The 6th grade Outdoor Ed experience starts early in the school year when students begin to anticipate the rewarding experience of traveling by chartered bus to Prescott, Arizona for a 3 day learning experience among the pines.

The program has long been successful in DV history. Students have enjoyed a wide variety of cooperative learning opportunities through activities such as team-building classes, a language unit of Haiku, archery, dissection of Owl pellets, learning and playing Bocce Ball, experiencing Dutch Oven cooking and increasing math skills through an orienteering/compass class.

Sixth grade teachers are accompanied by a variety of staff members from the school who each year sign on for the hard work and long hours through teaching units, support staff who assist in the activities and administration who visit whenever possible.

Parent volunteers help to make the program successful year after year. They accompany the groups of students day and night to all the activities encouraging each student to work together with their group to have fun, learn and support one another.

Student cost of the trip is helped each year by DV PTSA who is committed to providing a high quality education experience for the sixth grade. Through their assistive funding, families have an easier time raising the money for their student. Additional costs are offset by a yearly fundraiser of 6th grade students selling honey to help raise money that goes toward the program. Finally, a small amount is usually due that can paid for through the Arizona Tax Credit program so that parents and families have the money spent on the program returned to them as a state tax credit.

The past few years the program has taken place at an established camp near Prescott, Arizona called Emmanuel Pines.