
The base of the Adirondacks is less than an hour from RPI and offers a number of great places to paddle. This trip is for anyone interested in spending the day kayaking 14 miles down the upper Hudson River. The trip will start with a safety briefing and then on the river we go. Come and spend the day on the water! Flat Water Kayaking release form for confirmed students

Game Design Workshop
Do you like to play games? Have you ever thought about making your own? The Game Design Workshop is designed to show you what kinds of challenges designers face each day. Participants will meet industry professionals, discuss games (including paper-based, board, and video games), and work together in small groups to develop new rules and mechanics for non-digital games. No experience is necessary, and people with all different interests and backgrounds are welcome to join us.

Habitat for Humanity  
Build alongside Rensselaer upper-class students as they pursue the Habitat for Humanity goal of decent, affordable housing for all. This project will involve helping to construct a house in the local community. Come prepared to work, help a local family, and have fun while doing it! No experience necessary.

Horse Rescue Service 
Travel to Little Brook Farm in Old Chatham, N.Y. with the Rensselaer Equestrian Team to improve the quality of life of rescued horses. Little Brook Farm is an animal rescue station that is in need of support! Your day of service will include cleaning and repairing stalls, feeding, and grooming the horses. Come join us for a unique and valuable experience while lending your support.

Interactive Electronics  
Imagine you are trying to explore a planet whose atmosphere provides no oxygen, but instead produces gases harmful to humans. How would you design a robot to navigate such an environment? This program, using LEGO ™ kits, will introduce you into the world of robotics, a field that has endless applications and has grown to be a crucial component of society. Robots are used for everything from toys to brain surgery, plus, they’re just fun! Join us for this fun filled day of robot building.

Introduction to Precision Air Rifle Marksmanship  
Interested in rifle marksmanship? You’re invited to experience a day of skill building lessons with the RPI Rifle Club. Taking place on campus in RPI’s own rifle range, this program is specifically designed for participants with little to no prior shooting experience. Learn the basics of precision air rifle safety and technique with your new classmates – then put them to the test in a mock competition.

Mountain Biking 
Like bikes?…like mountains?…then mountain biking is for you! The Cycling Club will accompany bikers to Grafton Park and spend 3-4 hours riding single and double track trails. Experience on trails is helpful but the emphasis is on having fun! After lunch riders have the opportunity to swim in Grafton Lake or try out some of the cycling clubs bikes from downhill bikes to unicycles to fixed gear track bikes. All riders must bring their own bike and helmet.

Outing Club Day Hike
This trip is a great pick for anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Trip leaders from the Rensselaer Outing Club will take you up Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the Catskills, offering great views of nearly all of the 35 Catskill High Peaks. The Outing Club hosts a variety of trips and adventures throughout the school year, and this hike is a great opportunity to get you started. This is a novice trip with no previous hiking experience necessary. The trip will be approximately 5.5 mi. round trip, an elevation gain of 1700ft, and at a slow pace, but moderate physical fitness is recommended.

Paintball Passion 
Participants will be taken to a local paintball field to play team-based games. Games will include scenario games like capture the flag and the fast-paced game known as speedball. No prior experience is needed and all equipment will be provided. Paintball Passion release form for confirmed students

Passport to Global Citizenship: Port-of-Call Troy
Embark on an exploration of the rich cultural and ethnic history of Troy to begin your membership into the Troy community. Learn about waves of immigrant groups including the Irish, Italians, Poles, Ukrainians and Armenians who settled here in the 19th century, encouraged by hope and the promise of opportunity with plentiful jobs in the iron and textile industries. Explore the neighborhoods they created and how these immigrants shaped the city through the industries they worked in, the churches they belonged to, the food they ate and the social lives they led through creation and support of fraternal organizations, labor unions and the Underground Railroad – many of which are still functioning. This program is hosted by the Community Advocates; a group of students with a shared goal to prepare Rensselaer students for global citizenship.

Poly Press Pass  
The Polytechnic, affectionately referred to as “The Poly,” is an award-winning, student-run weekly newspaper that covers news, features, sports, and editorial content. Here’s your chance to find out what it’s like to be a member of the newspaper staff. Participants will work closely with current members of the Poly staff to create a special section that highlights the other NRB events occurring on and off campus that will be included in our first fall issue. We are looking for reporters, photographers, and those interested will also have a chance to work with layout and design.

Puckman’s Pursuit 
Ready for an exciting college experience, but worried you’ll know nothing about the city of Troy?  Puckman’s Pursuit will be a fun packed adventure with a series of tasks to accomplish as you get acquainted with downtown Troy. Express your creativity as you spend the day working in teams and snapping pictures of your adventures while getting familiar with Uncle Sam, Revolution Hall, and various other hidden gems of downtown Troy. The day ends with a presentation of your team’s journey, and judging will be based on originality, relevance to the task, and how much fun your team had while learning the story behind Troy.

Rensselaer Aviation Experience 
Experience the world of aviation first-hand with members of RPI’s Flying Club. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Albany International Airport and learn about the role engineering plays in the airport environment. Participate in an interactive discussion of airport security procedures, including the luggage screening process, emergency protocols, and 9-11 scenarios. Following this discussion, you will be given an introductory ground school lesson, a rundown on aircraft systems and operations and finally fly in a Cessna 172 for an exciting aerial tour of the RPI campus and downtown Albany.

