Out of the many clubs at U of D Jesuit, one of the most popular clubs, the Outdoors Club, receives $2,000 of annual funding from the school and involves around 75 students at The High. The Club’s proctor Mr. Daniel Montigelli, oversees the club’s activity with Club Leader Charlie Walton, along with managing funding. Walton is the president of the Outdoors Club for the 2024-2025 school year. The Outdoors Club was founded years ago at UDJ, but still thrives today because students love to participate in outdoor activities The Outdoors Club is able to provide those opportunities to students through funding and great leadership which builds a brotherhood through nature.
The Outdoors club has been around for many years at The High. According to Montigelli, “I don’t know if I have an exact year when the club was founded, but it used to be run by Mr. Coccitti, a former science teacher”. The Club focuses on bringing Cubs together through a variety of activities that are involved with nature. In an interview with Walton, he stated, “This year we have only done two excursions so far. The first was a Disc Golf Outing locally here in Detroit, and the second was a climbing trip in Grand Ledge”. The best part about the Outdoors club according to Montigelli is that, “The majority of funds the Club gets from the Senate is used directly toward making the events free”. With the $2,000 dollars the Club receives from the Senate each year, they are able to create fun excursions for students that everyone can participate in regardless of experience or equipment owned. Montigelli stated, “When students approached me about going rock climbing, ten out of the twelve students that went said that they have never gone before. They said, ‘I don’t have a harness, I don’t have shoes, I don’t have a rope, I don’t have anything. Can I still come?’ We said yes because we got all the gear for you!”
The affordability of the Outdoors Club is a great perk because the excursions they host are daring yet tranquil when outdoors in nature. Beyond the affordability of the club, their purpose and mission are the reason that it’s thriving today. According to Walton, the mission is to “get people outside and to influence a love for the outdoors and the environment, but most importantly to try to get people who normally wouldn’t have the means to participate in certain activities like skiing, rock climbing, or rafting.” Montigelli also added that “the club really brings groups together. And you would be buddies for the rest of your life with the people that you went on trips with.” The mission of the Outdoors Club isn’t only to get people outside and try something new in the outdoors, but to make new bonds and cherish the importance of autonomy and friendship while exploring what nature has to offer.
