CAVOC to be featured on ‘Discover Wisconsin’

The School District of Rhinelander’s Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom (CAVOC) will receive statewide visibility when the “Discover Wisconsin” television show films a segment there in early October, highlighting the state’s largest school forest and its educational programs.
School forest manager Mike Cheslock announced the upcoming “Discover Wisconsin” visit during a presentation to the board of education on Sept. 15.
“Probably the biggest news that I have to share with you is that I was contacted last week by Discover Wisconsin,” Cheslock told the board members. “They want to do part of their show on CAVOC, so we’ll get some statewide recognition there.”
Fittingly, Cheslock started his presentation with a vintage photo of the outdoor classroom’s namesake, Ced Vig, surrounded by children.
Vig, who passed away in 2010, served as superintendent of the school district from 1954 to 1977. A lifelong educator and naturalist, he also taught classes through the Nicolet College Learning in Retirement program and wrote a popular outdoors-focused newspaper column.

In the late ‘70s, after land was acquired from the Samoset Boy Scout Council, the school forest was named in his honor.
According to Cheslock, utilization of the school forest has expanded significantly in recent years, with all elementary grades required to visit twice annually (in the fall and the spring), though many also make a winter visit. Last year, CAVOC hosted approximately 3,000 student visits, not including special events, summer school activities and ski meets, Cheslock told the board.
CAVOC is also a popular rental destination for community groups, he added.
Graduation parties, family reunions, weddings and baby showers are held routinely, at a cost of $75 per day. Demand is so high that rentals are booked three months in advance, he noted.
Outside school groups also utilize CAVOC’s facilities, particularly the ropes course. Crandon High School, Merrill High School, Hurley schools and Northland Pines have used the course for team-building activities while corporate groups, including Health in Motion and Leadership Oneida County, have rented it, he shared.
While CAVOC is enjoyed by a wide variety of community members, nature-based learning remains its focus, Cheslock stressed.
The district has developed a comprehensive lesson plan menu incorporating resources from various programs including Project Learning Tree and partnerships with the Department of Natural Resources, he explained. Activities include acorn collecting, wildlife studies and forestry lessons.
A pollinator garden, funded through a Cellcom Green Gift grant, provides educational opportunities primarily for second-grade students, though all grade levels utilize the space, he added.
The district’s ice fishing program has become particularly popular, with students learning about fish species, weather impacts on fishing and Wisconsin’s fishing history. This program relies heavily on community volunteers who provide equipment and expertise, he said.
A 24-member advisory committee, made up of current and retired teachers, DNR foresters, outdoor recreation specialists, ski club members and community volunteers, oversees the facility while Cheslock serves as manager.