Road Biking
The RPI Cycling Team invites you to share the wonderful road-riding terrain close to campus. We will leave from nearby Grafton State Park and head out for a full day of riding, ending back at the park with a picnic and a swim. To join this trip you need to have a good amount of road biking experience. Riders will need to provide their own road bike as well as protective gear, including helmet.

Rowing with Rensselaer 
Come learn to row and enjoy the day with members of the Rensselaer crew team. After a short trip to our boathouse in downtown Albany, you will be given an introduction to the sport of rowing from our experienced coaching staff. Following a morning of team building exercises and basic rowing instruction, we will venture out onto the Hudson River for rowing and seeing the sights of Albany. Bring your A-game and put it on the line for our races at the end of the day! Athletic apparel is recommended and you must be able to swim.

RPI Forensics 
Enjoy watching crime-solving shows on TV? Ever wonder how it’s “really” done? Now you can solve a crime right here on campus! A “crime” will occur on campus and you will be one of the first investigators on the scene to determine who did it and how the crime was committed. See and learn how investigators preserve, collect, and analyze evidence that can make or break the case! Put your problem-solving skills into action with help from local law enforcement offices, using FBI crime-solving techniques, and SOLVE THE CASE!

RPI Players Experience  
First-year students interested in a unique theatrical experience are invited to join Rensselaer’s theater club, the RPI Players, in an exciting two-day program. You will work with other first-year students and a selection of upper-class students to produce a full-blown theatrical production in just 48 hours, including a performance for your classmates. When you sign up, indicate your primary area of interest. We will need actors and a technical crew to pull together three one-act plays. No experience is necessary.

RPI TV Live Television Production  
Have you ever wanted to write or produce your own TV show? Do you dream of becoming a camera operator, audio technician, or director? Are you an aspiring actor or actress who always wished of becoming a TV celebrity? In just two days, you will work with your new classmates and the members of RPI TV to create a full television production, while taking advantage of our cutting-edge video and audio equipment. Whether you act in front of the camera or work behind it, you are guaranteed to have fun as you immerse yourself in the exciting field of television production. Learn more about us at www.rpitv.org!

Rugby 101  
Join the co-ed RPI Rugby Football Club for an exciting introduction to the fast-growing sport of college rugby. Participants will learn basic skills, concepts, and strategies of rugby, followed by a co-ed team touch tournament and a chance to show off their newly learned skills. Participants in this activity must be in good physical condition, but no experience is necessary. Gym clothes and running shoes are a must.

Sheer Idiocy’s Idioexperience
RPI’s best and only improv troupe, Sheer Idiocy, will take interested students under their wing to learn the essentials of improvisation. This includes the secrets of performing improv, the secrets of putting an improv show together, and the secrets of the Knights Templar. The day will culminate with participants putting together and performing an improv show that night along with the Idiots. Remember, this is a one-day event but the things you learn will last a lifetime.

Sustainable Iron Chef  
Do you enjoy cooking? Are you interested in learning more about sustainability efforts on campus? This day will be spent buying local organic food, learning valuable cooking tips from RPI chefs, taking part in an Iron Chef-style cooking competition, and last but not least, eating. The program will be hosted by the team members of the only student-run organic café – the Terra Café – and RPI’s own chefs. If you like to cook or are interested in learning more about cooking, this is the program for you!

Swing Revival
Since the dawn of humanity, humans have enjoyed nothing more than flinging themselves about. Due to accidental tumbles off nearby cliffs and unfortunate encounters with large stationary objects, it became clear that some structure was necessary and so dancing was invented. Our favorite result of this invention is the Lindy Hop – the granddaddy of swing dancing. Come join us for a crash course on the dance that started it all.

The Ultimate Game
According to the New York Times, playing Ultimate Frisbee makes you smarter. Seriously, look it up. Then come see what this amazing sport is all about. If you’ve never played before, you will spend some time learning the basic skills and strategy that will make you a star player. Teams will be formed for our round-robin tournament. Fresh air, cool people, and a day of fun in the sun. Come join us!

Up Your Alley – Troy Alley Action Project Murals
In 2006, Rensselaer students launched an effort to improve some of Troy’s 43 miles of alleys. Their success has become an annual event. On our quest to change the landscape of Troy’s downtown alleys, students will partner with neighborhood leaders to create murals and add artistic enrichment to the area. Spend the day painting alongside your peers and local community members to create a lasting work of art! No experience necessary, just bring your passion for service and the arts!

Welcome to College… Radio 
You’re on the air! RPI’s college radio station, WRPI, is the place for you if you’re interested in broadcast technology, live sound production, music in general, or if you have something to say to the whole world. In one day of fun and noise, you’ll learn the basics of broadcasting and have a chance to produce promotional clips, experience live production in our well-equipped studio, and create and air your own segment. Be the first in your class to be an official WRPI DJ with your own show! No experience necessary. To learn more, visit www.wrpi.org.